Kenya’s Faith Kipyegon, arguably the greatest miler of her generation, is looking to secure a fourth world title in the 1,500m — a feat that would place her alongside Moroccan legend Hicham El Guerrouj.
“It’s about history now,” Kipyegon said earlier this season, after breaking yet another world record. “Every race counts.”
The championships come at the end of a turbulent season. The Diamond League offered its usual drama, while Michael Johnson’s much-touted Grand Slam Track series faltered, with its final leg cancelled for lack of funds. Top names, including Lyles and Olympic 100m champion Julien Alfred, gave the new series a wide berth, focusing instead on the traditional circuit.
Their choice paid off. Both won in Zurich earlier this month, a timely confidence boost. “I’ll head to Tokyo with a lot of energy,” Lyles said after edging Botswana’s Letsile Tebogo over 200m. “I’ll use that to my advantage.”
But rivals loom. Kishane Thompson of Jamaica, who lost to Lyles by a whisker in Paris last summer, remains the fastest man this year over 100m with a searing 9.75 seconds. Tebogo, meanwhile, seeks to confirm his place among sprinting’s elite.
Alfred, who delivered Saint Lucia’s first Olympic gold, is equally bullish. “I want to add another gold,” she said. “I’m fitter, stronger, and mentally in the right place.”
Familiar Rivalries, Fresh Battles
The Americans, who have topped the medal table in 15 of the last 19 world championships, arrive with pressure to perform. But other nations smell opportunity.
In the hurdles, McLaughlin-Levrone’s absence opens the door for Dutch star Femke Bol. The only woman under 52 seconds this season, Bol has strung together eight straight wins and enters as the clear favourite.
On the men’s side, Norwegian Karsten Warholm faces Olympic champion Rai Benjamin and Brazil’s Alison dos Santos in what promises to be one of the standout races. Warholm, who famously ran 45.94 seconds in Tokyo four years ago, remains as hungry as ever. “I have three world titles,” he said. “I want more. I’m greedy.”
Pole vault remains the realm of Sweden’s Armand Duplantis. The reigning Olympic and world champion has already broken his own world record 13 times. The only question is whether he’ll manage a 14th.
Kenya Eyes Double Delight
Kenya’s hopes rest on two familiar figures: Emmanuel Wanyonyi in the men’s 800m and Kipyegon in the 1,500m. Wanyonyi leads a ferociously competitive field, where 12 men have dipped under 1:43 this year. David Rudisha’s 2012 world record may finally come under threat.
Kipyegon, meanwhile, stands on the brink of history. She has raced sparingly this year, but when she has, she has been unstoppable. A fourth crown would cement her place among the sport’s immortals.
Not everyone has made it to Tokyo. Injuries have ruled out American 200m champion Gabby Thomas and Australia’s pole vault star Nina Kennedy. Dutch all-rounder Sifan Hassan chose to focus on the marathon, while Uganda’s Jacob Kiplimo and Joshua Cheptegei are absent for personal reasons.
Still, the stage is set. Nine days of racing, leaping and vaulting await in the National Stadium — the same venue that hosted the delayed Tokyo Olympics of 2021. Records may fall. Legends will rise. And somewhere in the pack, new stars will emerge.
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