The World Athletics Championship is a biennial track and field competition organized by the sport’s global governing body, the International Association of Athletic Federations (IAAF). It is held alongside the Olympic Games as the premier senior international outdoor event for the entire sport of track and field, including marathon running and race walking. Separate World Championships are also held for certain other outdoor events, such as cross-country running.
Japan is preparing to host the 2025 World Championships, marking its milestone twentieth appearance since the sport’s first championships were staged in Helsinki in 1983. The end-of-season showpiece will run from 13-21 September, with BBC coverage of the action across a variety of platforms.
In recent years, the likes of Noah Lyles and Faith Kipyegon have claimed double gold at the event, while heptathlete Nafi Thiam is targeting a sixth consecutive global title. Elsewhere, Olympic 800m champion Keely Hodgkinson will be out to repeat her success from Paris two years ago.
The men’s 400m hurdles final has produced some of the sport’s most thrilling contests and is a must-see event. Rio Olympic bronze medallists Karsten Warholm and Rai Benjamin are among those competing in the final, with the Norwegian aiming to go one better than his fourth-place finish at the London Olympics four years ago. Brazil’s Alison dos Santos and Qatar’s Abderrahman Samba are the other athletes in the mix.