Faster, higher, stronger!! Glasgow’s Emirates Arena bids welcome to the best track and field stars on the planet this week. Scotland is staging its first ever major World Athletics event; the 19th World Athletics Indoor Championships and the anticipation is building.
With around 5000 passionate spectators expected for each of the six sessions from Friday to Sunday, the atmosphere is sure to be electric. 651 competitors from 133 countries will contest 26 events over three action-packed days. As World Athletics President Lord Coe said earlier this week, “Everywhere you look on the programme there is something to be excited about”.
Embed from Getty ImagesWill The Vocal Glaswegian Crowd Fire-Up Team GB?
Scotland may not have held a World Athletics event previously, but they did stage the European Indoors at the same venue in 2019. Britain would finish second in the medals table with 4 golds, but their total medal tally of 12 was well ahead of the other nations. Laura Muir was the home star at those Euros, winning both the 1500m & 3000m for Team GB.
The former University of Glasgow veterinary student is the only gold medallist from those Euro Indoors who goes again this week (3000m). She has a glittering medal-laden career and is guaranteed a terrific reception, but the Ethiopians look very strong in her event. They have scooped 9 of the previous 10 golds in the women’s 3000m.
No Joshing for Kerr After Claiming World Outdoors Gold
There is more to come for the Scots on Saturday night as the 1500m World Champion from Budapest last summer, Josh Kerr, goes for glory in the men’s 3000m. The event takes place 30 minutes after the women’s equivalent, so Kerr will either look to maintain the buzz or lift the crowd. Once again, Ethiopian stars, in the shape of Selemon Barega & Getnet Wale, could prove party poopers. Edinburgh-born Kerr heads to Glasgow in top notch form though after setting a new world indoor 2-mile record in New York on February 11th.
Embed from Getty ImagesCan Any Other Brits Cause A Stir?
New British pole vault champion Molly Caudery, who has gone higher than any woman in 2024, is another who will be gunning for glory on Super Saturday. Last, but very much not least of the Scots to compete, Jemma Reekie, takes to the track on Sunday night. Reekie clocked her season’s best when winning the British Indoor title in Birmingham a fortnight ago.
It is the second-fastest time in the world this year. The Scot must contend with a plethora of African talent, but her personal best was achieved at the Emirates Arena track, which bodes well. Others to keep an eye out for from a British perspective: Morgan Lake (high jump), Laviai Nielsen (400m) & Cindy Sember (60m hurdles).
The World’s Best Descend on Glasgow
When not cheering on British athletes, there are plenty of world legends for the Emirates Arena crowd to gaze at in amazement. Noah Lyles, Grant Holloway, Karsten Warholm, Mondo Duplantis and Femke Bol head a star-studded line-up. Twenty current world champions and seven gold medallists from the Tokyo Olympics are on Scottish soil. Eighteen champions from the last world indoors in Belgrade 2022 also look to defend their crowns.
60m hurdle hero, Grant Holloway, looks to be one of the most unstoppable athletes in Glasgow and one of the most fancied to claim a gold. The American is on an amazing streak of 60 indoor victories on the bounce. A run that stretches back a decade. There are no signs of a decline either as he beat his own world indoor record just over two weeks ago.
Embed from Getty ImagesWill Lyles Be All Smiles?
All eyes will be on the Emirates Arena on Friday night as two of the best sprinters in the world, Noah Lyles and Christian Coleman, lock horns. It looks to be an all-American tussle for the men’s 60m title, and the bookies are struggling to separate them.
America’s Noah Lyles cemented his place as one of the top sprinters of all time after earning his third consecutive world 200m title last year. He would also bag 100m and relay golds in Budapest. Lyles, who is running in his first ever World Indoors is bidding to become the first sprinter to complete 60m, 100m and 200m world titles since Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce in 2014.
Lyles is hoping to use the event to improve his start ahead of the Olympics in Paris later this year. He sees it as a weak spot in his skill set. Could fellow countryman, Christian Coleman, take advantage of that weakness?
2018 World Indoor champion and current 60m world record holder, Coleman, was fuming in Belgrade two years ago. He had to settle for silver after missing consecutive golds by the smallest of margins. Sadly, for Team GB, British Indoor 60m champion, Jeremiah Azu, had to pull out earlier this week with a hamstring injury.
World Indoor Athletics Championship Schedule Highlights
Friday: (all times are GMT)
10:05 – Women’s Pentathlon (starts)
11:06 – Women’s Shot Put Final
19:41 – Women’s High Jump Final
20:20 – Men’s Shot Put Final
21:45 – Men’s 60m Final
Saturday:
10:00 – Men’s Long Jump Final
11:00 – Men’s Heptathlon (starts)
19:05 – Women’s Pole Vault Final
19:40 – Men’s Triple Jump Final
20:15 – Women’s 3000m Final
20:40 – Men’s 3000m Final
21:00 – Women’s 400m Final
21:10 – Men’s 400m Final
21:30 – Men’s 60m Hurdles Final
21:45 – Women’s 60m Final
Sunday:
10:18 – Women’s Triple Jump Final
11:55 – Men’s High Jump Final
19:00 – Men’s Pole Vault Final
19:15 – Women’s Long Jump Final
20:15 – Men’s 4×400 Metres Relay
20:30 – Women’s 4×400 Metres Relay
21:00 – Women’s 60m Hurdles Final
21:10 – Men’s 800m Final
21:20 – Women’s 800m Final
21:30 – Men’s 1500m Final
21:45 – Women’s 1500m Final
Follow the action live on BBC TV & BBC iPlayer from 1-3 March.
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Image Credit: Deposit Photos
