The World Athletics Indoor Championships Nanjing 25 is just around the corner, and the latest athlete lineup has been revealed. This highly anticipated international event will take place in Nanjing from March 21 to 23, bringing together over 500 top athletes from more than 120 countries and regions to compete for glory.
Star Athletes Set for Exciting Showdowns
This year’s competition features a strong lineup of world-class athletes, promising an exciting track and field spectacle for fans. One of the biggest names is Hugues Fabrice Zango from Burkina Faso, the indoor triple jump world record holder (18.07m).
He was the first athlete to break the 18-meter mark indoors and has won two golds, one silver, and one bronze at the World Championships since 2019. Ahead of the event, Zango shared in a video message that his goal is to win another gold medal for Burkina Faso. Other big names include Lázaro Martínez, the 2022 World Indoor Champion, and ZHU Yaming, the Tokyo Olympic silver medalist, both of whom will also be competing in Nanjing.
Hugues Fabrice Zango
Image Source: Organizing Committee
Greek long jump grand slam champion and two-time Olympic gold medalist Miltiadis Tentoglou leads the men’s long jump lineup. Known as a “gold medal magnet”in the event, he will be aiming for his third consecutive World Indoor Championships title in Nanjing.
Miltiadis Tentoglou
Image Source: Organizing Committee
Armand Duplantis, the Swedish “Pole VaultKing”, who has broken the men’s pole vault world record 11 times, is here in Nanjing to compete in the event. This super star has become the biggest suspense in global track and field -- will he continue the “1cm miracle” and break the world record for the 12th time in Nanjing? Meanwhile, he will also aim for his third consecutive World Indoor Championships title. In this competition, he will face his long-time rival, American pole vaulting star Sam Kendricks, who is the silver medalist in men’s pole vault at the Paris Olympics.
Armand Duplantis
Image Source: Organizing Committee
In the men’s 60m hurdles, American hurdling star and world record holder Grant Holloway will aim to extend his 11-year unbeaten streak in the event while also chasing his third consecutive World Indoor Championships title.
Grant Holloway
Image Source: Organizing Committee
In the women’s shot put, Olympic champion GONG Lijiao will face off against defending champion Sarah Mitton from Canada in a high-stakes showdown. With four athletes already surpassing the 20-meter mark, the competition for medals is expected to be fierce. American star Chase Jackson is also on the entry list.
Sarah Mitton
Image Source: Organizing Committee
The women’s 400m promises to be an exciting event, with Paris Olympic 4×400m relay champion Alexis Holmes teaming up with Quanera Hayes to contend for the medals. Both athletes will also compete in the women’s 4×400m relay, where they will challenge the defending world indoor champions, the Netherlands.
In middle- and long-distance running, Norwegian rising star Jakob Ingebrigtsen, a multiple world record holder, is the biggest favorite to win the championship. He currently holds the men’s 3000m world record and is the first athlete in history to break the 7:20 mark in the event. Chinese runners LIU Dezhu and SUN Ningkai will compete alongside him in the men’s 1500m and 3000m, respectively.
Jakob Ingebrigtsen
Image Source: Organizing Committee
Rising Stars Challenging the World Stage
In addition to the thrilling battles between top athletes, this competition also marks the rise of more new talent in the world of athletics.
Yaroslava Mahuchikh, from Ukraine, is the biggest favorite to win in the women’s high jump. At just 23 years old, she has broken world records multiple times and is one of the most promising young stars in the event. Last season, she set a world record of 2.10 meters, and this year, she has already surpassed the 2-meter mark, jumping 2.01 meters in Slovakia.
Molly Caudery from the UK, who won the 4.80-meter championship last season, has continued to maintain her position in the top three in the world this season. Can she successfully defend her title? Born in 2000, at just 25 years old, she has already set the UK national record in the women’s pole vault, making her the future star of British pole vaulting.
Molly Caudery
Image Source: Organizing Committee
Chinese young athlete LIU Junxi set a personal best of 7.47 seconds in a test event, breaking the best Asian record in the past 17 years. He is the second Chinese athlete after LIU Xiang to run under 7.50 seconds in the men’s 60m event. LIU Junxi will now challenge American hurdling star and men’s 60m hurdles world record holder Grant Holloway in the upcoming competition.
Exciting Action for Three Days
The competition will span three days, featuring 26 events. The first gold medal will be decided in the match between Tokyo Olympics silver medalist ZHU Yaming and world indoor record holder Hugues Fabrice Zango in the men’s triple jump. Additionally, the men’s 60m showdown, often dubbed the “sprint showdown”, will be one of the highlights on the first day, with top athletes competing to ignite the crowd’s passion.
In the following two days, the women’s pole vault and men’s 60m hurdles finals will also provide spectators with incredible performances. Especially the final event of the competition, the women’s 4×400m relay, where the Netherlands will face off against the USA, is expected to push the atmosphere to a peak and bring a perfect end to the World Athletics Indoor Championships Nanjing 25.
As the event draws near, the “Nanjing’s Cube”is fully prepared. From modern professional venues to bustling city streets, from enthusiastic volunteers to the diligent support teams, the entire city is excitedly gearing up to host the World Athletics Indoor Championships Nanjing 25. Whether it’s veteran champions or emerging stars, everyone will leave their mark here and write new chapters in their athletic careers.
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