EATON AND DIBABA ARE CROWNED 2015 IAAF WORLD ATHLETES OF THE YEAR

USA’s Ashton Eaton and Ethiopia’s Genzebe Dibaba were named the male and female IAAF World Athletes of the Year for 2015 on Thursday (26).

Both athletes set world records during 2015, Eaton in the decathlon and Dibaba in the 1500m, and won gold medals in these events at the IAAF World Championships Beijing 2015.

Ashton Eaton became the first decathlete to win the male World Athlete of the Year award after his spectacular performance in the Chinese capital, his only decathlon of the year, when he set a world record of 9045 and improved his own three-year-old mark by nine points. Notable among his individual events in Beijing was a 45.00 400m at the end of the first day, the fastest one lap of the track ever run within a decathlon.

“Athletes spend the most vigorous years of human life, arguably called the ‘best years’, working to hone their abilities. So, when an athlete competes, what people are witnessing is the manifestation of what a human being is capable of when they choose to direct all of their time and effort towards something.

“I’m grateful and thankful to the IAAF for excellent competitions, the canvases that allow us to display our work.

“While I’m honoured that I am considered the ‘artist’ of the year, I did not beat Usain and Christian; my work simply differed in design. They are some of the most talented and beautiful performers of all time. I’m flattered to be among them.

“I accept this award on behalf of all of us athletes who love what we do.”

Genzebe Dibaba, after setting a world indoor 5000m record of 14:18.86, was then unbeaten in her five 1500m races during the summer. Firstly, she ran an African record of 3:54.11 in Barcelona, the fastest time in the world for almost 12 years, and then topped that with a stunning world record of 3:50.07 in Monaco to beat a mark that had been on the books since 1993. In Beijing, Dibaba was majestic through all three rounds of the 1500m, winning every race comfortably, and she also took a 5000m bronze medal.

“I am humbled and honoured to receive this award from the IAAF,” said Dibaba. “It feels so good to be the World Athlete of the Year.

“After being a finalist and narrowly missing out on this award one year ago, I am very proud to be recognised by the fans and experts of our sport.

“I had a great season and truly enjoyed competing around the world, from Monaco where I managed to establish a world record, to Beijing where I finally captured my first world outdoor title.

“I would like to pay tribute to Dafne Schippers and Anita Wlodarczyk who have been incredible all year round. Maybe your time will come next year!

“Thank you to all the people who voted for me and supported me. My family, my sisters, my coaches, my partners, my agents and all the people from Ethiopia!

“My focus in 2016 will be the IAAF World Indoor Championships in Portland and as preparation for that I will try to break the world indoor mile record in Stockholm on 17 February.

“This is a difficult time for our sport and with the Athletes’ Commission we stand together with Sebastian Coe as he deals with the challenges.”

EATON AND DIBABA ARE CROWNED 2015 IAAF WORLD ATHLETES OF THE YEAR © Giancarlo Colombo / IAAF

IAAF President Sebastian Coe commented: “While the athletics family is not gathering together as usual in Monaco, we rightly celebrate the marvellous 2015 achievements of the athletes. Foremost, I offer congratulations to our World Athletes of the Year, world champions Ashton Eaton and Genzebe Dibaba. Your performances in 2015 are an inspiration and examples of true sporting excellence.

“A world record when winning a world title is a rare feat and capped two unequalled days of decathlon brilliance from Ashton in Beijing. Genzebe, your win in Beijing was as assured and your 1500m world record a few weeks earlier a run of true grit and determination. We salute you both as we do all our award winners who have been announced today.

“Finally I wish to thank all the athletes, coaches, officials who work tirelessly for our wonderful sport. Our appreciation also goes to the media for relaying the excitement of competition and to the fans watching in stadiums, in homes and on the move around the world. Your enthusiastic support made the IAAF World Championships in Beijing the most talked about sports event of the year.”

How the award was decided

Last month the IAAF Family* was asked to vote for athletes from each of the following categories: sprints, hurdles, middle and long distance, road running, race walking, jumps, throws, combined events and multi-terrain.

The top-voted athletes in each category formed the longlist for the World Athlete of the Year, from which an international panel of 10 experts** selected the three finalists. The panel cast their own vote to determine the IAAF World Athletes of the Year.

AYANA WINS PERFORMANCE OF THE CHAMPIONSHIPS, POWERED BY ADIDAS

Each day during the IAAF World Championships, Beijing 2015 fans from around the world had the opportunity to vote for their favourite performances of the session via the IAAF website http://www.iaaf.org.

Fans inside the Bird’s Nest stadium could also vote live via WeChat (a Chinese social media channel).

The nine winners of the daily vote were then pooled together for a ‘champion of champions’ vote, which was open from Monday 31 August until Friday 4 September, for fans around the world to vote via the IAAF World Championships, Beijing 2015 page and spikes.iaaf.org

© Spikes

Almaz Ayana’s stunning triumph over her Ethiopian compatriot and 1500m winner Genzebe Dibaba in the 5000m received 23.84% of the overall votes and she wins Performance of the Championships, powered by adidas.

The vote for the top three performances were completed by Ashton Eaton’s decathlon world record on Day 8 (17.15%) and Dafne Schippers’ championship record 200m run on Day 7 (14.68%).

Ayana will be invited to the World Athletics Gala in November to receive a special Golden Shoe award from adidas.

IAAF and Spikes

IAAF ANTI-DOPING PROGRAMME CONCLUDES IN BEIJING

Sunday 30 August represented the final session of the IAAF World Championships, Beijing 2015, and the finalisation of the extensive anti-doping programme put in place by the IAAF which included both sample collection and education activities.

The doping control programme implemented by the IAAF in Beijing was the largest implemented in a single sporting event BY ANY SPORT since the IAAF World Championships in Moscow two years ago.

A total of 1405 doping controls were carried out in Beijing which included the following breakdown of tests and analysis:

• 662 blood tests for screening purposes in the context of the Athlete Biological Passport, all carried out at the athletes’ hotels prior to the event

• 161 blood tests for the detection of Human Growth Hormone and Erythropoiesis stimulating agents

• 54 urine tests conducted out-of-competition

• 528 urine tests conducted at the stadium, 239 of which will be specifically analysed for EPO and related substances.

As forecast by the IAAF prior to the championships, the programme was highly targeted in nature. Thousands of samples were collected out-of-competition in the lead-up to the event, and the IAAF then implemented an intelligence-led programme in Beijing which will see the samples frozen and stored for future re-analysis as science and technology progresses.

Such a large testing programme could only have been implemented with the assistance and support of local partners in China. The IAAF would like to thank and acknowledge the Chinese National Anti-Doping Agency (CHINADA). The CHINADA staff and a team of volunteers successfully and professionally managed the sample collection process pre-competition at three separate athlete hotels, as well as the main stadium itself.

© IAAF

The WADA-accredited laboratory in Beijing managed the sample analysis process efficiently and effectively, providing accurate and quick reporting to the IAAF anti-doping staff on site. As of 1 September, the Beijing laboratory has notified the IAAF of two positives tests, both of which have been publicly released by the IAAF:

Koki Manunga (KEN)
Joyce Zakary (KEN)

Should any of the remaining samples be reported as positive, the IAAF will make a public announcement when the rules allow.

In addition to the doping control programme, the IAAF also continued the athlete outreach programme at all three athlete hotels. Again the assistance of CHINADA was invaluable to the successful programme, with their enthusiastic staff on site each day to provide advice and assistance to the hundreds of athletes and support personnel that visited. The outreach teams presented the WADA quiz, educational resources from CHINDA and the IAAF, as well as being on hand to discuss anti-doping issues and answer questions.

DIAMOND RACE UPDATE AHEAD OF FIRST FINAL IN ZURICH – IAAF DIAMOND LEAGUE

The IAAF World Championships, Beijing 2015 is over. But the show goes on. There is more top-level athletics to be enjoyed over the next two weeks with the IAAF Diamond League finals in Zurich and Brussels.

All season long, the world’s top track and field stars have vied for valuable Diamond Race points in the first 12 IAAF Diamond League meetings. Even with just the two finals to go, however, much could still change. Double points are on offer in the finals, meaning only an eight-point lead at this stage guarantees overall victory in the Diamond Race.

The finals are the perfect conclusion to the 2015 season. They are a chance for the victors of Beijing to garner yet more success. A chance for those who were disappointed to claim redemption. A chance for all athletes to get their hands on a $40,000 cash prize and the spectacular Diamond Trophy.

IAAF DIAMOND LEAGUE
© Philippe Fitte

New Diamond Race champions to be crowned

The first of the two finals takes place on Thursday 3 September in Zurich. At the Weltklasse meeting, 16 different Diamond Races will reach their ultimate conclusion, and the first 16 Diamond Race champions of 2015 will be crowned.

Among them will almost certainly be Christina Schwanitz, Tianna Bartoletta and Eunice Sum, who have all been imperious in this season’s Diamond Race.

Both shot putter Schwanitz and 800m runner Sum have won four out of six Diamond League clashes this season, while long jumper Bartoletta has three wins to her name, her points tally bolstered by second-place finishes in New York and Monaco.

All three athletes now have a lead of eight points or more, meaning that they only need to compete in Zurich in order to claim the Diamond Trophy.

But in many of the disciplines which will conclude in Zurich, there is barely a hair’s breadth between those still in the running for the Diamond Trophy.

In the men’s 200m, there have been four different victors over the six races so far, leading to a field so open that it is led by a man who hasn’t a single victory to his name. Anaso Jobodwana has finished second four times this year. He is now on nine points, just a whisker ahead of Alonso Edward and Zharnel Hughes.

The men’s 400m is nearly as close. The first half of the season was dominated by Diamond Trophy holder Kirani James, but after his shock defeat in Paris to Wayde van Niekerk, the Olympic champion has seen his lead shortened dramatically. He is now just two points ahead of the young South African.

Two other world champions who will be gunning for the Diamond Trophy in Zurich are Asbel Kiprop and Zuzana Hejnova. Kiprop is third in the men’s 1500m Diamond Race, having been outgunned so far by Ayanleh Souleiman and Silas Kiplagat. With only a two-point gap between him and the top, though, the newly re-crowned world champion will be confident of winning the Diamond Trophy.

Hejnova, meanwhile, overturned Kaliese Spencer’s 10-point lead with three straight wins since Paris. She is now two points ahead of Spencer, and the battle between the two of them is one to look forward to in Zurich.

© Deca Text&Bild

Favourites can still fall

There is a wealth of athletes who remain agonisingly close to Diamond Race glory. Steeplechaser Jairus Birech and pole vaulter Nikoleta Kyriakopoulou have leads of seven and six points in their respective Diamond Races. Despite both failing to win gold in Beijing, they are both expected to take the Diamond Trophy. Piotr Malachowski, who is six points ahead in the men’s discus, is in a similar position.

Others are less certain of success. Greg Rutherford has had to fight at times this season, but the new world champion has come out on top with a five-point lead in the men’s long jump. The same goes for Mutaz Essa Barshim, whose disappointment in Beijing mirrored his travails in the Diamond Race since Oslo after an early period of dominance.

Genzebe Dibaba and Barbara Spotakova may also have expected to be sitting more comfortably in their Diamond Races by this stage. Dibaba only has a six-point lead in the women’s 5000m to show for her excellent season, while three-time Diamond Race winner Spotakova has been challenged by an open field, and holds a lead of only four points.

Leads of four, five, six or seven points are perhaps the best illustrations of the excitement of the Diamond Race. Those holding them have had to work all season to establish their advantage, yet one bad performance in Zurich could see them blown away in an instant.

PRESIDENT DIACK: “THE IAAF WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS, BEIJING 2015 HAVE BEEN WONDERFUL… THANK YOU CHINA!”

The concluding joint IAAF and Local Organising Committee (LOC) press conference at the IAAF World Championships, Beijing 2015 took place before the start of the last day of athletics in the Bird’s Nest stadium on Sunday (30).

Guests included IAAF President Lamine Diack, IAAF President elect Sebastian Coe, IAAF General Secretary Essar Gabriel, LOC Executive Chairman and Assistant Director of General Administration of Sport of China Gao Zhidan, LOC Deputy Chairman and Director of the Athletic Administration Centre of General Administration of Sport of China Du Zhaocai, and LOC Executive Secretary General and Vice Minister of Beijing Municipal Bureau of Sports Chen Jie.

“The IAAF World Championships, Beijing 2015 have been wonderful,” opened President Diack, who spoke about the spectator number in the stadium, the increased TV audiences of these championships and also the IAAF’s medical and anti-doping programme in Beijing.

“The testing figures are interim data. We will confirm full anti-doping statistics by press release on Tuesday but this is the most comprehensive testing programme of any sport in the past two years,” emphasised Diack.

“More than 650 blood tests were conducted at the athlete hotels prior, and during, the world championships. More than 520 urine tests conducted at the stadium and at the hotels,” he added.

photo credit © Getty Images for IAAF

IAAF President elect Coe announced major increases in the IAAF website and social media audiences over the previous edition of the championships two years ago in Moscow.

“The IAAF’s strategy to attract a younger audience to athletics via the online promotion of the sport has received a massive boost in Beijing. The IAAF’s responsive website, which fits on any device, has got users around the world,” said Coe.

JESSE OWENS’ DAUGHTER AND GRANDDAUGHTER TO GRACE IAAF WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS, BEIJING 2015

IAAF’s Athletics for a Better World making donation to The Jesse Owens Foundation

Olympic hero Jesse Owens is being represented by Beverly Owens Prather, his middle daughter, and Donna Prather Williams, his granddaughter, who are currently attending the IAAF World Championships, Beijing 2015.

Ms Prather will present the gold medal during the men’s 4x100m victory ceremony on Sunday 30 August.

The Owens family members’ visit will also commemorate the signing of an agreement between the Jesse Owens Foundation and the IAAF’s Social Responsibility programme, Athletics for a Better World. The programme will be making a donation to the Foundation.

At the 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin, Jesse Owens won gold medals in the 100m, 200m, long jump, and 4x100m, setting a world record in the latter. Owens, who died in 1980, was among the first inductees into the IAAF Hall of Fame in 2012.

JESSE OWENS’ DAUGHTER AND GRANDDAUGHTER TO GRACE IAAF WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS, BEIJING 2015 photo credit. Getty Images for IAAF

The legendary athletics superstar’s story is told for the first time in a feature film in Race, to be released in the US by Focus Features on 8 April 2016.

Jesse Owens’ quest to become the greatest track and field athlete in history thrusts him on to the world stage of the 1936 Olympics, where he faces off against Adolf Hitler’s vision of Aryan supremacy. Race is an enthralling film about courage, determination, tolerance, and friendship, and an inspiring drama about one man’s fight to become an Olympic legend.

Directed by Stephen Hopkins, Race stars Stephan James (of Selma) as Jesse Owens, Jason Sudeikis, and Academy Award winners Jeremy Irons and William Hurt.

IAAF Suspends Two Kenyan Athletes For Alleged Doping Offences

The IAAF yesterday the 26th of August 2015 announced that two Kenyan athletes, Koki MANUNGA and Joyce ZAKARY, have accepted provisional suspensions following positive samples provided in Beijing on the 20th and 21st of August respectively.

The IAAF Rules dictate that the IAAF is only able to make a public disclosure once this provisional suspension is in place.

These targeted tests were conducted by the IAAF at the athlete hotels during the pre-competition phase. The IAAF will not discuss the details of the cases as they progress through the results management process.

MORE THAN SEVEN MILLION DOLLARS ON OFFER IN BEIJING

A total of USD $7,194,000 in prize money will be paid* at the IAAF World Championships, Beijing 2015 to the leading athletes and teams in the 47 events being contested in the Chinese capital.

Individual Events
Gold: USD $60,000
Silver: USD $30,000
Bronze: USD $20,000
Fourth place: USD $15,000
Fifth place: USD $10,000
Sixth place: USD $6000
Seventh place: USD $5000
Eighth place: USD $4000

Relays (per team)
Gold: USD $80,000
Silver: USD $40,000
Bronze: USD $20,000
Fourth place: USD $16,000
Fifth place: USD $12,000
Sixth place: USD $8000
Seventh place: USD $6000
Eighth place: USD $4000

In addition, for the 15th edition of the IAAF’s flagship event, which is set to be staged in Beijing from 22-30 August, the IAAF is proud to again present its World Record Programme.

Athletes achieving a world record will be eligible for a special world record bonus worth USD $100,000.

The World Records Programme is presented with the support of Official IAAF Partners TDK (men’s events) and Toyota (women’s events).

It should be noted that the performance must be an improvement on the existing IAAF world record. Performances which equal the existing record will not be eligible for an award.

*The payment of prize money and bonuses is dependent upon athletes clearing the usual anti-doping procedures.

IAAF WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS, BEIJING 2015 FANTASY GAME NOW OPEN

With just a few days to go before action kicks off at the IAAF World Championships, Beijing 2015, fans can get even more immersed in the excitement through the IAAF’s Fantasy World Championships game.

Throughout this summer, the IAAF Fantasy Diamond Race has offered athletics fans all over the world the opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge of the sport by predicting which athletes will perform best at each of the IAAF Diamond League meetings.

The IAAF Fantasy World Championships game works in a similar way, as players are required to identify a squad of athletes who they believe are destined for glory in Beijing. There are no restrictions in terms of countries, event groups or gender.

Each squad must be composed of nine athletes, one of whom is the designated team captain. Athletes score points depending upon their final positions and whether they produce world, area or championship records, with the team captain scoring double.

IAAF WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS, BEIJING 2015 FANTASY GAME NOW OPEN, credit IAAF

At the end of the championships, the overall top finisher will win a trip for two people to the International Athletics Foundation Gala in Monaco in November.

But hurry, because entries close at 23:00 UTC on 1 August.

For more information and to register, head to FantasyBeijing2015.com.

IAAF

IAAF AND ADIDAS LAUNCH BEST PERFORMER OF THE IAAF WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS, BEIJING 2015

In conjunction with Official IAAF Partner adidas, the IAAF is asking athletics fans around to world to choose the best performers of each day of the IAAF World Championships, Beijing 2015.

After each evening session of the championships, which runs from 22-30 August, a panel of experts will put together a shortlist of three athletes deemed to be among the day’s best performers.

The IAAF will then announce the names of the three athletes – who need not be winners or even medallists but nevertheless are competitors who grab the imagination of the experts – through the IAAF website and social media, opening it up to the public to vote via http://www.iaaf.org and decide a winner.

The athlete with the most votes will be announced before the following day’s evening session (except for the winner of the final day which will be announced the following morning, the day after the championships).

Each day’s winning athletes will then form a final shortlist – the ‘champion of champions’ shortlist – and voting will take place from Monday 31 August to Friday 4 September.

IAAF AND ADIDAS LAUNCH BEST PERFORMER OF THE IAAF WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS, BEIJING 2015 Credit IAAF

One athlete will emerge as the overall winner and get the accolade of being the Best Performer of the IAAF World Championships, Beijing 2015 presented by adidas.

The overall winner will be announced on 4 September and will be presented with a special Golden Shoe Award at the IAAF Gala in November.

IAAF

RECORD NUMBERS LIKELY WITH ONE WEEK TO GO – IAAF WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS, BEIJING 2015

The IAAF World Championships, Beijing 2015 could potentially be the biggest world championship in the 15 editions of the event, which started in 1983 and ranks among the world’s leading sport’s events.

With one week to go, the final entries indicate that 207 IAAF Member Federations will send representatives to the Chinese capital for the most important sporting event of the year.

The previous highest number of participating federations was 203, at the last championships in Moscow two years ago.

No less than 1936 athletes (1043 men and 893 women) have been entered.

Although the number of athletes that will finally participate in Beijing will be slightly less, as is normal, this figure still compares favourably with the current highest total of 1895 who competed at the 2009 championships in Berlin.

The numbers have been boosted by the IAAF’s innovative system introduced ahead of these championships of inviting athletes who had not already been entered by the deadline of midnight (Central European Time) Monday 10 August, on the basis of them being among the best ranked in their event (apart from in long distance and walking disciplines) in order to bring an event up to an optimum number of competitors as established by the IAAF.

Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce (JAM) at Brussels, Memorial Van Damme,
photo credit: Arian Zwegers
https://www.flickr.com/photos/azwegers/14514025337/in/photolist-o7yb5a-npwzJ6-gyymBu-f5Lfvq-f5vF22-f5vBMH-f5vR4v-f5vTwv-f5vX2p-f5L893-f5KSMy-f5LgNq-f5w3vZ-f5vQh6-f5L4DY-f5w38e-f5vVSk-f5LaiW-f5vDiB-f5w2AZ-f5vMw8-f5w3XD-f5LdD3-f5vEdg-f5KV1u-f5LeEQ-cbpA1Q-cbpzHb

With just one week to go, the IAAF World Championships, Beijing 2015 is expected to set the standard for the sport’s future championships, with the world’s best athletes going through their paces in the same magnificent Bird’s Nest stadium that was the centrepiece for the 2008 Olympic Games.

As already announced, the Bird’s Nest stadium will be full for all the evening sessions across the nine days, with an audience of 50,000 spectators.

IAAF

Two weeks to go – IAAF World Championships, Beijing 2015

There are just two weeks to go to the IAAF World Championships, Beijing 2015 which takes place between 22-30 August.
Many of the IAAF?s 214 Member Federations have already named their teams for the most important sporting event on this year?s calendar but with the final entry deadline at midnight (Central European Time) on Monday 10 August, this weekend offers the last chance for athletes to qualify and for Member Federations to complete their squad selections.

IAAF World Championships, Beijing 2015

Approximately 2000 athletes from over 200 nations are expected to compete in the Chinese capital later this month.
The USA and Jamaica have yet to formally name their teams but it is already known that global champions like Usain Bolt, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, David Oliver, Christian Taylor, Ashton Eaton, Jenn Suhr and Brittney Reese have booked their places on the planes to Beijing.

Russia named their 71-strong team in the wake of their national championships earlier this week.

Other European nations to have named their teams include Czech Republic, France, Germany and Great Britain.
Distance running power houses Kenya and Ethiopia have also named their teams early and can expect to feature prominently on the IAAF World Championships Beijing 2015 medal podiums.

The famous Bird?s Nest stadium, the centrepiece of the 2008 Olympic Games, will have a 50,000 capacity for the championships and the IAAF and Local Organising Committee have been very happy to announce recently that it will be full for each evening session, ensuring the world?s top athletics exponents get the audience they deserve.
The IAAF website has a special section devoted to the championships.

photo credit Rising Fan https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/legalcode

Coverage of the IAAF World Championships, Beijing 2015 will include live results, previews, reports, features, a live blog and extensive coverage on the IAAF social media outlets such as Twitter and Facebook.

Results, timetable details and the live blog will also be available in Chinese on the IAAF website and coverage will be available on Chinese social media
IAAF