World Athletics Championships

Attention,
Our system has indicated that your user behaviour is potentially automated.
News Group Newspapers Limited does not permit the access, collection, text or data mining of any content from our Service by any automated means whether directly or through an intermediary service. This is stated in our terms and conditions.
This includes use of content for machine learning, artificial intelligence (AI) purposes, engineering large language models (LLMs) or related generative AI systems.
If you would like to inquire about the commercial use of our content, please contact crawlerpermissions@news.co.uk. More

THE Spanish Under-20 Indoor Championships were hit by a shameful act centimetres from the finish line.Guillermo Sanchez was crowned the victor of the 1500m event in Salamanca with a time of 3:54.55.The Spanish Under-20 Indoor Championships were hit with a shocking incidentAthlete’s Daniel Lopez and Mario Palencia clashed centimetres from the finish linePalencia was disqualified for pushing Lopez over at the finish line after Lopez crossed his pathCredit: LaLiga+Lopez fell heavily to the floor after the pushHowever, as the 18-year-old raised his hands in triumph, the crowd was left stunned as second and third became embroiled in a stunning act.Athletes Daniel Lopez and Mario Palencia, both 18, were close behind Sanchez when he crossed the line. But as they approached the finish line, Lopez – who was running in second at the time – appeared to veer his path to the right. This change of direction saw him get in the way of Palencia.READ MORE IN SPORTFrustrated by the move across his path, Palencia astonishingly pushed Lopez just centimetres before the pair were set to cross the finish line.This caused Lopez to lose his balance and go tumbling over on to the floor.As reported by Marca, the act was deemed to constitute unsportsmanlike conduct under article RT7.1. Palencia received a red card for the incident and was subsequently disqualified from the race.Most read in AthleticsCheltenham Festival betting offers and free betsBut it was not only the finish line push which had been considered, with the pair also clashing during the race.Both race-winner Sanchez, runner-up Lopez and the disqualified Palencia had each won their respective earlier heat to get to the final.Horror moment sprinter is smacked in the head with baton during relay before being treated for potential skull fracture More

A TEENAGE British sprinter is on course to usurp Usain Bolt as the fastest man on the planet.It’s unusual for someone so young to have already been given a nickname like ‘Lightning’, but this is no normal kid.Divine Iheme has been smashing world records across his age group.The teenage sensation has been touted as one for the future of British athletics.Credit: GettyEnter record breaking Divine ‘Lightning’ Iheme who, at just 15-years-old is smashing 100 meters sprint barriers within his age group.Iheme has recorded faster times than world record holder Bolt and current Olympic champion Noah Lyles at the same age.Last August, at the age of 14, he recorded a monumental time in junior athletics, clocking in at 10.30 seconds across 100 meters.He was still in Year 9 at the time.Read more on sportTo put that figure into perspective, Lyles’ quickest recorded time at that age was 11.27 seconds, while Bolt managed 10.57.Iheme’s time cleared the previous world record in the age group of 10.51 seconds held by Jamaica’s Sachin Dennis.Even crazier is that Iheme’s time of 10.30 seconds would have earned him a third place finish in the British men’s 100m championship last year.Just last month the starlet broke a 23-year-old record, held by USA’s J-Mee Samuels, for the 60m indoor sprint recording a time of 6.71 seconds.Most read in AthleticsIheme was born to be an athlete. Both his mother, Nkiruka, and his father, Innocent, were successful athletes who represented Nigeria at the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester.Meet the 14-year-old British sprint prodigy Divine Iheme who is fastest U15 in history and dubbed ‘next Noah Lyles’ Coached by his mother, who also runs the PWD Athletics Academy in Oxfordshire, Divine seems to be in good hands.Speaking in an interview with The Telegraph he said: “She’s tough – really tough – very specific.“All she says is, ‘Focus on the one main goal’. It was two years ago that I ran my first sub 11 seconds – 10.86 when I was 13 – that was my first big thing. I have just been gradually working and working.”Mum Nkiruka chimed in: “He loves running so, so much, he doesn’t want to miss his training so, if he doesn’t do his homework, it’s ‘no training’.”The language we use is, ‘no pain, no gain’ or ‘pain now, play later’. Some children are just in the house playing games.”Recalling his early ventures into athletics in adverse conditions on school sports days Iheme continued: “I’d always win the 75m dash and the 200m by a big margin.“I hated the 600m – I remember crying.“I thought, ‘Yeah, I can do my own events and I want to take this seriously from now on’. Mum didn’t want to push me until I said I wanted to do it.””Lightning” has drawn comparisons to some of the best sprinters in recent timesCredit: GettyMultiple national age-group titles later his efforts reached new levels last August when he shocked the nation at Lee Valley.Iheme recolleted the experience: “I remember on the day the timer was delayed, I was crouched, waiting. I saw 10.3 and I started screaming and shouting and running around.”I was really surprised. The commentator started going crazy. It was an amazing experience. I loved it.”Nkiruka described her experience watching the spectacle with family in Nigeria: “We were jumping up and down – there was a window – and, in the excitement, I banged my head.”Despite her understandable excitement Nkiruka wants to keep her son grounded: “He’s not in competition with anybody – he is just enjoying his training.”If something comes, ‘Wow’. If not, ‘OK’. At the moment I don’t want to put pressure on him. He is going to do well.”READ MORE SUN STORIESIheme is a star in the making with the world at his feet. Breaking records has seen his popularity rise amongst his friends at schoolHe added: “They always say, ‘I can’t believe I’m friends with the world record holder’, it’s really good. They are really happy for me.”Iheme’s mother Nkurika has had a huge role in the development of the youngster.Credit: Getty More

A SPECTATOR has tragically died after being accidentally struck by a hammer thrown by an athlete.The man was killed in the incident on Sunday that happened during a competition at the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs campus.A man was killed at a hammer-throwing event trying to protect his familyCredit: APWade Langston was accidentally struck by a hammer thrown by an athleteCredit: FAMILY HANDOUT/UNPIXSThe El Paso County Coroner’s office has named the man as Wade Langston.The 57-year-old was the father of one of the competitors and is reported to have died while trying to protect his wife and son.It is claimed that he was shielding his family when a hammer that can weigh up to 7.26kg (1st 2lb) struck him.Medical care was provided by first responders by Langston was pronounced dead at the scene.READ MORE ON SPORTA spokesperson for the University revealed that the hammer had cleared the “certified barriers and struck him”A witness told the Daily Mail that a throw was off-target and veered off to clear a 12ft net.One said: “The amount of blood was horrific.”I’m devastated for the family and just furious at the incompetence and carelessness of UCCS.Most read in Athletics”I saw someone die today and it was completely unnecessary.”University of Colorado Colorado Springs chancellor Jennifer Sobanet released a brief statement.She said: “We are heartbroken at this horrible accident and are focused on supporting all involved.”The incident is being treated as “non-criminal”, according to the Colorado Springs Police Department.The rest of the competition was cancelled and organisers are not sure if it will be rescheduled.The Colorado United Track Club also released a statement sending its condolences to Langston’s family.It read: “The Colorado United Track Club, our coaches and helpers would like to extend our deepest condolences to the Langston Family as they navigate the tragic loss of Wade Langston.”Please know that our hearts, thoughts and prayers are with this family, and they are not alone in their grief.” More