Mondo, hurdles, Lyles, 3000 m and much more
GLASGOW (GBR): The 19th edition of World Indoors will be for the first time in Glasgow but for the third in the UK. Despite being an Olympic Year, several sports stars will participate (Lyles, Duplantis, Holloway, Bol, Warholm). It is the equaled earliest date in the history of the event, also 2018 Birmingham edition was held on March 1-4. In total, 651 athletes (331 women and 320 men) are entered, slightly less than in Belgrade 2022 (680, 372 men and 308 women). Now it is 133 countries, two years ago it was 137. Record numbers are 705 athletes at World Indoors 1997 in Paris (without technical events direct finals) and 171 countries at World Indoors 2012 in Istanbul. In total, 13 reigning individual world champions and seven individual gold medallists from the Tokyo Olympics are among the entries. From Belgrade 2022 title defenders only missing are two men Marcell Jacobs (60 m) and Damian Warner (heptathlon), but also 6 women Mujinga Kambundji (60 m), Shaunae Miller-Uibo (400 m), Ajee Wilson (800 m), Ivana Vuleta (long jump), Yulimar Rojas (triple jump) and Auriol Dongmo (shot put). Gudaf Tsegay, who won the 1500 m two years ago, runs the 3000 m this time. Not invited as in Belgrade Russian and Belarus athletes, all technical events are held as finals. Evening sessions on Saturday and Sunday are practically sold out. A new Mondo track was installed, and legendary David Rudisha is the ambassador. There’s good prize money, too, for places 1-6: $40 000-20 000-10 000-8000-6000-4000, plus a $50,000 bonus for a world record.
Event by event short previews
Men
60 m: Will Coleman´s fast start be enough to beat Lyles? Blake and Omanyala for bronze.
400 m: Two question marks: What is the shape of Warholm and Richards? Both came without any racing experience this winter. Then it is very open.
800 m: This year fastest Tecuceanu and Crestan. Hoppel has its experience; Masalela won on the circuit, and Garcia was the defender.
1500 m: Nader is unbeaten this season, Kessler comes with a fast time, and Nordas is the World medalist. And Ethiopians.
3000 m: This is the highlight. Nuguse vs Kerr is the talk, but Barega and Wale have better times.
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