In a recent YouTube interview with Estate Born Success, Neita opened up about the early years of her life. She recalled being told while growing up, “could be a little bit harder for you,” a reminder of the challenges she might face. Still, her family continued to encourage her. “I wasn’t conscious that somebody would spot me at all,” Neita said while recalling her childhood. “I was just fast.”

She remembers playing games like kiss chase at primary school and being able to outrun almost everyone around her. At the time, Neita was not thinking about becoming an athlete or wondering if someone would notice her talent. She simply knew she was fast. That changed when her uncle Winston decided to put her speed to the test.

 When Neita was around six years old, he took her and her cousins to a local park and had them race each other. Neita was one of the youngest in the group, but her speed immediately caught his attention. After they returned home, her uncle told her mother, “You’ve got nothing less than Olympic an Olympic athlete right here…” 

Neita’s mother took notice. She already knew her daughter was quick and tried to get her involved in school athletics. However, Neita was often too young to join the clubs she was interested in. Her mother kept pushing until an opportunity finally arrived. When Neita reached Year 6, coach Alan Pollard saw her competing and told her mother, “We want her.” For Neita’s mother, it was the moment she had been waiting for.

“Finally,” Neita recalled her mother thinking. Her daughter was finally getting the chance to train properly. From there, the young sprinter’s progress began to gather pace. She competed for Lewisham before moving on to represent London and then England. Eventually, the girl who had once raced her cousins at the park found herself competing for Great Britain on the world’s biggest athletics stages.

Neita made her Olympic debut at Rio 2016 and helped Britain win bronze in the 4x100m relay. She added another Olympic relay bronze at Tokyo 2020, but Paris 2024 brought a much bigger moment in her individual career.

Neita turns Paris heartbreak into another LA28 push

Neita arrived in France for Paris Olympics determined to finally win an Olympic medal in her own event after years of success in the relay. Neita came agonizingly close. She finished fourth in the 100m final in 10.96 seconds, just four hundredths of a second away from bronze, before placing fifth in the 200m in 22.23 seconds. She then helped Great Britain win silver in the 4x100m relay, bringing home her third Olympic medal.

The 100m result was particularly difficult because Neita had been open about how badly she wanted an individual medal. Before the Games, she said, “I definitely want to get my own individual medal at the Olympic Games.” After finishing fourth, Neita admitted how much the result hurt, saying she was “so close to the medal” and that she had “really, really wanted that medal.” Still, she also recognized how far she had come after finishing last in the 100m final at Tokyo.

In 2025, she moved from Italy to Florida, joining Lance Brauman’s training group, which also included Olympic champion Noah Lyles. She also became part of Grand Slam Track’s inaugural season, competing in the 100m and 200m during its first year. Later that season, she returned to the World Championships in Tokyo, where she reached the semifinals of both the 100m and 200m and was part of Britain’s 4x100m relay team.

Neita continued her international campaign in 2026, competing against many of the world’s leading sprinters. Her established personal bests remained 10.90 seconds for the 100m and 22.16 for the 200m. She also competed at the inaugural World Athletics Ultimate Championships in Budapest before racing at ATHLOS London in September. But the next target is already clear: the LA 28 Olympics.

That would give Neita the chance to compete at a fourth Olympic Games. More importantly, it would give her another opportunity to chase the individual Olympic medal that came so close in Paris.

The post Olympian Reveals Unexpected Childhood Moment That Confirmed Her Track and Field Career appeared first on EssentiallySports.

Hoey, 26, has not competed since January, when he tore through the indoor 800m in Boston in 1:42.50. That run erased Wilson Kipketer’s 29-year-old world record, but what followed was a frustrating stretch of injuries that eventually forced Hoey to shut down his season.

His agent, Mark Wetmore, told LetsRun.com that Hoey’s problems started with a hamstring irritation during the record run. The hamstring problem also kept Hoey out of the Wanamaker Mile at the Millrose Games a week later. Instead of clearing up quickly, the discomfort continued to trouble him well into the spring.

Hoey tried taking short breaks before returning to training, but the timing never quite worked. Each comeback came before the injury had fully settled, and by the end of spring, another problem had emerged. A stress injury developed in his lower left leg, likely connected to the compensation from his hamstring trouble, and Hoey spent several weeks in a walking boot.

The situation stretched into July, when Hoey traveled to Colorado’s Steadman Clinic, one of the country’s leading orthopedic centers. There, doctors diagnosed a stress fracture and placed him back in a boot for roughly three more weeks.
That long pause has finally ended. Doctors cleared Hoey to resume training in late August, and he has started building himself back up with the 2027 indoor season now in sight.

The comeback matters even more considering how spectacularly his year began. On December 6, 2025, Hoey hinted at what was coming when he ran 1:12.84 for 600m at Boston University, taking nearly a second off Donavan Brazier’s indoor world record.

Just seven weeks later, he returned to the same track for the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix. With his brother Jaxson Hoey pacing him through 200m in 24.81 and 400m in 50.21, Josh stayed composed before taking control. He reached 600m in 1:16.19 and finished in 1:42.50.

The performance knocked 0.17 seconds off Kipketer’s 1:42.67 mark from the 1997 World Indoor Championships. Hoey also won by more than two seconds, turning a race many expected to be memorable into a piece of history.

“We did a lot of pacing work,” Hoey said afterward. “Just kind of kept steadily improving, taking it week by week, block by block, and we were able to make this work.”

Yet the record ended up becoming the final race of his 2026 season. And behind that abrupt halt was a story that had already been developing for years.

Josh Hoey’s bold decision last year

Hoey’s breakthrough under coach Justin Rinaldi had transformed his career. After turning professional in 2018, he spent his first five years struggling to break 1:47 and went through five coaches. His fortunes changed after joining Rinaldi in late 2023.

By 2025, Hoey had become a world champion. He won the indoor 800m title, ran a personal-best 1:42.01 outdoors, defeated Olympic champion Emmanuel Wanyonyi and silver medalist Marco Arop in Lausanne, and finished the year as the U.S. leader in both the 800m and 1500m with marks of 1:42.01 and 3:29.75.

But missing the 2025 World Championships after finishing fourth at the USA left Hoey searching for another step forward. He and Rinaldi ultimately disagreed over how aggressively to approach training, leading them to part ways.

Hoey explained that he wanted to make changes after the season, while Rinaldi believed the proposed approach was too intense.

“There’s no bad blood or animosity,” Rinaldi told LetsRun.com. He said Hoey wanted a “six-month progression,” while he preferred a longer-term approach focused on the 2028 Olympics.

That hunger to push harder was hardly new. During Hoey’s early professional years, coaches repeatedly saw his determination become a double-edged sword. Tommy Nohilly, who previously worked with him, said Hoey sometimes trained beyond what his body could handle.

Rinaldi saw the same trait during their final months together. He believed Hoey’s relentless drive helped produce his breakthrough but could also become a limitation if he failed to trust the process.

Now, with the stress fracture behind him and training underway again, Hoey gets another chance to find that balance. The world record is already his. The next challenge is making sure his body can keep up with the ambition that took him there.

The post World Record Holder Makes Quick Recovery After Stress Fracture Halted 2026 Track Season appeared first on EssentiallySports.

The 131st Boston Marathon will take place on April 19, 2027, but earning the qualifying time was not enough this time.

Of the 33,649 qualifier applications received during registration week, only those who beat their respective standards by at least 5:17 secured automatic entry, while another 1,000 runners will now get a second chance through a new random drawing.

That makes the latest cutoff 43 seconds stricter than the 2026 mark of 4:34. It also shows just how competitive the road to Boston has become, with marathon participation continuing to grow and the race’s 30,000-person field unable to accommodate every qualified runner.

But this year, the B.A.A. has given the runners who fell short of the cutoff something they have never had before. The B.A.A. has introduced the Boston Qualifier Selection, a new random-selection pathway specifically for athletes who achieved their qualifying standard but did not beat it by the required 5:17. A total of 1,000 runners will be selected, giving those who missed the cutoff roughly a 12.5% chance of entering the race.

Those selected will be notified in the coming days, creating one final piece of suspense for runners who had already watched their Boston hopes disappear.

The president of B.A.A. sends a message to the runners

B.A.A. President and CEO Jack Fleming acknowledged how difficult that process can be while recognizing the work behind every qualifying attempt.

“The Boston Athletic Association looks forward to welcoming thousands of qualifiers who are officially now entrants into the Boston Marathon presented by Bank of America on Monday, April 19,” Fleming said. “To earn a spot into this race takes dedication and resiliency, and the number of marathoners world-wide only continues to grow. Although we are unable to accept all applicants, we want to recognize each and every athlete who trains and aspires to participate in the Boston Marathon.”

Even with the higher barrier to entry, Boston is set to welcome an unprecedented number of qualifiers in 2027. So far, the accepted field includes 13,898 men, 10,641 women and 91 non-binary runners, with athletes representing 120 countries and every U.S. state.

Among those making the trip to Boston in 2027, around 10,745 runners will be lining up for the race for the first time.

The field will also feature 215 athletes who met Para Athletics qualifying standards, while 849 runners earned their places through either 10 consecutive Boston Marathon finishes or the B.A.A. Running Club.

The B.A.A. now accounts for downhill courses differently when evaluating qualifying times. Beginning with the 2027 race, its new downhill index accounts for marathons with significant net elevation loss. Depending on the course, such races can either be excluded from Boston qualifying or have a time penalty added to finishing performances.

That adjustment comes as the pressure on Boston qualifying continues to build. Major American races such as Boston, Chicago, and New York have grown increasingly difficult to enter, while races including Philadelphia, the California International Marathon, and Grandma’s Marathon have also experienced strong demand.

The numbers behind Boston tell the story. The 2026 Boston Marathon produced the most qualifying performances among the accepted runners, followed by the 2025 Chicago Marathon, 2025 New York City Marathon, 2025 California International Marathon, and 2026 London Marathon.

Still, qualifying is only one part of the Boston equation. Roughly 80% of the field comes through time qualifiers, while the remaining places go to charity runners, invited athletes, professionals, and para athletes. The overall field remains capped at 30,000.

For the 8,019 runners who met their qualifying standards but missed the 5:17 cutoff, the Boston dream is not completely over. The new drawing offers 1,000 of them another opportunity to make the starting line.

For everyone else, the message from Boston is becoming increasingly clear: running fast enough to qualify may no longer be enough. Runners now have to be faster than thousands of others chasing the same iconic finish line.

The post More Than 8,000 Scratched Off of Boston Race Following Major Rule Change appeared first on EssentiallySports.

LA28 and Atlanta officials announced the plan on September 29 at Atlanta City Hall, confirming that the Olympic flame will return to the city in spring 2028 before beginning its journey across the country. The relay will visit every U.S. state before ending in Los Angeles for the Opening Ceremony on July 14, 2028. Soon after the announcement, the LA28 official handle shared pictures from the event on Instagram, giving fans a closer look at the people who gathered in Atlanta.

In the first pic, which was a group picture, Richardson and Coleman were seen at the front alongside several major figures connected to the Olympic movement, including LA28 Chairperson and President Casey Wasserman, Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens, LA28 Chief Athlete Officer Janet Evans, Billy Payne and Lonnie Ali, the wife of Muhammad Ali. Other officials and members of the athlete community were also part of the gathering.

Coleman kept his look casual for the occasion, wearing a black baseball cap, a brown short-sleeved button-up shirt with contrasting black-and-white panels, a white long-sleeved shirt underneath and black trousers. Richardson, meanwhile, opted for an all-black outfit, wearing a sleeveless top with a cut-out around the waist and wide-legged black trousers. The pictures quickly caught the attention of fans, as one fan commented, “Great to see @_coleman2 and @itsshacarri there!! .” 

But the Atlanta announcement was about more than the future of the Olympic Torch Relay. It also brought back memories of one of the most unforgettable moments from the city’s Olympic history, when Muhammad Ali lit the Olympic cauldron at the 1996 Games. Ali had died in 2016, but his connection to Atlanta was still represented at the announcement through his wife, Lonnie Ali, who attended the event. Reflecting on her husband’s role in 1996, she said, “He knew the magnitude of what this was.”

Richardson also spoke about Ali’s influence during the event. “What his presence has done for sports, both in and out of what it is to be an athlete and just a person, I feel like that showed up in that moment and that’s what everyone connected to,” Richardson said.

While Atlanta is already confirmed, the rest of the route is still to be determined. The participating cities and route information will be shared in 2027, according to LA28. But the ambitious 50-state relay also comes with some challenges and unanswered questions.

LA28 faces funding questions as Atlanta’s Olympic legacy sparks debate

One of the major issues with the 50-state relay is transportation funding and logistics to make such a relay happen, but organizers are still working on this.

LA28 is still seeking millions of dollars in funding to support transportation during the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games. With much of the event spending expected to come in the final stages, the organizing committee is now moving closer to the point where major plans need to be finalized.

“The part now [that] we are in is making sure all of our plans are clear, all of our difficult decisions are being made, so that when we go, we have as few changes and as few course corrections as possible,” Wasserman said. “Not that there won’t be any, but to limit those as much as possible, so that we operate towards the start line with as much certainty as possible, which is the only way to deliver a project of this scale.”

The torch relay itself has already raised another question in Atlanta, where the Olympic flame has a strong connection to the city’s 1996 Games. A controversial plan is underway to move the 1996 Olympic cauldron from the Summerhill neighborhood to Centennial Olympic Park, but Mayor Andre Dickens and many Summerhill residents have pushed back against the proposal.

Dickens has argued that the cauldron has become part of Summerhill’s history and identity. In a letter to Atlanta Legacy ’96 President Jeff Cravens, he wrote, “A city’s greatest moments should belong to its people first.” He also said, “The Olympic cauldron should remain in the neighborhood it has called home for the past 30 years, just as thousands of residents have.”

Summerhill resident Dyral Rooks described the proposed move as: “It’s heartbreaking. It’s like a slap in our face.” He also said residents felt that promises made to the neighborhood had not been fulfilled. Nearly two dozen former Olympians have signed a petition calling for the cauldron to remain in Summerhill. The local campaign also had more than 2,100 signatures as of August 17, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.  For now, Atlanta’s role in the 2028 Olympics is set, with the city preparing to send the flame on its 50-state journey. 

The post Sha’Carri Richardson and Boyfriend Get Involved in Atlanta’s Decision for 50-State Torch Journey appeared first on EssentiallySports.

Brown’s journey to the top of the podium was unique. As a 19-year-old, she ran the preliminary leg of the mixed 4x400m relay at the Paris Olympics, helping Team USA secure its spot in the final, where they ultimately claimed gold. While she didn’t run in the final, her contribution was vital. Reflecting on the experience, she told EssentiallySports, “Just being able to be a part of that, knowing that I led the team into the finals, it was just an amazing feeling.”

However, the path to glory wasn’t without its challenges. Brown faced a wave of criticism online, with some claiming she had let the team down. But she remains unshakeable. Talking about her journey, Kaylyn Brown spoke to EssentiallySports.

You’ve already achieved some lofty dreams. How’s it going over there in Arkansas?

It’s going amazing. I love Arkansas. At first, it was like there’s nothing to do here, but I love it. 

I saw that picture of you, you on your IG saying that I wanted to be an Olympian when you were a little kid. So already having not just become an Olympian, but to taste gold, how do you let that all sink in?

At first, when I was 19 years old, when I went to the Olympics. So at first it took me like a year to really process, like I’ve accomplished my dreams. But now I’m just like I’m taking that and looking forward to 28 LA 28.’

And how do you take that experience to ensure that you thrive at the NCAA level?

Honestly, knowing that I’ve been in the world’s biggest stages. So running at like a NCAA meet, I’m just like it’s just another me and being confident is a big part of um like I don’t know. I just I don’t know, just being confident and knowing that I’ve already accomplished what I wanted to. So, yeah.

What do you love about this sport?

Um, what I love about this sport is that it’s very independent and it’s all on you. So, just knowing that you determine what you do on the track. So, like me working hard and stuff and when I see it come out to play, like at the meets, it’s just amazing feeling. 

It’s a fascinating sport in terms of, like, you say that individual element, but then you can be part of a team, of course, you know, a lot of your highs were hit as a team. How do you navigate the two when you are relying on three other people and when it’s just you out there?

Honestly, my individual race comes first, obviously, but knowing that I am a team player, I am a leader, and honestly, after my race, knowing that I get to run with the amazing other three girls in the 4×4 to win. So, it’s exciting.

Can you take us back there to Paris? Uh, what was going through your mind when you took the gold?

Um, when I took the gold, well, I did. I didn’t run in the finals. I ran in the prelims, but just being able to be a part of that, knowing that I led the team into the finals. It was just an amazing feeling. And honestly, it wasn’t even about money. Like, I was a kid. I was just out there running, and it was just another track meet. So, that was a cool experience.

And then, you anchored the mix relay up against FEMA bowl for the silver. What was that like?

That was amazing. Um, a lot of people, like, I got a lot of backlash, like, “Oh my gosh, she let USA down.” But honestly, I did I went out there, and I did everything that I could have done, and the team did amazing. So, it was great to be a part of that.

How do you navigate that? The internet, the comments, the positive, the negative, all of the noise. 

Honestly, I do not stay on social media. So, I just I just do um I don’t know. I just stay off social media. Yeah. I don’t even deal with it.

What are your biggest goals for this season?

For this season, my biggest goals is to stay healthy and run fast and just to prove to myself that I can do anything that I put my mind to, honestly.

So, your 4913 ties Britain Wilson’s American Collegiate record. What does that mean to you? And what is it like when the margins are so fine, and you’re literally looking at hundreds of seconds?

That means a lot to me. I feel very honored to, like, run that time and to have, like, share the same record as her, but I’m going for the school record, which is 4889. Yeah. So that’s next.

How do you strategize making that?

Just taking it every day by day, not looking at what I need to do in the future, but what I need to accomplish. Just win the day. That’s my moto. If you win the day, it’ll just add up, and then your results will show.

What made you choose Arkansas? What’s the atmosphere like there and how does it help you thrive?

I would say the atmosphere is just a winning mindset. When you come to Arkansas, you see how many pros are there. So, it just makes you want to win, and it makes you want to work hard and to become a pro athlete. And honestly, the coaches are amazing. The training is hard, but it prepares you for the meets, honestly. So, it’s amazing.

How do you stay balanced? Like, what do you enjoy outside of the track to refresh?

So outside of the track, last year I got a Frenchie. Her name is Storm. So I love playing with her. Also, I love to read books. I love to listen to music and hang out with friends. So it’s hard to really balance as an athlete because once you get out of practice, you’re very tired and you don’t want to do anything. But honestly, doing those things that make you happy, it matters the most.

You have, uh, maybe the deepest 400-meter field in the world right now. Teammates like Sydney McLaughlin, Neon, and Gabby Thomas as well. What is the level for you? What does that mean in terms of driving you and just edging you on?

Um, honestly, I do look up to them and, knowing that the competition it gets faster every year, just knowing that, you know, if I work hard and if I’m healthy, I am the standard. 

You’re a big goal setter, right? How important is it as an elite athlete to write down and vocalize and speak into existence what you plan to do?

It’s really important. Like every day I speak life into myself, and I write down my goals. It’s really important so you can not only, like, look back and see it come to life, but just writing it down and repeating it to yourself, it becomes a repetition and you start to believe it. So that’s very important as well to me.

How do you juggle college track and international racing and how do they all blend together to make sure everyone’s interests are met?

Honestly, college track comes first. So, I’ll run my whole collegiate season and then when that’s done, then me and my coach will discuss, okay, these are the meets that we can do. So, next year, um, worlds, worlds is coming up. So, after my collegiate season, I’ll just be doing some races and prepping for Worlds.

Do you think there’s a buzz in the scene right now with LA looming and it being at home?

I do think so. Um, I know it’s very exciting to run in the US. Um, but who doesn’t love LA? So, I’m excited to go to LA and even try out to potentially go to the next Olympics.

How much is in your thoughts and your goals for LA?

I would say I’ve had a lot of thoughts and goals for LA, but just like staying where my feet are. Like I know that I want to make it to LA, but I have to do these certain steps to get there. So, just checking off the boxes and making sure I’m doing the things necessary to get there.

Who’s the gold standard for you right now in track and field who you look at and think they have the whole package?

Oh, I would say Allison Felix. Like, she is one strong and amazing woman. I’ve looked up to her since I was young, like seven years old. Um, she’s just dominates in everything that she does. So, I look up to her a lot. 

I feel like every generation feels like a golden generation for the US. How do you feel about this current generation?

I think that this current generation, there are a lot of ways to get faster. So that’s why every year it’s just like people are dropping times. But I think this generation is going to be the next fastest generation.

What are the small margins that you can make to shave those hundreds of a second? What do you focus on?

Doing my abs. It’s I’m telling people all the time; it’s the little things. Showing up every day with a great attitude and doing the things that nobody else does, like after practice. A lot of people probably just come home and just, you know, get ready for bed, but making sure I’m doing my ab work, making sure I’m getting water and making sure I’m eating the right protein, doing rehab, prehab, so I won’t get injured.

What’s the most important piece of advice you’ve been given in this sport?

I would say to worry about yourself. Um, and what I mean by that is don’t look at anybody else’s progress. Focus on yourself and take every day by day. 

This sport is just unbelievable in terms of the mental strength and the self-belief that you need. How important is that self-belief, that confidence that you have in your ability?

I think that’s really important, like, that can make or break you. Um, this is a story, but right before I ran the mix 4×4, I was like panicking because I just like didn’t have that confidence. I felt young. So, I think that having that confidence is really important, and knowing that when you step out on the track, you’re just as good as everybody else or even better. So mental health is really important in this sport, and just speaking life into yourself, like we said and knowing that you’ve worked hard to get here, so you deserve a spot.

Do people use music a lot? What kind of different techniques have you seen for people to get in the zone and make sure that they’re there?

So in college, my coach is very strict. He does not let us listen to music. But before we get out into, like, a warm-up, music for sure. Music. I love to spend time with God and just talk to him about what needs to be done and asking him for strength and everything. But yes, those are the two things that I do. And I even meditate. Sometimes I need quietness. So those are very important to me.

And for you, how important is it to lift up your teammates and make sure that you are always inspiring each other even though, like, we said, it’s often just you out there?

Yeah, that is very important. Coming in when I was a freshman, Amber, Rosie, Nikishha, they all took me in as a sister. And me being a senior now, I want to be a leader and a role model for those younger kids, and even kids around the world. Um, that’s very important to uplift your teammates. Um, cuz it’s a team thing honestly in college. So, it’s individual, but you’re earning points to win a title. So, it’s always good to just encourage someone or let them know that you know they’re here for a reason.

So, who is the hardest worker you’ve ever met in this sport? 

The hardest worker that I’ve trained with besides me, I would say Amber Anning.

Who is the best dressed?

The best dressed besides me, I would say Analise Batista.

Who’s the funniest?

Coach Johnson.

Who’s the first person you would go to for restaurant advice?

Sonaria Butler.

And what would be your ultimate pre-race song?

Whoa. I would just say a genre: R&B. There are too many.

And if you had one message for young runners or younger version of yourself, what would you want to say?

I would honestly say to the kids out there that you can do anything that you put your mind to, and if you work hard for the things that you want, you will achieve them. We know it to be true. We’ve seen it.

The post Exclusive: Kaylyn Brown on Olympic Gold, Arkansas, and the Road to LA ’28 appeared first on EssentiallySports.

McLaughlin-Levrone recently opened up about that transformation, reflecting on everything from watching her body change during pregnancy to spending an entire season as a spectator. Her journey eventually led to the arrival of her daughter, Savannah Michelle Levrone, whom she and her husband Andre welcomed in July. “This past year of my life has been the most unusual I have ever experienced,” McLaughlin-Levrone wrote on Instagram.

She described seeing her body become “bigger,” “slower,” and “more fragile,” but also “more purposeful than ever.”

That change extended well beyond the physical. For the first full season in years, McLaughlin-Levrone did not compete. Instead, she watched from her couch, discovering something she rarely had the chance to experience while chasing medals and records: being a fan.

“I got to be a fan, and the sport I love so much looked different from this angle… it looked like art,” she reflected.

For an athlete accustomed to controlling every detail of preparation, the pregnancy brought a different lesson. McLaughlin-Levrone admitted that while the competitor in her wanted to return as soon as she was cleared, the mother in her wanted to hold on to every fleeting moment.

“Most of all, it was so tangible just how much this life is out of my control,” she wrote, referring to her healing, her daughter’s development, and even the uncertainty surrounding her return to the oval.

And that uncertainty, rather than frightening her, has brought her a sense of peace. “Yet I’m finding contentment in that,” McLaughlin-Levrone added, trusting that God’s plan would unfold in its own time.

Her words resonated with fellow athletes. Olympic champion Allyson Felix responded with heart emojis, while steeplechase star Emma Coburn wrote, “You’re such a good mama .”

The comments came after McLaughlin-Levrone and Andre announced the birth of Savannah on July 12. The couple shared black-and-white photographs cradling their daughter, with McLaughlin-Levrone calling her “our blessing and our joy.”

The arrival marked another chapter in a relationship that began years before parenthood. The couple married at Early Mountain Vineyards in Virginia in May 2022, and announced their pregnancy in January with McLaughlin-Levrone writing, “Made a human with my favorite human.”

Yet even before Savannah arrived, the 27-year-old had made it clear that motherhood would not mean walking away from athletics. Instead, she saw it as a different kind of race.

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone sees motherhood bringing a new perspective

McLaughlin-Levrone has previously spoken about returning to competition with LA 2028 in mind. Her perspective on that comeback, however, has remained measured rather than rushed.

“This is a new type of race I’m running. It’s more of a marathon, not a sprint,” she told USA TODAY earlier this year, explaining that she hoped motherhood would mature her both on and off the track.

McLaughlin-Levrone has never hidden how much becoming a mother meant to her. Even before Savannah arrived, she viewed the next stage of her life as something that could reshape the way she approaches athletics. Rather than seeing motherhood and competition as separate worlds, she hoped her daughter would one day see the work behind the medals and records.

“So, being able to do this, and have my daughter hopefully see me continue to strive for excellence on the track, really excited to just inspire her and hopefully have a different type of motivation that gets me excited to continue to chase my goals,” McLaughlin-Levrone told USA TODAY.

That motivation comes after a remarkable 2025 season in which she stepped away from the 400m hurdles and conquered the flat 400m. She won the world title in Tokyo in 47.78 seconds, setting a U.S. record and producing the second-fastest time ever recorded in the event.

Still, McLaughlin-Levrone does not want her comeback defined solely by another record. The 400m world record of 47.60 seconds remains within the realm of possibility, but she has repeatedly stressed that she will allow the performance to come naturally.

“I think records come when they’re supposed to come,” she said. “When the preparation’s there, when the motivation is there, and when everything comes into alignment, that’s when those kinds of things happen.”

For now, LA 2028 offers a special possibility. The Games will return to the United States, and McLaughlin-Levrone has already spoken about how meaningful it would be to compete at home with Savannah watching.

But she is not putting a deadline on the journey back. Pregnancy, postpartum recovery and training will all determine the pace.

Her father, Willie McLaughlin, is equally curious to see what comes next. He has pointed to other athletes who returned from pregnancy and achieved remarkable things, saying the family is excited to see what “post-pregnancy Sydney” will look like.

For McLaughlin-Levrone, though, the biggest change may have already happened. The athlete who once measured everything by seconds now has another reason to chase excellence – and someday, her daughter may be watching from the stands.

The post Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone Addresses Life Away From Track During Motherhood Journey appeared first on EssentiallySports.

Her coach Gemedu Dedefo revealed Tuesday that Assefa first felt pain around 31 kilometers – roughly 19.3 miles, meaning she ran about 11 kilometers, or 6.8 miles, while dealing with the injury.

Dedefo also praised Adidas for its immediate response, saying the sponsor arranged a private jet after the race so Assefa could receive specialized treatment as quickly as possible. According to him, Assefa ran another 2 kilometers after the complete rupture, maintaining a world-record pace of 2:09:39

That makes the final kilometers of Assefa’s race look very different in hindsight. She had been flying toward history in Berlin, reaching 40K in 2:03:00 and still sitting inside the projected world-record pace. Then everything changed. Her stride shortened, the pain became visible, and the 29-year-old began limping toward the Brandenburg Gate. The final kilometers became a test of will, not speed.

Assefa eventually crossed the line in 2:11:04, securing her third Berlin Marathon victory and recording the third-fastest women’s marathon time ever. Remarkably, the performance also improved her own former world record of 2:11:53, set in Berlin in 2023, by 49 seconds.

But the celebration barely had time to begin. Assefa collapsed after finishing and needed assistance, while the full extent of the injury only became clear afterward. Her manager Gianni Demadonna confirmed that the Achilles had completely ruptured during the closing stages.

According to Demadonna, by 40K, the problem had become severe, and the tendon’s fibers were progressively giving way. By the final two kilometers, the tendon was completely torn. Demadonna later described her finish as astonishing, saying he could not understand how she managed to complete the race in that condition.

And there was little time to dwell on what had happened. The priority quickly shifted from the finish line to the operating room.

Adidas arranged a private flight to Bavaria, allowing Assefa to reach a specialized clinic near Munich for urgent treatment. She subsequently underwent complex surgery on Monday, with her manager confirming that the procedure had been completed successfully.

What did Tigst Assefa say after undergoing successful surgery?

For someone who had just endured one of the most painful finishes of her career, Assefa’s first message after surgery was remarkably forward-looking.

Through SCC EVENTS, organizers of the BMW Berlin Marathon, she thanked the global running community for its support and confirmed that her operation had gone well.

“I would like to send my warmest greetings to everyone. My surgery went well. I am overwhelmed by the tremendous support I have received from all over the world,” Assefa said. Then came the message that showed where her mind already was. “I will definitely come back to Berlin, and then I will break the world record,” she added.

That comeback, however, will require patience. Demadonna has indicated that Assefa faces a lengthy rehabilitation, with an extended period before she can walk normally and then a gradual return through walking, cycling and eventually running. A return to competition could take roughly six to seven months, although no firm race has been set.

London in April 2027 has emerged as a possible target, but for now, the focus remains on recovery rather than a calendar date.

Dedefo’s statement also underlined the support surrounding Assefa during the difficult stretch ahead. He thanked Adidas, her family, teammates, medical staff, physiotherapists and supporters around the world while expressing confidence in her ability to return. “Tigist is a champion, and we believe in her strength, courage and determination,” the statement read.

For Adidas, the private jet was more than a gesture after a dramatic race. It ensured one of its biggest running stars could move quickly from Berlin to specialist care when every hour mattered.

What a year this has been for Adidas athletes! According to multiple reports, Adidas athletes have won six of the ten gold medals at major marathons this year

Assefa had already given the brand a remarkable Sunday performance. Now, the company has stepped in to support the much longer race ahead.

The Berlin victory will remain in the record books at 2:11:04. But the image that will linger may be Assefa limping through those final two kilometers, unaware that her Achilles had completely given way, yet still refusing to stop.

Now comes the harder part: rebuilding the runner who somehow kept moving when her body was telling her to stop.

The post Coach Reveals How Olympian Ran With Achilles Injury, Then Ruptured Tendon in Final Few Miles appeared first on EssentiallySports.

“The most important thing this year in order to stay the best was to keep in my mind that one day, I will get beaten,” Werro told World Athletics. “I need to accept that. No one is invincible, and if I keep that in my mind, I’m just more free to run like I want to.” For Werro, that mindset has been just as important as what she has done on the track, which has been hard to ignore.

Her first major statement came in Stockholm in June, where she clocked 1:53.98. The performance made her only the third woman in history to break 1:54 in the 800m. She also finished ahead of Olympic champion Keely Hodgkinson, who ran a British record of 1:54.33 in second. Werro did not finish there. Just three weeks later in Paris, she lowered her time to 1:53.80, becoming the first woman to record multiple sub-1:54 performances. Then came Zürich on August 27, where she went even faster with 1:53.70.

Werro has also recorded three of the five fastest women’s 800m times in history this year. The victories have followed the fast times. At the European Championships in Birmingham, Werro won gold in 1:54.81 after being reinstated for the final following a fall in her semifinal. Hodgkinson finished second in 1:55.01. Werro then edged Femke Broeders-Bol by just 0.06 seconds in the Diamond League Final in Brussels before adding another major victory at the World Athletics Ultimate Championship in Budapest. She won there in 1:55.88, with Hodgkinson second in 1:56.26 and Broeders-Bol third in 1:56.74.

Before the 2026 season even began, Audrey Werro already knew what she wanted. The Swiss 800m runner had set herself three goals: win a medal at the European Championships, take the Diamond League Final title and improve her national record of 1:55.91. By the end of the season, she had checked every box and then gone far beyond them. 

Now, after a season that changed the course of her career, Werro is stepping away from training for four weeks. She will use the break to rest before starting her preparations for 2027. But while her 2026 campaign may now look almost perfect, getting to this point wasn’t easy-peasy.

The struggles behind Werro’s rise

The signs of Werro’s talent had been there for a long time. In 2021, she won the European U20 800m title, and a year later she took World U20 silver. But when she started making the move into senior athletics in 2023, she quickly learned that having the talent was only part of the challenge. Werro had always been comfortable running at the front. It allowed her to control the pace and race on her own terms. That approach had worked brilliantly at junior level but not in senior championships.

At the European Indoor Championships in Istanbul in 2023, Werro made the 800m final at just 19. She briefly moved into third, but two runners passed her before the finish, and she ended up fifth just 0.06 seconds away from bronze. Then, a year later, she was forced to deal with something she could not control.

Werro suffered a muscle tear in the back of her thigh during her preparation for the 2024 outdoor season. The injury kept her out of the European Championships in Rome, and although she returned to training, she and her team decided not to take unnecessary risks with the Paris Olympics approaching. She eventually made her Olympic debut in Paris, but there was still a gap between being a promising young athlete and becoming a consistent title contender.

That gap became even more obvious in early 2025. At the European Indoor Championships in Apeldoorn, Werro entered the 800m as one of the athletes expected to challenge for the title. Instead, her race ended with a fall around 100m from the finish as she tried to move through the field. Those difficult moments did not stop her progress. In fact, they became part of the process that eventually produced the Werro we saw in 2026.

There was another change taking place away from the track, too. For years, Werro had been trying to fit elite athletics around her education. She studied at Collège Sainte-Croix, also known as Kollegium Gambach, in Fribourg, and completed her Swiss maturité in 2025. She had even split her final year so she could continue managing her athletics commitments. Once her studies were finished, Werro could finally give athletics her full attention. That made her a star in 2026.

The post “No One is Invincible”: 800m Champion Who Crushed Olympic Champion Talks About Mindset Behind Win appeared first on EssentiallySports.

More than three decades later, the four-time Olympic champion still remembers those days vividly. In a recent Instagram post, Johnson opened up about the disappointment that preceded his golden chapter in Atlanta, admitting that Barcelona taught him lessons that no victory ever could.

“Barcelona 1992. My first Olympics. I was running the 200m, and I did NOT win gold. I didn’t even make the final. Everyone knows me for Atlanta ‘96 – the gold shoes, the double gold, the records. Everyone remembers the wins. But I always remember Barcelona, the disappointment, the feeling of failure, and the doubt that creeped in after,” he wrote.

It was a painful reality for an athlete who had entered Spain at the height of his powers. Johnson was the reigning world champion, had gone unbeaten for two years and sat at the top of the world rankings. He had also come agonizingly close to the 200m world record shortly before the Games, missing Frankie Fredericks’ mark by just 0.33 seconds.

Johnson further added, “I came into Barcelona the World Champion, riding a two year win streak, and heavy favorite to win gold. Illness from food poisoning ruined my chances of winning. That failure taught me more than any of my gold medal performances. It forced me to look at what I control and what I don’t, and how to focus relentlessly on what I can control, and ignore the rest.”

He believed he was in the best shape of his life at that time. But everything changed for him after he and his agent contracted food poisoning at a restaurant in Spain.

Suddenly, years of preparation meant very little. His body simply would not cooperate when the biggest race of his life arrived.

The warning signs appeared immediately. Johnson later remembered battling through the opening round in a way he had never experienced before, describing the sensation as though he were “running in someone else’s body.” He survived the heat, but only barely.

The semifinal delivered the confirmation he had feared. Johnson finished sixth and missed the 200m final by just 0.16 seconds. For an athlete who had entered Barcelona as the overwhelming favorite, the disappointment was crushing.

Yet Barcelona did not completely take the gold away from him.

Johnson recovered in time to join the United States 4x400m relay team. The Americans won gold and set a world record of 2:55.74, with Johnson running a 44.73-second split. Still, the relay medal could not erase what happened in the 200m.

And perhaps that was precisely why the memory stayed with him.

Johnson’s latest reflection makes clear that he no longer views Barcelona simply as the race he lost. He sees it as the moment that forced him to understand the difference between controlling preparation and controlling circumstances.

“Four years later, the world saw the person I’d become after Barcelona,” he wrote, pointing toward the resilience that defined his Atlanta campaign.

By 1996, Johnson had transformed that disappointment into fuel. At the Atlanta Olympics, he produced one of the most memorable performances in track and field history, winning both the 200m and 400m while wearing the gold-colored spikes that would become synonymous with his image.

His 19.32-second 200m run also set a world record that survived until Usain Bolt broke it in 2008. Johnson’s 400m victory completed a double no man had previously achieved at the same Olympics.

The contrast could hardly have been sharper. Barcelona left Johnson outside the 200m final. Atlanta made him an Olympic icon. That is why he now describes the earlier failure as more instructive than many of his victories.

“Winners and successful leaders aren’t defined by avoiding failure,” Johnson wrote. “They’re defined by their resilience, their willingness to examine themselves, and their commitment to evolving as a person.”

The lesson also explains why Johnson has continued to talk about that difficult Olympic debut. Even in 2024, he looked back on Barcelona while discussing his career and the memories that shaped him.

The sprinter ultimately collected four Olympic gold medals and eight World Championship titles. He also spent years rewriting the record books, including his 43.18-second 400m world record in 1999, a mark that stood until Wayde van Niekerk broke it in 2016.

But the victories never completely replaced the memory of the race he never got to finish.

Michael Johnson’s competitive fire never really left

Johnson’s competitive edge remained evident long after his retirement.
In 2016, when asked about a hypothetical 200m showdown with Usain Bolt in their primes, Johnson answered with the confidence that had defined his career.

“I win that race every day,” he told TODAY. “Every time we line up, I win that race, guaranteed.”

Yet his view of Bolt evolved with time. Ahead of the 2024 Paris Olympics, Johnson pushed back against the idea that athletics needed another version of the Jamaican superstar.

“Nobody. There’s never going to be another Usain Bolt,” Johnson told Olympics.com, emphasizing that athletes should create their own identities rather than chase someone else’s legacy.

It circles back to the lesson he took from Barcelona.

Johnson could not control the food poisoning that derailed his 200m campaign. What he could control was what came next. Four years later, he returned to the Olympic stage with a different perspective, a stronger resolve and two gold medals around his neck.

“Everyone faces Barcelona moments,” Johnson wrote. “The question is what you learn, how you adapt, and whether you have the courage to face the work ahead.”

For Johnson, the most painful Olympic memory did not disappear. Instead, he learned how to carry it – and eventually turn it into part of the story behind the gold.

The post “Ruined My Chances”: Track Legend Michael Johnson Reveals Real Problem With Debut Olympic Games appeared first on EssentiallySports.

Cossio had brought her computer with her to the Games so she could continue working whenever her schedule allowed. She explained that she tried to get some work done in the afternoon, although her competition schedule made it difficult to spend much time on her computer. Her workload did not disappear simply because she was competing for Argentina. In fact, the pressure followed her right up to the relay final.

Cossio revealed, “My boss was sending me things for work, and I had to be focused on today’s final, which makes me lose focus a bit.” Despite the distraction, Cossio delivered when Argentina needed her. The quartet finished second in the mixed 4×100m. For Cossio, representing her country does not come with the luxury of putting everyday responsibilities on hold.

Her story becomes even more interesting when looking back at where her journey began. Cossio grew up in Murphy, a small town in Santa Fe Province, and started athletics at 11 after competing in the school stage of the Juegos Evita. Coach Andrés Giovanetti spotted her potential and eventually became her long-time coach. The path from a small Argentine town to international competition was not built around ideal training conditions.

Cossio has recalled training on a dirt track in nearby Venado Tuerto and using a 1,000-meter concrete road in her hometown. At times, she and her family simply made use of whatever they had available. “We used soda bottle caps as cones. My dad would put them on the sidewalks, and I’d practice sprints starting from my backyard,” she recalled.

Those early experiences eventually took her to Spain. Around 2021-22, Cossio had the chance to move to either the United States or Spain. She chose Spain and eventually settled in Barcelona, where she continued pursuing athletics while studying and working. “There is little support, few facilities. In my case, it’s complicated because I have to work, study, and train,” she said.

By 2025, Cossio was reported to be working as an administrative employee at a road-signage company while studying for a Marketing degree at the University of Palermo. She was also continuing her athletics career in Barcelona. Despite the challenges of balancing work, studies, and athletics, Cossio has continued to build an impressive track record over the years.

Cossio’s journey from a junior record to international medals

Guillermina Cossio’s achievements stretch back to her junior career, when she represented Argentina at the 2018 World U20 Championships in Tampere. That same year, she ran 11.70 seconds in the 100m to become the Argentine U20 record holder in the event. Her progress continued at the senior level. At the 2021 South American U23 Championships in Guayaquil, Cossio claimed bronze in the 200m after running 23.98 seconds in the final.

She later added another international medal at the 2025 South American Championships in Mar del Plata, where she helped Argentina win bronze in the women’s 4×100m relay and also reached the 200m semifinal. The 2025 season also brought individual success. Cossio won the women’s 100m at a Continental Tour Bronze meeting in Santiago, Chile. She also won the indoor 200m at the Catalan Championships and later finished second in the 100m at a Catalan competition, while helping Barcelona claim a 4×100m relay title.

Her form reached another level in 2026. At the Ibero-American Championships in Lima, Cossio helped Argentina win silver in the women’s 4×100m relay, with the team clocking 45.02 seconds. She was also part of Argentina’s mixed 4×400m relay team that finished fifth while setting a new national record of 3:20.94.

She then produced one of the biggest individual breakthroughs of her career. On February 15 in Sabadell, Spain, Cossio ran 24.27 seconds in the indoor 200m to break Argentina’s national record of 24.41. Just 12 days later in Valencia, she lowered it again to 24.25 seconds.

Her momentum continued into the outdoor season. In April, she won the 200m at Argentina’s Copa Nacional de Clubes at CENARD in Buenos Aires, crossing the line in 24.05 seconds. Then, on July 26, she recorded a new personal best of 23.62 seconds at the Spanish Championships in Málaga.  Taken together, her record tells a much bigger story than one medal in Santa Fe.

The post Silver Medalist Reveals Sad Reality of Office Work During Track and Field Event appeared first on EssentiallySports.