Tumbling records leave Sebastian Coe expecting ‘best-ever’ world athletics championships

LONDON – World Athletics president Sebastian Coe says this record-laden athletics season has convinced him that the World Championships in August could be the best of all time in terms of performance, and he is confident there will be big crowds in Budapest to witness the action.

Because of the Covid-19 pandemic, the sport is hosting back-to-back editions of the usually biennial World Championships, with the Aug 19-27 event following the 2022 postponed championships in Eugene, Oregon.

“You have to say that this has been the best start I can remember to any track-and-field season,” Coe said on Monday.

“I was very lucky. I saw the first of Faith Kipyegon’s (three) world records when she won the 1,500 metres in Florence, and then in Paris we had three world records.

“There have just been some outstanding performances. We keep our fingers crossed for some of the head-to-heads, but these have the potential to be the best World Championships.

“You have all the ingredients – 2,000 athletes from over 200 countries. There can’t be too many sports commentating on gold medals for Ecuador and the Dominican Republic. These are a genuine World Championships.”

The event is being held in a purpose-built stadium in an area of Budapest that Coe hopes will benefit economically, just as parts of east London did from the 2012 Olympics. Though Budapest, or just about anywhere else, is never going to match the 50,000 who turned up on July 23 to watch the Diamond League meeting at London Stadium, World Athletics says ticket sales have been strong.

“In the first few days we have finals, straight away, it’s not a slow burn,” Coe said.

“Morning sessions are always tough (for ticket sales) but for a few hours every day, people recognise that the morning sessions are when schools and kids can get to see the same heroes who are just navigating their way through to some of those finals.

“It’s all part of what I want the World Championships to ultimately start heading towards – a tighter, faster rhythm.

“We also need to make sure that we’ve got events that really matter in some parts of the world that are being shown at times when people are going to consume them within their own lifestyles, rather than asking people to get up at unearthly hours.”

It is of course not all sunshine in the sport, with the latest anti-doping violation seeing Nigerian world-record sprint hurdler Tobi Amusan facing a ban after missing three whereabouts appointments.

In recent years, a string of high-profile athletes including Brianna McNeal, Christian Coleman, Salwa Eid Naser, Elijah Motonei Manangoi, Wilson Kipsang Kiprotich and Raven Saunders have been suspended for falling foul of the system three times within 12 months, where they have to notify testers where they will be for an hour of their choice each day.

Coe has little sympathy for those who complain the system is flawed or unfair – usually those who have been on the wrong side of it.

“The vast majority of athletes who are not cheating have no problem with the whereabouts system,” he said.

“The issue is very simple. They’re asked to identify for one hour a day where they’re going to be and I really don’t think that is brain surgery.

“Every athlete I know takes this seriously. I’m sorry it really isn’t that complicated.”

He also defended the choice of Hungary’s capital as host – the country’s far-right Prime Minister Viktor Orban is strongly opposed to what he calls the European Union’s “LGBT+ offensive” and the United States ambassador to Hungary blasted him for opportunistically stirring up hatred against gay people.

Coe said: “The world is a complex place, it’s becoming more complex by the year and that isn’t going to change.

“So one thing that does need to adapt here is sport and sport is ultimately probably the most adaptable organism that is out there, and in an uncertain world, sport is the only anchor point.” REUTERS, AFP