Revolution planned

After Duplantis: Athletics now plans mega show

Mondo Duplantis (r.) defeated Karsten Warholm at 100 meters.

(Bild: AFP or licensors)

The 100-metre duel between pole-vaulting maestro Armand Duplantis and hurdles world record holder Karsten Warholm provided good, entertaining entertainment in Zurich on Wednesday evening. But that was just the beginning of the new plans for athletics.

With his winning time of 10.37 seconds, Duplantis would have easily beaten many a specialist in the preliminary heats at the Olympics in Paris. Warholm's 10.47 seconds were also worthy of honor.

The race, which was broadcast by drinks manufacturer Red Bull on its own TV channel, had been advertised in the media for days. The spectators in the main grandstand in the time-honored Letzigrund in Zurich were put in the mood with an entertainment program and interviews with other athletics greats.

(Bild: AFP/APA/Fabrice COFFRINI)

Such formats are likely to be what World Federation President Sebastian Coe has in mind for the future. "We are far too conservative as a sport," the former British middle-distance star told Der Spiegel before the World Championships last year and was blunt in his assessment of the World Championships in his sport: "A nine-day competition with three to four-hour sessions every day - only purists like me still watch something like that."

The event in Zurich was different. The focus was on two of the best-known protagonists that athletics has had to offer since the departure of Usain Bolt, who can hardly be replaced, presented in bathrobes like boxers before a fight. Duplantis is working on becoming even better known, and not just with titles and world records. The 24-year-old posted a photo of himself at night - lying in the bathtub.

Coe is an advocate of making the sport more understandable and accessible and taking the tedium out of it. One idea from the world federation is to replace the bar in the long jump with a take-off zone and thus reduce the number of failed attempts. This - and much more - was tried out at the meeting in Fribourg/Switzerland last Sunday. There was a steeplechase over 1,600 m instead of 3,000 m. In the javelin throw, only one improvement was measured.

Former 200 and 400 m star Michael Johnson from the USA wants to set up a series of running events. The series, to be known as the Grand Slam Track, is to be held four times a year over three days from 2025 and will pay out a total of 12.6 million dollars (11.40 million euros) in prize money. Olympic hurdles champion Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone has agreed to take part, as have all the medal winners in the men's 1,500m. "The world is waiting for something like this and we can fill that gap," said Johnson.

Michael Johnson

(Bild: AP)

The world federation will counter this for the first time in September 2026 with a new, three-day World Championships. It is to take place every two years. World champions, Olympic champions, Diamond League winners and the best performing athletes of the year will compete against each other to crown the "ultimate champion". Ten million dollars (9.05 million euros) in prize money is to be paid out. For Duplantis and Warholm, their duel on Wednesday should also have been financially worthwhile.