A take a look at a few of the entrance pages of Athletics Weekly from the previous 12 months
As we replicate on 2024, it has undoubtedly been a outstanding 12 months on this planet of athletics. From the joy of the Paris Olympic Video games to the thrilling performances on the World Indoor Championships in Glasgow, and the European Championships in Rome, the 12 months has been full of unforgettable moments.
The most important highlights have been persistently featured on the entrance pages of AW, as they’ve illustrated what an eventful 12 months it was for the game.
Athletics in 2024 has been outlined by the achievements of a few of the sport’s largest names, together with Keely Hodgkinson, Mondo Duplantis, and Jakob Ingebrigtsen, whose performances made them the pure selections for our cowl stars.
All year long, we’ve additionally targeted on key occasions, resembling our in-depth Olympic preview and evaluate, alongside a particular characteristic highlighting the highest 20 British Olympians in athletics historical past.
It’s been a 12 months filled with celebration, reflection, and naturally, thrilling performances and all have been captured all through the 2024 covers of AW.
January
As 2024 started, the January challenge of AW set the stage for what promised to be a landmark 12 months for athletics and main the quilt was Norway’s Jakob Ingebrigtsen.
The earlier 12 months had been difficult for him, after struggling a second consecutive loss within the World 1500m closing to Josh Kerr and he confronted varied off-track points.
In an unique interview, his brother and coaching associate, Henrik, provided AW a behind-the-scenes take a look at the interior workings of Workforce Ingebrigtsen.
Jakob’s 2024, nevertheless, turned out to be a 12 months of success, with highlights together with his victory within the Olympic 5000m closing and most not too long ago, a win on the European Cross Nation Championships.
February
For the February challenge of AW, the 2022 world champion, Jake Wightman, took centre stage on the quilt, as he set his sights on reclaiming his place on the high desk of 1500m operating.
The British middle-distance runner confronted a sequence of damage setbacks after his 2022 victory that hindered his means to defend his crown. In an unique interview, he shared the precious classes he’s realized all through the difficult interval.
Having the ability to now look again on the 12 months, it didn’t unfold like Wightman had hoped for. He was compelled to withdraw from the Olympic Video games attributable to a hamstring damage simply days earlier than his 800m race.
In an interview with AW in October he stated: “If I’ve one other massive damage or setback, I’m unsure I can come again once more as it might be my physique telling me that ‘that is it’. However I consider that if I make these adjustments now then I can get again to the place I must be.”
Jake Wightman: “If I’ve one other massive damage, I’m unsure I can come again”
March
The March challenge of AW had a definite really feel in comparison with the primary two covers of the 12 months, because it showcased a gaggle of athletes, with a specific give attention to the Scottish opponents getting ready to compete on house soil on the World Indoor Championships in Glasgow.
The final Scottish athletes who claimed World Indoor gold medals had been Tom McKean and Yvonne Murray-Mooney, each of whom appeared on this months cowl.
Nonetheless, this was quickly modified as Josh Kerr made histroy by successful the boys’s 3000m gold in Glasgow, turning into the primary British man to attain the feat.
April
After the joy of Glasgow 2024, it was solely becoming that April’s AW cowl star was Molly Caudery, who made a serious breakthrough by claiming the ladies’s world indoor pole vault title.
In an unique interview, Caudery opened up about her coach, Scott Simpson, and the mindset that drove her to success.
It had been a powerful begin to the 12 months for the Cornwall native, who entered the Paris Olympic Video games with a brand new British report of 4.92m and excessive hopes for a podium end.
Sadly, her Olympic journey ended early, as she didn’t clear 4.55m within the opening rounds – lacking out on a spot within the closing. However there’s nonetheless way more to come back for the 24-year-old, particularly with the World Championships subsequent 12 months.
Might
Time was of the essence when it got here right down to the Might challenge of AW, which examined the artwork of breaking limitations.
Marking the seventieth anniversary of Roger Bannister’s sub-four-minute-mile, we revisited that ground-breaking achievement by means of his eyes, in addition to delving into numbers and why the pursuit of latest objectives matter a lot in relation to athletics.
Along with this, the month took us to Jamaica, a rustic famend for producing world-class sprinters who’re repeatedly setting new information and redefining the bounds of velocity.
We delved into the tradition behind Jamaica’s observe and area dominance, uncovering the roots of its champion-making system.
June
Because the outside observe season was nicely underway, the June challenge of AW turned it’s focus to the upcoming European Championships in Rome 2024, providing an in-depth preview of the occasion.
Italian coach Marco Airale, who trains a number of of Britain’s main sprinters, shared his insights on the rising energy of athletics in Italy, highlighting the affect of Olympic successes Marcell Jacobs and Gianmarco Tamberi. Each athletes went on to assert gold in Rome, additional cementing Italy’s observe and area success.
This 12 months additionally marked the fiftieth anniversary of the European Championships being held in Rome, prompting us to revisit the 1974 occasion, talking to Ian Thompson – the Briton who was as soon as on high of the marathon world.
July
With the European Championships been and gone, the July challenge shifted focus to the rising pleasure surrounding the Paris Olympic Video games.
To seize that power, we posed a query to the athletics group: Who would you rank as the best in relation to athletes who’ve represented Nice Britain and Northern Eire in athletics on the Olympics?
We put the query to a panel made up of individuals from internationally of athletics – from athletes previous and current to coaches, commentators, statisticians and journalists. Collectively, they helped us compile a listing of the highest 20, which was revealed within the July challenge, full with profiles of every athlete.
The entrance cowl, that includes a collage of athletes, provided a glimpse into a few of the names that made the checklist.
August
As Paris 2024 grew nearer, the August challenge turned your important information to the Video games, with the quilt that includes a bunch of athletes we anticipated would shine on the worldwide stage.
Amongst them was Keely Hodgkinson, who would go on to win gold for Nice Britain within the 800m, and Yaroslava Mahuchikh, who claimed Olympic excessive bounce gold after setting a brand new world report of two.10m a couple of weeks earlier than.
Religion Kipyegon and marathon legend Eliud Kipchoge additionally graced the quilt, each having confronted vital challenges of their preparations for Paris. In unique interviews with AW, they shared their journeys of overcoming adversity on the street to the Video games.
September
The September challenge of AW appeared again on the unforgettable moments of the Paris 2024 Video games, revisiting the highlights. Naturally, Keely Hodgkinson, was the right alternative for the entrance cowl.
Whereas her 800m victory was commanding, the 22-year-old’s journey to the highest was removed from easy. On this challenge, we took an in-depth take a look at the trail that led her to Olympic glory.
We frolicked with a number of of her coaching companions from the Manchester-based M11 Observe Membership, in addition to one in every of her coaches, Jenny Meadows, to get some perception about what it’s wish to work with such an amazing expertise but additionally to find the quantity of labor that goes into turning into the perfect on this planet.
October
In October we continued our give attention to the thriving M11 Observe Membership, this time that includes one other one in every of their stars – Georgia Bell, who we named Britain’s Breakthrough Athlete of 2024.
In an unique interview, Bell mirrored on a rare 12 months that noticed her make histroy by successful Olympic bronze within the 1500m in Paris.
She shared her 2024 journey, which started with balancing a profession in cybersecurity alongside her athletic ambition, and ended together with her attaining full-time skilled standing. By the shut of the 12 months, she had turn into an Olympic and European medallist, in addition to the British 1500m record-holder.
November
The November challenge of AW turned it’s consideration to the quickly evolving world of distance operating, and it was Kenya’s Ruth Chepngetich who graced the entrance cowl, following her extraordinary marathon world report in Chicago.
Chepngetich’s gorgeous 2:09:56 efficiency created headlines and cut up opinion, however it additionally underlined the outstanding evolution that’s at present going down within the sport.
On this challenge, we broke down the numbers behind her record-setting run and explored the reactions from the worldwide athletics group.
December
We replicate on the highlights of 2024 in athletics in our December challenge, with Sweden’s Mondo Duplantis taking centre stage as our closing cowl star of the 12 months.
In an unique interview, the two-time Olympic champion opens up about his record-breaking pole vault efficiency in Paris, providing perception into the mindset and coaching that allow him to dominate his occasion.
The problem additionally reveals the winners of the AW Readers’ Selection Awards, with in-depth profiles and interviews showcasing their achievements. To find the total checklist of award winners, you’ll want to purchase or obtain our newest challenge.
You could find all of our protection from 2024 through the Athletics Weekly archive.
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