A have a look at among 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 thrill of the Paris Olympics to the thrilling performances on the World Indoor and European Championships, the season has been full of unforgettable moments.
The key highlights have been constantly featured on the entrance pages of AW, illustrating what an eventful 12 months it was for the game.
Athletics in 2024 was outlined by the achievements of among the sport’s largest names, together with Keely Hodgkinson, Mondo Duplantis, and Jakob Ingebrigtsen, whose performances made them the pure decisions for our cowl stars.
All year long, we’ve additionally centered on key occasions, resembling our in-depth Olympic preview and overview, alongside a particular characteristic highlighting the highest 20 British Olympians in athletics historical past.
It’s been a 12 months filled with celebration and reflection – captured all through the 2024 covers of AW.
January
As 2024 started, the January situation 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 was difficult for Ingebrigtsen, after he was crushed by Josh Kerr on this planet 1500m ultimate, the second consecutive season he’d misplaced to a Brit in that occasion.
In an unique interview, his brother and coaching associate, Henrik, supplied AW a behind-the-scenes have a look at the inside workings of Crew Ingebrigtsen.
Jakob’s 2024, nevertheless, turned out to be a 12 months of success, with highlights together with his victory within the Olympic 5000m ultimate and most not too long ago, a win on the European Cross Nation Championships.
February
For the February situation 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 prime desk of 1500m working.
The British middle-distance runner confronted a sequence of harm setbacks after his 2022 victory that hindered his capability to defend his crown. In an unique interview, he shared the precious classes he’s realized all through the difficult interval.
With the ability to now look again on the 12 months, it didn’t unfold like Wightman had hoped for. He was pressured to withdraw from the Olympic Video games resulting from a hamstring harm simply days earlier than his 800m race.
In an interview with AW in October he mentioned: “If I’ve one other large harm or setback, I’m undecided I can come again once more as it could be my physique telling me that ‘that is it’. However I consider that if I make these modifications now then I can get again to the place I have to be.”
Jake Wightman: “If I’ve one other large harm, I’m undecided I can come again”
March
The March situation 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 deal with the Scottish rivals getting ready to compete on dwelling 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.
Nevertheless, Josh Kerr quickly added his identify to that checklist after securing the lads’s 3000m gold in Glasgow.
April
After the thrill 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 formidable begin to the 12 months for the Cornwall native, who entered the Paris Olympic Video games with a brand new British document 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 ultimate. However there’s nonetheless far more to come back for the 24-year-old, particularly with the World Championships subsequent 12 months.
Could
Time was of the essence when it got here right down to the Could situation 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 issues 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 constantly setting new information and redefining the boundaries of velocity.
We delved into the tradition behind Jamaica’s observe and subject dominance, uncovering the roots of its champion-making system.
June
With the out of doors season effectively underway, the June situation 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 power of athletics in Italy, highlighting the affect of Olympic successes Marcell Jacobs and Gianmarco Tamberi. Each athletes went on to say gold in Rome, additional cementing Italy’s observe and subject pedigree.
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 prime of the marathon world.
July
After the European Championships, the July situation shifted focus to the rising pleasure surrounding the Paris Olympics.
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 situation, full with profiles of every athlete.
The entrance cowl, that includes a collage of athletes, supplied a glimpse into among the names that made the checklist.
August
As Paris 2024 grew nearer, the August situation grew to become 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 soar gold after setting a brand new world document 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 highway to the Video games.
September
The September situation of AW regarded 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 situation, we took an in-depth have a look at the trail that led her to Olympic glory.
We hung out with a number of of her coaching companions from the Manchester-based M11 Observe Membership, in addition to one in all her coaches, Jenny Meadows, to get some perception about what it’s prefer to work with such an ideal expertise but in addition to find the quantity of labor that goes into turning into one of the best on this planet.
October
In October we continued our deal with the thriving M11 Observe Membership, this time that includes one other one in all 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 historical past by profitable 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 reaching full-time skilled standing. By the shut of the 12 months, she had develop into an Olympic and European medallist, in addition to the British 1500m record-holder.
November
The November situation of AW turned it’s consideration to the quickly evolving world of distance working, and it was Kenya’s Ruth Chepngetich who graced the entrance cowl, following her extraordinary marathon world document in Chicago.
Chepngetich’s beautiful 2:09:56 efficiency created headlines and break up opinion, but it surely additionally underlined the outstanding evolution that’s at the moment happening within the sport.
On this situation, 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 situation, with Sweden’s Mondo Duplantis taking centre stage as our ultimate cowl star of the 12 months.
In an unique interview, the double 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, make sure you purchase or obtain our newest situation.
Yow will discover all of our protection from 2024 by way of the Athletics Weekly archive.
From the primary ever situation in December 1945 by means of to the current day, present subscribers to our journal are capable of dip into this useful resource totally free whereas non-subscribers will pay simply £3.99 per thirty days for full entry.
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