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 exceptional yr on the earth 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 yr has been filled with unforgettable moments.
The key highlights have been persistently featured on the entrance pages of AW, as they’ve illustrated what an eventful yr it was for the game.
Athletics in 2024 has been outlined by the achievements of a few of the sport’s greatest 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 targeted on key occasions, reminiscent of our in-depth Olympic preview and evaluation, alongside a particular function highlighting the highest 20 British Olympians in athletics historical past.
It’s been a yr stuffed 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 difficulty of AW set the stage for what promised to be a landmark yr for athletics and main the quilt was Norway’s Jakob Ingebrigtsen.
The earlier yr had been difficult for him, after struggling a second consecutive loss within the World 1500m remaining to Josh Kerr and he confronted varied off-track points.
In an unique interview, his brother and coaching companion, Henrik, provided AW a behind-the-scenes take a look at the internal workings of Group Ingebrigtsen.
Jakob’s 2024, nonetheless, turned out to be a yr of success, with highlights together with his victory within the Olympic 5000m remaining and most just lately, a win on the European Cross Nation Championships.
February
For the February difficulty 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 collection of damage setbacks after his 2022 victory that hindered his means to defend his crown. In an unique interview, he shared the dear classes he’s discovered all through the difficult interval.
Having the ability to now look again on the yr, it didn’t unfold like Wightman had hoped for. He was compelled to withdraw from the Olympic Video games because of a hamstring damage simply days earlier than his 800m race.
In an interview with AW in October he stated: “If I’ve one other large damage or setback, I’m unsure 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 adjustments now then I can get again to the place I must be.”
Jake Wightman: “If I’ve one other large damage, I’m unsure I can come again”
March
The March difficulty of AW had a definite really feel in comparison with the primary two covers of the yr, because it showcased a gaggle of athletes, with a selected give attention to the Scottish opponents making 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, this was quickly modified as Josh Kerr made histroy by profitable the boys’s 3000m gold in Glasgow, changing 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 significant 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 yr for the Cornwall native, who entered the Paris Olympic Video games with a brand new British file 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 remaining. However there’s nonetheless way more to come back for the 24-year-old, particularly with the World Championships subsequent yr.
Might
Time was of the essence when it got here right down to the Might difficulty of AW, which examined the artwork of breaking boundaries.
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 with regards to athletics.
Along with this, the month took us to Jamaica, a rustic famend for producing world-class sprinters who’re repeatedly setting new data and redefining the boundaries of pace.
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 properly underway, the June difficulty 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 yr additionally marked the fiftieth anniversary of the European Championships being held in Rome, prompting us to revisit the 1974 occasion, chatting with Ian Thompson – the Briton who was as soon as on prime of the marathon world.
July
With the European Championships been and gone, the July difficulty 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 with regards 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 the world over of athletics – from athletes previous and current to coaches, commentators, statisticians and journalists. Collectively, they helped us compile an inventory of the highest 20, which was revealed within the July difficulty, 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 difficulty turned your important information to the Video games, with the quilt that includes a number 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 file of two.10m a number of weeks earlier than.
Religion Kipyegon and marathon legend Eliud Kipchoge additionally graced the quilt, each having confronted important 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 difficulty 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 difficulty, we took an in-depth take 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 Monitor 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 important expertise but additionally to find the quantity of labor that goes into changing into the most effective on the earth.
October
In October we continued our give attention to the thriving M11 Monitor 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 yr that noticed her make histroy 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 along with her reaching full-time skilled standing. By the shut of the yr, she had turn out to be an Olympic and European medallist, in addition to the British 1500m record-holder.
November
The November difficulty 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 file in Chicago.
Chepngetich’s gorgeous 2:09:56 efficiency created headlines and cut up opinion, however it additionally underlined the exceptional evolution that’s at the moment happening within the sport.
On this difficulty, 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 difficulty, with Sweden’s Mondo Duplantis taking centre stage as our remaining cowl star of the yr.
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 difficulty additionally reveals the winners of the AW Readers’ Alternative Awards, with in-depth profiles and interviews showcasing their achievements. To find the complete checklist of award winners, make sure you purchase or obtain our newest difficulty.
You will discover all of our protection from 2024 through the Athletics Weekly archive.
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