by Larry Eder
RunBlogRun presents
Conversations with Larry
Tokyo 2025
World Athletics Championships
Day 3 Review,
September 15, 2025
Thumbnail graphic created thanks to Mattia Ozbot
The Tokyo 2025 World Athletics Championships was held in the iconic Tokyo Olympic stadium, from September 13-21, 2025. Great crowd on the marathon course, great crowd in the Stadium (56-57,000), and some spectacular performances on night three. I enjoyed the company of my dear brother, Brian Eder, co-founder of RunBlogRun. We had always dreamed of going to Japan together and we did it. Our parents, Stan & Marilu Eder, would have been so happy as they watch us from track heaven.
The finals on Day 3 were stupdenous, and full of surprises! Here we go:
- The men’s marathon was closer than many 100 meter finals! Alphone Felix Simbu, Tanzania, outleaned Amanal Petros, Germany, both timed in 2:09:48@ Iliass Aquani, Italy, took the bronze in 2:09:53! Clayton Young, US was 9th in 2:10:43. Reed Fisher of US was 28th in 2:15:17 SB and C.J. Albertson of the US, finished 40th in 2:19:25! The conditions were hot and humid, plus the course was challenging! The Japanese fans loved the marathon.
- Mondo Duplantis, it is his world! Mondo set a WR of 6.30 meters (20 feet, 8.03 inches), with Emmanouil Karalis, of Greece in 6.00 meters, in silver and in bronze, Kurtis Marschall of Australia, equals his PB of 5.95 meters! In fourth place was Sam Kendricks of the U.S. just missing a medal with a clearance of 5.95 meters, his seasonal best.
- Oh Canada! Cam Rogers of Canada took gold in the women’s hammer with a WL of 80.51 meters with Chinese athletes taking silver and bronze! Jie Zhao of China took the silver in 77.60 meters, a PB, and Jiala Zhang of China, 77.10 meters. DeAnna Price, US, a former World Champion, who placed fifth in 75.10 meters, WR holder Anita Włodarczyk was sixth, with a throw of 74.64 meters. 2022 medalist Janee” Kassanavoid, US, was tenth in 70.10 meters.
- The men’s steeplechase was full of surprises. Pace was pedestrian, going through 1k in 3 minutes, only slightly faster in the second kilometer. Soufianne El Bakkali and Lamecha Girma should have known better. Geordie Beamish, New Zealand, also the World Indoor 1,500m champion from 2024 Glasgow, went from 13th to first, in the final 150 meters, running El Bakaali down at the finish! El Bakaali wept, knowing he had just missed his gold with a slow race ! Beamish won in 8:33.88 to 8:33.95, the slowest winning time in the Men’s steeplechase since the start of the World Champs in 1983! (The old slowest time was 8:25.13, by El Bakkali in Eugene 2022!). Geordie Beamish gave New Zealand its second gold of the games, his footwear sponsor, On running, had their first gold of the Champs! WR holder Lamecha Girma was sixth and Edwin Serem of Kenya gave Kenya one of only two men’s medals in Tokyo!
Geordie Beamish, NZ, going from 11th to first, takes gold in steeple, surprising Soufianne El Bakkali, MAR, photo by Dan Vernon/World Athletics - The women’s 100 meter hurdles is always hard to pick! Masai Russell had an off day in Tokyo and took fourth! Ditaji Kambundji of Switerzland, European Indoor champ and World Indoor silver medalist, took gold in Tokyo, running 12.24 NR! WR holder Tobi Amusan, Nigeria, took the silver and Grace Stark of US took the bronze!
This is our review of all nine days of the 2025 World Athletics Outdoor Championships, held September 13-21, 2025. This coverage was sponsored by NIKE Running! Please check out the Vomero 18, Vomero PLUS, Vomero Premium and Air Structure 26 at your favorite local NIKE running store or go to www.nikerunning.com!
Special thanks to Mike Deering, who edits, curates and produces the podcasts for Fortius Media Group LLC (RunBlogRun.com and RunningNetwork.com).
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