Tokyo’s National Stadium is buzzing once more. Four years ago, this arena saw Pedro Pichardo claim Olympic gold in the triple jump. The national anthem played to empty stands then, a quiet moment in a pandemic-hit Games. Now, the stadium expects a full house as it hosts the Athletics World Championships, running until the 21st.
Portugal sends its largest team ever, 32 athletes strong. (This includes 31 competitors plus one substitute for the 4×400 meters relay). Hopes for medals mostly rest on two key athletes. Pedro Pichardo is one. Just four years ago, he earned Olympic gold in the triple jump at this very stadium. This time, he arrives in Tokyo as an Olympic silver medalist, facing a challenging year. A tough divorce dispute with Benfica and injuries kept him out of national and European championships.
Isaac Nader offers another strong medal prospect. He is in peak form, having recently set a new national record in the 1500 meters. His time of 3 minutes, 29.37 seconds beat Rui Silva’s previous mark. Other Portuguese athletes could also reach the finals. Look out for Agate Sousa in long jump, Auriol Dongmo and Jéssica Inchude in shot put, Liliana Cá in discus, and Fatoumata Diallo in the 400 meters hurdles.
Moving to the global stage, several international stars are ready to shine. Venezuela’s Yulimar Rojas, the undisputed queen of triple jump, makes her return. She sat out 2024 because of a serious Achilles tendon injury in her left leg.
In the sprint events, Noah Lyles from the USA made headlines at the Budapest World Championships two years ago. He won three gold medals, dominating the 100m, 200m, and 4x100m relays. However, his hold on speed might be slipping. He only secured 100m gold at the Paris Games.
Jamaica’s Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce is competing in her final World Championships. But arguably the biggest star here is Mondo Duplantis. The Swedish pole vaulter has already broken the world record an astonishing 13 times. His event often has a clear winner, and he will attempt to clear 6.30 meters this time.
A Legend’s Milestone
Tokyo’s thermometers hit 33 degrees Celsius today. Event organizers decided to move the start of the 35-kilometer race walk forward by an hour. Portuguese athletes João Vieira and Joana Pontes competed in this race. They began last night at 11:30 PM (7:30 AM local time). The event was still underway as this report was filed.
This championship marks a historic moment for João Vieira. The Sporting Club walker is now an absolute record holder. He is taking part in his 14th World Championship. This feat surpasses Spain’s Jesús Ángel García, who competed in 13 editions between 1993 and 2019.
Vieira, 49, first competed at the Seville World Championships in 1999. He later won a silver medal in Doha in 2019. He shared his thoughts with Lusa, stating, “Being the athlete with the most World Championships is a great source of pride for me. It shows all the effort I’ve put into my sports career.”
