The good, the bad, and the other
The good
There was so much good in the 2026 World Indoor Championships that it’s hard to know where to start.
We understand the need to take championships around the world. When you are in a country or a city where they love their track and field, the atmosphere is always good. Poland and Torun score well on that score.
From a GB perspective, the three golds George Hunter Bell, Keely Hodgkinson, and Molly Caudery in 30 minutes is hard to beat. Even better, as Georgia and Keely are training partners.
Close competitions with seven women pole-vaulters on 4.70, and three bronze medals were awarded.
In the women’s high jump, three silver medals at 1.99.
Cooper Lutkenhaus winning the men’s 800 at 17 – and having to celebrate in McDonald’s – too young for a pub!!
0.14 seconds was the margin by which Cole Hocker beat Josh Kerr in the 2-24 Olympic 1500m, and the margin by which Josh beat Cole in Torun 3000m.
The Bad
There were a number of oddities in the event, like Mark English losing a shoe, keeping on running, and missing qualification by one place. It reminded me of the children’s rhyme.
Diddle, diddle, dumpling, my son John,
Went to bed with
his trousers on,
One shoe off, and one shoe on,
Diddle, diddle, dumpling, my son John.
The other
Then there was Molly Palmer, the British long jumper, in her first-ever international competition, who jumped into the sand only to find that it had not been raked. She was in a hole and fell backward. To be fair to the officials, she was given the jump again.
It was lovely to see athletes stop for selfies and autographs as they left the track.
Sixty years on, I can still remember those who stopped to sign and those who did not.
