World Athletics to introduce World Marathon Championships from 2030

In this file photo, Tanzania's Alphonce Felix Simbu, left, wins the gold in the men's marathon ahead of Germany's Amanal Petros at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo. (AP)

PARIS, April 8 (Xinhua): World Athletics plans to separate the marathon from the current World Athletics Championships format and introduce a standalone World Marathon Championships from 2030.

The global governing body announced on Tuesday that the marathon will remain part of the World Athletics Championships in the 2027 and 2029 editions, but will move to its own standalone championships from 2030.

From 2031 onward, there will be no road running events at the World Athletics Championships. The World Marathon Championships will be held every year, with men's and women's races staged in alternate years. The World Athletics Road Running Championships, covering the one-mile, 5-kilometer, and half-marathon distances, will continue as a separate annual event.

According to World Athletics, Athens has emerged as the preferred host for the inaugural edition of the World Marathon Championships in 2030.

Meanwhile,  Uganda's Victor Kiplangat is among the high-profile athletes set to compete in the 2026 Paris Marathon scheduled for April 12.

Dominic Otuchet, president of Uganda Athletics, confirmed on Tuesday that Kiplangat will take part in the World Athletics event in Paris.

He said Kiplangat, the 2023 world marathon champion and 2022 Commonwealth Games gold medalist, remains a strong contender at the top level. "He is an experienced runner who keeps improving, and we expect a lot from him," Otuchet added.

Otuchet also noted that, in addition to Kiplangat's participation in Paris, Uganda's Jacob Kiplimo and Joshua Cheptegei will compete in the London Marathon on April 26.