Citius Mag Podcast

It’s not unreasonable to say that no one could’ve predicted this podium. That’s not to say that Isaac Nader, Jake Wightman, and Reynold Cheruiyot aren’t all medal-worthy contenders in their own rights, just that the series of circumstances that had to stack on top of one another to make this particular outcome happen was highly improbable.Without Jakob Ingebrigtsen to assume the role of pacemaker, the field hit 400 meters in a relatively pedestrian 59.45, and each successive second that the tempo lagged injected a little extra variability into the last lap. No one saw Kerr’s untimely calf injury coming: the Scotsman is remarkably consistent in global finals, with his lowest finish of the decade being sixth in 2022. And heading into the last lap, one measly second separated the top 12 contenders.Nader and Wightman are both known for their footspeed, and the race was set up perfectly for them to take advantage. In particular, Wightman has looked like a rejuvenated runner throughout these championships after mis

Join Chris Chavez, Eric Jenkins, Anderson Emerole and Mitch Dyer as they recap all the highlights from Day 6 at the 2025 World Championships in Tokyo. Some of today's highlights include:McLaughlin-Levrone Claims the 400m Throne- Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone delivered another historic performance on the Tokyo track, winning the women’s 400m in a Championship Record of 47.78 — the second-fastest time in history.Botswana’s Breakthrough: Kebinatshipi Wins Men’s 400m-In one of the championship’s most powerful performances, Collen Kebinatshipi stormed to gold in 43.53, a national record and the 10th-fastest time ever.Men’s 200m Semifinals- Noah Lyles unleashed a world-leading 19.51, the fastest semifinal ever, sending a message ahead of the final.- Bryan Levell won the second semi in 19.78, finishing ahead of Letsile Tebogo (19.95).Women’s 200m Semifinals- Shericka Jackson ran a smooth 21.99.- Melissa Jefferson-Wooden clocked 22.20 as she continues her quest for a sprint double.- All four US women advanced to the

Clayton Young is carving out a reputation for consistency on the sport’s biggest stages and was the top American marathoner at the World Championships in Tokyo.Young fought through chaos — an early false start, a massive pack that stayed bunched past halfway, even a fall at 14 kilometers where he was clipped from behind and hit the pavement. He bounced right back, gave a thumbs up to the cameras, and rejoined the leaders. For nearly 40 kilometers he was right there, stride for stride with the world’s best, before the brutal late pace broke the field apart.In the end, Tanzania’s Alphonce Simbu took gold in 2:09:48 in a photo finish, but Young battled through to take ninth in 2:10:43 — the same place he earned in Paris last summer.He crossed the line, emptied the tank and showed once again why he’s among America’s most reliable marathoners in championship racing.He spoke with Chris Chavez LIVE from the ASICS House in Tokyo.____________Host: Chris Chavez | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@chris_j_chavez on Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Guest: Clayton Yo

Join Chris Chavez, Eric Jenkins, Anderson Emerole and Mitch Dyer as they recap all the highlights from Day 5 at the 2025 World Championships in Tokyo. Some of today's highlights include:Shock 1500m Gold: Nader Times It Right: Isaac Nader delivered a major upset in the men’s 1500m, emerging from a crowded finish to take the title in 3:34.10 — just 0.02 seconds ahead of Jake Wightman.Steeplechase Queen: Cherotich Strikes Gold: Faith Cherotich, a two-time global bronze medallist, finally stood atop the podium in the 3000m steeplechase with a blistering championship record of 8:51.59.In the Rounds: Sprints, Hurdles, and MoreMen’s 200m Heats: Bryan Levell ran a stunning 19.84 — fastest 200m heat ever at a global meet. Other qualifiers: Noah Lyles, Letsile Tebogo, Kenny Bednarek, Tapiwanashe Makarawu, Makanakaishe Charamba.Women’s 200m Heats: Anavia Battle led in 22.07, Melissa Jefferson-Wooden ran 22.24. Shericka Jackson, the defending champ, cruised through.400m Hurdles Semifinals: Femke Bol, Dalilah Muhammad

A year ago in Paris, Grace Stark made her Olympic debut and finished fifth in the 100-meter hurdles. It was a taste of the big stage and a “delayed but not denied” moment, as she put it. In Tokyo, she delivered on that promise.Stark stormed to a bronze at the 2025 World Championships with a time of 12.34 seconds. In one of the deepest fields in championship history — featuring Olympic champion Masai Russell, world record holder Tobi Amusan and reigning champ Danielle Williams — Stark emerged as the only American to reach the podium and just edged out Russell to claim Team USA’s lone medal of the night.For Stark, the medal is proof of resilience. After a devastating injury at Florida nearly ended her career, she fought her way back to be among the world’s best. Now, she’s a global medalist and her story may just be beginning.She joined Chris Chavez and Anderson Emerole at the CITIUS MAG HQ to talk about it all.____________Hosts: Chris Chavez | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@chris_j_chavez on Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠ + Anderson Emerole | @atkoeme

Join Chris Chavez, Eric Jenkins, Anderson Emerole, Mitch Dyer, and Paul Hof-Mahoney as they recap all the highlights from Day 4 at the 2025 World Championships in Tokyo. Some of today's highlights include:1500m: Kipyegon Claims Fourth World Title- Faith Kipyegon continued her dominance, clocking 3:52.15 to secure her fourth straight world title at 1500m.- Teammate Dorcus Ewoi ran a massive personal best of 3:54.92 to take silver.- Jessica Hull of Australia added to her breakthrough season with a 3:55.16 performance to earn bronze.Hammer Throw: Katzberg’s Monster Throw Breaks Record- Canada’s Ethan Katzberg defended his title with a massive 84.70m throw—the longest in the world in 20 years—breaking both the championship record and his own North American record.- Merlin Hummel of Germany surprised with a personal best of 82.77m in round one to briefly lead.- Bence Halasz of Hungary followed with 82.69m, just edging out Ukraine’s Mykhaylo Kokhan (82.02m).- For the first time ever, four men surpassed 82 meter

For 80 meters, Kishane Thompson looked like the man to beat. Exploding out of the blocks in the men’s 100-meter final at the 2025 World Championships in Tokyo, the Jamaican sprint sensation surged into the lead, his long, fluid strides daring the field to catch him.But just as in Paris a year ago, the closing meters would tell the story. This time it wasn’t Noah Lyles, but his countryman Oblique Seville who reeled him in. Thompson crossed the line in 9.82 seconds, securing the silver medal behind Seville’s blistering 9.77 – the fastest global final since 2019.For Thompson, it was validation: back-to-back podium finishes at the sport’s biggest stages, and proof that Jamaica has not just one, but two world-class sprinters carrying the legacy of Bolt and Blake into a new era.His silver, paired with Seville’s gold, delivered Jamaica’s first men’s 100m 1–2 at a global championship since the London Olympics.He spoke to Anderson Emerole about the 100m final at the World Championships.____________Host: Anderson Emero

Sometimes the most coolest moments in sport arrive by accident. When Julia Paternain crossed the finish line of the Tokyo World Championships marathon, she wasn’t thinking about history and she wasn’t even sure the race was over. Yet in that instant of disbelief, she had just given Uruguay its first-ever World Championships medal.In just her second marathon, the 25-year-old stunned the world with a fearless run, climbing from 15th place at halfway to finish third in 2:27:23 behind legends Tokyo Olympic champion Peres Jepchirchir of Kenya and former world record holder Tigist Assefa of Ethiopia. For a runner once who was among the last ones qualified for the championships, the bronze was unthinkable — and unforgettable.Born in Mexico, raised in England, tested in the NCAA system in the U.S., and now calling Flagstaff home, Paternain carries a layered identity but an unwavering pride of all those places. And with her medal, a nation of three million found itself on the global podium for the very first time.____

The World Athletics Championships marathon in Tokyo was always going to be a test of patience, heat management, and guts and two American women rose to the occasion.For over an hour, Susanna Sullivan was the story of the race. A sixth-grade math teacher from Virginia, she surged to the front by 5K, running alone through the streets of Tokyo with nothing but the sticky, humid air and a clock for company. By halfway, she had built a 63-second lead on the pack of global stars behind her. And when they finally came for her, Sullivan didn’t panic. She held her rhythm, managed the late miles and battled all the way to the line for fourth place in 2:28:17 — just seconds away from becoming the third American woman ever to medal in a World Championship marathon.Alongside her, Jess McClain was running her own masterclass in composure. McClain tucked in behind Sullivan early, endured the surging heat, and stayed locked in when the race splintered. Running smart and steady, McClain delivered the best global performance o

Join Chris Chavez, Eric Jenkins, Anderson Emerole, Mitch Dyer and Paul Hof-Mahoney as they recap all the highlights from Day 3 at the 2025 World Championships in Tokyo. Some of today's highlights include:Mondo Duplantis Breaks World Record (6.30m)- Sweden’s Mondo Duplantis cleared 6.30m to set his 14th world record- Secured his third straight world title- Vault came on his third and final attempt, capping an electric evening- Historic depth: First time seven men cleared 5.90m+ in a single competition- 2nd: Emmanouil Karalis (GRE) – 6.00m- 3rd: Kurtis Marschall (AUS) – 5.95m (=NR)Beamish Ends El Bakkali’s Steeplechase Streak- Geordie Beamish (NZL) wins in a tactical race, kicking late to defeat Soufiane El Bakkali (MAR)- El Bakkali’s long championship win streak comes to an end- 1st: Beamish – 8:33.88- 2nd: El Bakkali – 8:33.95- 3rd: Edmund Serem (KEN) – 8:34.56Cole Hocker Disqualified from 1500m Final- Hocker originally finished 2nd in his semifinal- Disqualified for jostling in the final 100 meters- Appe

Valarie Allman has known the joy of Olympic gold. Twice. She’s stood atop the podium in Tokyo and Paris. She’s held world leads and set marks that haven’t been seen since the 1980s. But until now, one medal had eluded her.In Tokyo once again, which was the site of her first Olympic triumph, Allman finally became a world champion. With a 69.48-meter toss, she claimed her first global title, winning by the largest margin in 18 years. It was a performance that broke open the event, stamped her dominance with a 29-meet win streak, and made her the first American woman ever to pair Olympic and World outdoor gold in a throwing event.After world bronze in 2022 and silver in 2023, this was about closure — about finishing the climb and silencing any doubts. In this conversation LIVE from the ASICS House in Tokyo, she calls it a dream come true.The moment itself was pure Valarie: lying down in the ring after the competition, arms and legs carving a victory angel into the infield grass. A mixture of joy, relief, and the

Join Chris Chavez, Eric Jenkins, Anderson Emerole, Mitch Dyer and Paul Hof-Mahoney as they recap all the highlights from Day 2 at the 2025 World Championships in Tokyo as five first-time individual gold medalists were crowned.Key Highlights from Day 2:Melissa Jefferson-Wooden – Women’s 100m Champion- Time: 10.61 (Championship Record)- Context: Broke the previous championship record and tied the fastest time ever at a global championship (Elaine Thompson-Herah’s 2021 Olympic record).- Margin of Victory: 0.15 seconds — second-largest in meet history.- Podium: Jefferson-Wooden (USA) – 10.61 CR, Tina Clayton (JAM) – 10.76 PB, Julien Alfred (LCA) – 10.84Oblique Seville – Men’s 100m Champion- Time: 9.77 (Personal Best)- Narrative: Delivered on years of potential with a statement win.- Drama: Letsile Tebogo (BOT) was disqualified for a false start; Noah Lyles prevented a Jamaican sweep with bronze.- Podium: Seville (JAM) – 9.77 PB, Kishane Thompson (JAM) – 9.82, Noah Lyles (USA) – 9.89Peres Jepchirchir – Women’s Mar

Join Chris Chavez, Eric Jenkins, Anderson Emerole, Mitch Dyer and Paul Hof-Mahoney as they recap all the highlights from Day 1 at the 2025 World Championships in Tokyo.Among the top stories:

With the 2025 World Athletics Championships starting today, we're unpacking the biggest storylines, some of our top picks, and athletes to watch for in each track event. You can find the first part of our preview that dives into each track event from the first six days of the championship here.Be sure to subscribe to the CITIUS MAG Newsletter to get our daily recaps sent to your inbox and follow along our socials for lots more content throughout the World Championships!Time stamps:15:48 - Men’s 400m 20:35 - Women’s 400m 27:46 - Men’s 400m hurdles32:03 - Women’s 400m hurdles37:11 - Men’s 200m43:02 - Women’s 20045:40 - Women’s 5000m55:27 - Men’s 800m1:09:23 - Women’s 800m1:17:00 - Men’s 5000m1:27:51 - Relays____________Mentioned in this episode:Listen: 2025 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS PREVIEW PODCAST: PART ISubscribe: ⁠CITIUS MAG Newsletter⁠Save: ⁠Our full schedule in Eastern time⁠Listen: ⁠TOKYO WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS THROWS PREVIEW + PICKS (With Beau Throws)⁠Watch: ⁠Sprint events preview via The Final Leg⁠ __________

With the 2025 World Athletics Championships starting on September 13th, we're unpacking the biggest storylines, some of our top picks, and athletes to watch for in each track event. We’ll be dropping the second part of our preview podcast with the rest of the events later this week. Be sure to subscribe to the CITIUS MAG Newsletter to get each of our written previews sent to your inbox and follow along our socials for lots more content to get you excited about Tokyo!Time stamps:21:46 - Women’s 10,000m33:37 - Women’s marathon48:58 - Men’s 10,000m1:03:55 - Women’s 100m1:07:17 - Men’s 100m1:14:14 - Men’s marathon1:18:09 - Men’s 3000m steeplechase1:22:08 - Women’s 100m hurdles1:25:50 - Women’s 1500m1:34:04 - Men’s 110m hurdles1:38:10 - Women’s 3000m steeplechase1:44:00 - Men’s 1500m ____________Mentioned in this episode:Subscribe: CITIUS MAG NewsletterSave: Our full schedule in Eastern timeListen: TOKYO WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS THROWS PREVIEW + PICKS (With Beau Throws)Watch: Sprint events preview via The Final Leg

“It goes without saying that we want to go for at least a medal and maybe even the gold medal [at the World Championships]. We don't really speak about that; it's just about being at my best level in the final. I would call that our goal. Whatever result is connected to that depends on so many factors and that's why we don't really speak about, ‘We want to be first there,’ but more about the whole process.”Every so often, a young runner bursts onto the scene not just with talent, but with a presence that makes you believe you're watching the next big star take shape in real time. Niels Laros is that runner right now. At just 20 years old, the Dutch phenom has gone from a precocious prospect to Diamond League champion and now even being the name on everyone's lips as the favorite for the World Championships in the 1500m in Tokyo.He's rattling off consistent victories this summer, he put together a historic 800m and 5000m double at the European U23 Championships, he had an epic Bower

Chris Chavez and Mac Fleet break down the biggest winners and losers from the Diamond League final in Zurich. Some of the top highlights from the meet include…- Brittany Brown makes the most of her second shot at the World team by winning the 200m final in a season’s best 22.13.- Niels Laros solidifies his spot as the top dog in the 1500m with an undeniable victory over world leader Azeddine Habz, world junior record holder Phanuel Koech, and 2019 World champion Timothy Cheriyot, running 3:29.20 to also claim the Dutch national record by 0.03 seconds.- Audrey Werro thrills the home crowd in Switzerland with a huge win and national record in the 800m, as she and Georgia Hunter Bell both dip under 1:56 for the first time in their careers, with Werro holding onto the edge with 1:55.91 to 1:55.96.- Olympic champ Emmanuel Wanyonyi had to go to the well to stay ahead of Max Burgin on the homestretch of the 800m, but in the end he had just enough in the tank to take the win in 1:42.37 to Burgin’s 1:42.42.- World cha

“It’s holding onto the fact that truly anything can happen. That's why I'm a fan of the sport. I love watching upsets happen. I love watching dragons get slayed and things like that. It's exciting! I think no matter what, I'm just going in to try to run a 1500 that I'm proud of and let the outcome be the outcome. That's not the focus; the focus is just doing the thing I love.”Three straight U.S. outdoor titles, a Diamond League victory, and a season that has firmly established Nikki Hiltz as America’s standard-bearer in the 1500m.Earlier this month at Hayward Field, they did exactly what we’ve come to expect: poised in the pack, patient when the laps slowed, and then — with 100 meters to go — devastating to the competition. A 58-second last lap sealed a third consecutive national title and another ticket to the global stage.If we go beyond the results on the track, this year brought about quite a bit of change. Nikki underwent contract talks to start the year and stuck with Lululemon.

This week, Chris Chavez and Preet Majithia give an event-by-event preview of the Diamond League Final in Zurich set for August 27-28. They also recap the top performances, highlights, and biggest track news from the weekend. We'll be back to unpack all the action in Zurich on Thursday after the meet wraps up.____________Hosts: Chris Chavez | ⁠⁠@chris_j_chavez on Instagram⁠ + ⁠Preet Majithia | @preetmajithia on Instagram⁠Produced by: Jasmine Fehr | ⁠@jasminefehr on Instagram⁠Mentioned in this episode…Read: Record-Breaking 16-Year-Old Cooper Lutkenhaus Goes Pro, Signs With Nike Ahead of World ChampionshipsSubscribe: ⁠CITIUS MAG Newsletter ⁠Listen: ⁠The Paulie Throws Podcast⁠____________SUPPORT OUR SPONSORSOLIPOP: Straight out of Bikini Bottom, Olipop’s limited edition SpongeBob cans have arrived. Pineapple Paradise features a burst of juicy pineapples and a splash of mandarin. It's on shelves now at Walmart, Target, Whole Foods, Circle K, Amazon, and select stores nationwide.⁠⁠⁠ ⁠You can check out all o

Cooper Lutkenhaus, the 16-year-old high school star who shattered his own U.S. 800m high school record and broke the 800m U18 world record with a 1:42.27 runner-up finish at last month’s U.S. Outdoor Track and Field Championships, has opted to forego all of his remaining high school and collegiate eligibility to turn professional and sign a contract with Nike. The decision comes before he is set to race the 800m at the World Championships in Tokyo next month and makes history as the youngest American ever to represent the U.S. at a World Championship.“I’m just super excited and blessed for the opportunity,” Lutkenhaus tells CITIUS MAG. “To be able to run professionally at such a young age is not very common, so to be represented by the best brand is very exciting.”Lutkenhaus will remain enrolled at Northwest High School in Texas, where he’s beginning his junior year. He is represented by Ray Flynn and Flynn Sports, who have also represented top high school stars over the past 30 years, including Alan Webb and