A look at some front pages Athletics Weekly from the past 12 months
As we look ahead to 2024, it has certainly been a remarkable year in the world of athletics.From the excitement of the Paris Olympics to the exciting performances at the World Indoor and European Championships, the season has been full of unforgettable moments.
Major highlights have consistently featured on the front pages of AW, showing what an eventful year it has been for the sport.
In 2024, athletics was defined by the achievements of some of the sport’s biggest names, including Kelly Hodgkinson, Mondo Duplantis and Jakob Ingebrigtsen, whose performances made them a natural choice for our cover stars.
Throughout the year we’ve also focused on key events, such as our in-depth Olympic preview and review, as well as a special feature highlighting the 20 greatest British Olympians in athletics history.
It’s been a year of celebration and reflection captured by AW’s 2024 covers.
january
As 2024 rolls around, AW’s January issue sets the stage for what promises to be a landmark year for athletics, with Norway’s Jakob Ingebrigtsen fronting the cover.
The previous year had been a tough one for Ingebrigtsen when he was beaten by Josh Kerr in the world 1500m final, the second consecutive season he had lost to the Briton in the event.
In an exclusive interview, his brother and training partner Henrik offered AW a behind-the-scenes look at the inner workings of Ingebrigtsen’s team.
Jacob’s 2024, however, was a year of success, with highlights including his victory in the Olympic 5000m final and, most recently, victory at the Olympic Games. European khachkar championship.
February
For the February issue of AW magazine, 2022 world champion Jake Wightman takes center stage on the cover as he aims to regain his place at the top of the 1500m chart.
The British middle-distance runner has dealt with a series of injuries since his 2022 victory, which hampered his ability to defend his crown, and in an exclusive interview he shared the valuable lessons he learned during the difficult period.
Looking back on the year now, it didn’t turn out the way Wightman had hoped, having to withdraw from the 800m just days before the Olympics due to a hamstring injury.
In an October interview with AW, he said: “If I have another big injury or setback, I’m not sure I can come back because my body is telling me, ‘This is it.'” But I believe if I make these changes now, then I can get back to where I need to be.”
Jake Whiteman. “If I have another serious injury, I’m not sure I can come back.”
march
AW’s March issue had a distinct feel to the first two covers of the year as it featured a group of athletes with a special focus on Scottish competitors preparing to compete at the World Indoor Championships in Glasgow.
The latest Scottish athletes to claim world indoor gold medals were Tom McKee and Yvonne Murray-Mooney, who both appear on this month’s cover.
However, Josh Kerr soon added his name to that list after securing men’s 3000m gold in Glasgow.
april
After the excitement of Glasgow 2024, it was only fitting that April’s AW cover star was Molly Codery, who made a big breakthrough to claim the women’s world indoor pole vault title.
In an exclusive interview, Codery opened up about his coach, Scott Simpson, and the mindset that drove him to success.
It’s been an impressive start to the year for the Cornwall native, who entered the Paris Olympics with a new British record of 4.92m and high hopes of a podium finish.
Unfortunately, his Olympic journey came to an early end as he failed to clear 4.55m in the opening rounds, missing out on a place in the finals.But there is still plenty for the 24-year-old, especially with the World Championships next year.
may
Time was of the essence when it came to AW’s May issue, which explored the art of breaking down barriers.
To mark the 70th anniversary of Roger Bannister’s four-minute mile, we revisited that landmark achievement through his eyes, as well as delving into the numbers and why setting new goals is so important when it comes to athletics.
In addition to this, the month took us to Jamaica, a country known for producing world-class sprinters who are constantly setting new records and redefining the limits of speed.
We delve into the culture behind Jamaica’s athletics dominance, uncovering the roots of its championship system.
june
With the outdoor season well underway, the June issue of AW turned its attention to the 2024 European Championships in Rome, offering an in-depth preview of the event.
Italian coach Marco Airale, who coaches some of Britain’s top sprinters, has shared his insight into the growing power of athletics in Italy, highlighting the impact of the Olympic successes of Marcel Jacobs and Gianmarco Tamberi, both of whom went on to claim gold in Rome, further cementing Italy’s track and field pedigree.
This year also marked the 50th anniversary of the European Championships in Rome, prompting us to revisit the 1974 event by speaking to Britain’s Ian Thompson, who was once on top of the marathon world.
July
After the European Championships, the July issue focused on the growing excitement surrounding the Paris Olympics.
To capture that energy, we asked the athletics community: Who would you rank as the best when it comes to athletes who have represented Great Britain and Northern Ireland in athletics at the Olympics?
We put the question to a panel of athletes from across the world of athletics, from past and present to coaches, commentators, statisticians and journalists, who together helped us compile the top 20 list, revealed in the July issue, with profiles of each athlete.
The front cover, featuring a collage of athletes, displayed some of the names on the list.
august
As Paris 2024 approaches, the August issue has become your go-to guide to the Games, featuring a host of athletes we expect to shine on the world stage.
They included Keeley Hodgkinson, who won gold for Great Britain in the 800m, and Jaroslava Mahuchych, who won Olympic high jump gold a few weeks ago after setting a new world record of 2.10mA.
Faith Kipyegon and marathon legend Eliud Kipchoge also graced the cover, both facing significant challenges in their preparations for Paris, and in exclusive interviews with AW, they shared their ways of overcoming adversity on the way to the Games.
September
The September issue of AW looked back at the unforgettable moments of the Paris 2024 games, and naturally Keely Hodgkinson was the perfect choice for the front cover.
While her 800m victory was compelling, the 22-year-old’s journey to the top was far from straightforward.In this issue, we take an in-depth look at the path that led her to Olympic glory.
We spent time with some of his colleagues at Manchester’s M11 Track Club, as well as one of his coaches, Jenny Meadows, to get some insight into what it’s like to work with such a great talent, as well as discover the amount of work that goes into it the best in the world.
October
In October, we continued our spotlight on the thriving M11 Track Club, this time featuring one of their stars, Georgia Bell, who we named Britain’s Breakthrough Athlete of 2024.
In an exclusive interview, Bell reflected on the extraordinary year that saw him make history by winning Olympic bronze in the 1500m in Paris.
He shared his journey in 2024, which began with balancing a career in cyber security with his sporting ambitions, and ended up becoming a full-time professional.
november
AW’s November issue shines a spotlight on the fast-growing world of distance running, with Kenya’s Ruth Chepngetich gracing the cover following her extraordinary marathon world record in Chicago.
Czepngetic’s stunning 2:09:56 performance created headlines and divided opinion, but it also highlighted the remarkable evolution currently taking place in the sport.
In this issue, we break down the numbers behind his record-breaking run and explore the reactions of the global athletics community.
december
We’re taking a look at the athletics highlights of 2024 in our December issue, with Sweden’s Mondo Duplantis taking the lead as our final cover star of the year.
In an exclusive interview, the two-time Olympic champion talks about his record-breaking performances in Paris, offering insight into the mindset and training that enable him to dominate his tournament.
The issue also reveals the winners of the AW Readers’ Choice Awards, with in-depth profiles and interviews showcasing their achievements.To discover the full list of award winners, be sure to purchase or download our latest issue.
You can find all our coverage from 2024 onwards Athletics Weekly Archive.
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