This is a different kind of season with the World Championships being held in the middle of July. Usually the championship meet is at the end of the season. September, maybe late August in an early year. Leaving a lot of track season out there left to be run. So, what is there to look forward to?

Well, actually there’s quite a bit left. Believe it or not, there are three championship level meets left. Half of the Diamond League has yet to be run. The Puma American Track League has meets left. Plenty of competition coming up. Starting with:

The Commonswealth Games. A mini version of the Olympics involving members of the British Commonwealth. Countries that are either current or former territories of the British empire. It consists of 56 countries in total. It’s a pretty big deal that includes much of the Caribbean and Africa as well as Australia, New Zealand, Canada, England, Ireland, and Scotland.

Then there’s the World U20 Championships, which is exactly what the name says – the World Junior Championships. It’s really am awesome competition. It’s where I first saw Femke Bol compete. Keely Hodgkinson. And it was the first global medals won by both Noah Lyles and Michael Norman. Basically it’s where the best young people in the world go head to head while they’re getting ready to make the adult teams!

Following that, there’s the European Championships. The best of Europe in one meet. And let me tell you, this is serious business. Many nations kept athletes home from Worlds to be ready for this meet. It’s that big a deal. I expect to see Femke Bol, Karsten Warholm, Mondo Duplantis, Pichardo and other front line athletes competing here.

Everyone else of note, and others when they’re not competing at Championships, should be found in Europe. Either at Diamond League meets or European Circuit meetings. Both are where athletes can compete and make appearance fees. One of the ways track athletes make a living. So, that’s where the top athletes will be competing the rest of the season.

• The World U20 Championships start Monday August 1st in Cali Columbia.
• The Commonswealth Games begin August 2nd in Birmingham England.
• The Diamond League will resume on August 6th in Silesia Poland.
• And the European Championships begin August 15th in Munich Germany.

So, yes the book is closed on Worlds. But there is plenty track and field to come. Silesia should get everyone’s blood rising again. Currently scheduled competitors include:

Men’s 100 – Fred Kerley, Trayvon Bromell
Women’s 100 – Shelly Ann Fraser Pryce, Ewa Swoboda
Women’s 200 – Shericka Jackson, Shaunae Miller Uibo
Men’s 400 – Michael Norman, Kirani James
Men’s Shot Put – Ryan Crouser, Joe Kovacs

So, that’s what’s next. Enough world class track and field to keep us busy for about another month and a half.

Tags: Commonwealth Games, Diamond League, European Championships, World U20