Welcome to the first edition of Inside Track — your curated wrap of the biggest stories in athletics from across Australia and around the globe.
Each week, we’ll scan the headlines, cut through the noise, and bring you the must-read articles that matter — from record-breaking performances to governance shakeups, broadcast moves, and the latest controversies shaping the sport.
This week, Aussie stars shine on the Diamond League stage, Gout Gout locks in a Glasgow showdown, and World Athletics confronts doping, dollars, and delivery.
Let’s dive in 👇
Aussie Records Tumble in London — But Teen Star Caught in Chaos
Source: Fox Sports
Jess Hull and Rose Davies both broke Australian records at the London Diamond League, with Hull clocking 4:13.68 in the mile (2nd place) and Davies running 14:31.45 for 3rd in the 5000m. Georgia Griffith also posted a PB of 14:32.82 within the same week she set an 800m PB, and Eleanor Patterson secured 2nd in the high jump with 1.93m.
However, rising talent Cameron Myers suffered misfortune in the men’s 1500m, going down in a collision with George Mills and finishing 13th. Thankfully, he later confirmed he was uninjured.
“Moved up nicely but got tangled up and hit the deck,” Myers wrote on Instagram. “Happy to come out of it unscathed.”
Read the full article at Fox Sports
🌍 Gout Gout Commits to Glasgow 2026 — Victoria’s Loss, Scotland’s Gain
Source: Code Sports
Australia’s teenage sprint prodigy Gout Gout has confirmed he will compete at the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, capitalising on a favourable schedule that allows him to double with the World U20 Championships in Eugene just two weeks later.
Originally slated for regional Victoria before being cancelled at a $589 million cost, the Games were salvaged by Glasgow — a bitter pill for Aussie fans who’ll now miss the chance to watch Gout in the green and gold on home soil.
Gout will race the 100m in Glasgow, and possibly 200m, before targeting 200m gold at the World Juniors. The Queensland schoolboy is set for his senior championship debut in Tokyo this September against the likes of Noah Lyles.
Read the full article at Code Sports
🎙️ SBS Locks In Expert Team for Tokyo 2025 World Championships
Source: SBS
SBS has unveiled its broadcast lineup for the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo (13–21 September), featuring the legendary Bruce McAvaney, Olympic medallist Tamsyn Manou, and veteran commentator David Basheer.
Every session will be shown live and free on SBS VICELAND and On Demand, with full replays, highlights, and a dedicated digital hub. The team will cover all 14 sessions of arena and road events, spotlighting what’s being billed as a golden era for Australian athletics.
Basheer will call field and multi-events, including potential highlights from Nicola Olyslagers, Matt Denny, and Kurtis Marschall. Manou praised the depth and form of the current squad, while McAvaney declared:
“I’ve never been more excited by the prospects of the Australian athletics team — not even before the Sydney Olympics.”
Read the full article at SBS
🚨 Ruth Chepngetich Provisionally Suspended After Positive Drug Test – What does it mean for the sport?
Source: LetsRun.com
Women’s marathon world record holder Ruth Chepngetich has been provisionally suspended after testing positive for hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ), a banned diuretic often used to mask other substances. Her sample contained 3800 ng/mL — 190 times the minimum threshold for a positive.
The suspension comes nine months after her shock 2:09:56 performance at the Chicago Marathon, which was widely questioned given the time drop and her controversial associations, including agent Federico Rosa, who has represented multiple athletes later banned for doping.
If the ban is upheld, Chepngetich could be eligible to return by April 2027. Despite the charge, she may be allowed to keep her world record and prize money under current anti-doping rules, which only strip results after the test date — a scenario drawing sharp criticism across the sport.
“It’s a bad look for the sport if a top athlete is allowed to keep a world record despite testing positive only months later.” — Jonathan Gault, LetsRun
Read the full article on LetsRun
💬 Seb Coe: “There’s No Point Pretending This Is Satisfactory”
Source: Athletics Weekly
World Athletics President Sebastian Coe has spoken out about the ongoing Grand Slam Track payment controversy, calling the situation “not satisfactory” as athletes await overdue prize money from the series’ first three meets.
Launched by Michael Johnson earlier this year, Grand Slam Track was billed as a major commercial step forward for the sport. But with the final LA event cancelled and reports of unpaid appearance and prize fees piling up, the project has been plagued by financial issues.
Despite having supported the initiative through a Memorandum of Understanding and high world ranking points, Coe made clear that new athletics ventures must be more than “vanity projects.” He confirmed World Athletics is monitoring the situation but has not spoken to Johnson recently.
“Execution and delivery — those are the key lessons,” Coe said, hinting at implications for World Athletics’ own new series, the World Ultimate Championship, launching next year with a $10m prize pool.
Read the full article at Athletics Weekly
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