Tokyo 2025 World Athletics Championships Women's Highlights: A Glimpse of Glory

The 2025 World Athletics Championships are underway in Tokyo, Japan. The world’s best athletes are already delivering breathtaking performances. The first days of competition have been packed with excitement, from stunning sprints to nail-biting distance races. Here’s a look at the highlights from the women’s events and a special focus on the impressive results from the USA women’s team.

Sha’Carri Richardson vs. Shericka Jackson: A Rivalry Reignited

The highly anticipated rivalry between American sprint sensation Sha’Carri Richardson and Jamaican star Shericka Jackson continued to captivate fans. In a thrilling 100m heat, Richardson showcased her incredible closing speed, coming from behind to edge out Jackson by a mere 0.01 seconds. While both sprinters comfortably advanced to the semi-finals, their head-to-head clash sets the stage for what promises to be an epic final.

Beatrice Chebet’s Dominance in the 10,000m

Kenya’s Beatrice Chebet cemented her status as a distance running powerhouse, adding a World Championship title to her Olympic 5,000m and 10,000m double from the Paris 2024 Games. With a ferocious kick in the final 200 meters, Chebet surged past her rivals to win the women’s 10,000m final, leaving Italy’s Nadia Battocletti and Ethiopia’s Gudaf Tsegay to take silver and bronze, respectively.

Chebet (Photo Courtesy of Jorge Luis Alvarez)

USA Women’s Team: Strong Start in Tokyo

The American women’s team is off to a flying start, with several athletes making their mark in both preliminary rounds and finals.

* Mixed 4x400m Relay Gold: The United States secured its first gold medal of the championships in the mixed 4x400m relay. The team, anchored by a strong performance from Lynna Irby-Jackson, delivered a dominant victory with a time of 3:08.80 It set a new meet record.

* Sprints and Hurdles: All four American sprinters in the women’s 100m heats—Melissa Jefferson-Wooden, Sha’Carri Richardson, Twanisha Terry, and Kayla White—successfully moved on to the semi-finals. World leader Melissa Jefferson-Wooden had the fastest time for the Americans, clocking in at 10.99 seconds. Nikki Hiltz also advanced in the women’s 1500m heats, taking a strong second place in her race.

* Field Events: American athletes showcased their talent in the field as well. Tara Davis-Woodhall led the women’s long jump qualification with a top mark of 6.88m. It is positioning her as a strong contender for a medal. Valarie Allman, a medal favorite in the discus throw, also secured her spot in the final with a successful qualification throw of 66.07m.

With many more finals to come, the USA women are demonstrating the depth and talent of their roster. Fans can look forward to more thrilling performances and potential podium sweeps as the championships continue.