The World Athletics Championships in Tokyo have burst into life, with the planet’s fastest and fittest athletes putting on a dazzling display across the opening sessions. Canadian fans have plenty to cheer for, as their country’s top track and field stars have hit the ground running—sometimes literally—while the global sprinting elite set the stage for a showdown that’s already full of drama, surprises, and a healthy dose of nerves.
Saturday evening saw the start of live coverage from Tokyo, and the Canadian contingent wasted no time making their presence felt. Natasha Wodak, a seasoned marathoner who finished 15th at the last world championships in Budapest with a time of 2:30:09, returned to represent Canada in the women’s marathon. While her previous performance set a high bar, all eyes were on whether she could improve her standing on the world stage. Meanwhile, Camryn Rogers, the reigning world and Olympic champion, took to the field for the women’s hammer throw qualifier, hoping to extend her dominance in the discipline.
Canadian middle-distance runners Charles Philibert-Thiboutot and Kieran Lumb lined up in the men’s 1,500m heats, determined to punch their tickets to the next round. The schedule in Tokyo is relentless, and Sunday’s session promises even more action, with Canadians set to feature in some of the meet’s most highly anticipated events.
But let’s be honest—the real buzz is around the men’s 100m dash, that classic test of speed and nerve. The semifinals, scheduled for Sunday at 7:45 a.m. ET, will see Canadian stars Andre De Grasse, Jerome Blake, and Eliezer Adjibi battling for a place in the final. De Grasse, already an Olympic medalist, brings experience and a knack for rising to the occasion, while Blake and Adjibi are eager to prove their mettle on the grandest of stages. The final, set for 9:20 a.m. ET, is shaping up to be one of the most hotly contested in recent memory—but as of now, the medals are still up for grabs, and the action is ongoing.
Across the Atlantic, the narrative has been dominated by American sprint sensation Noah Lyles. Lyles, the reigning world and Olympic champion, hasn’t had the smoothest journey to Tokyo. A series of injuries have hampered his 2025 season, and he’s yet to win a 100m final this year. His season-best of 9.90 seconds is quick, but not quite the world-beating form he’s shown in the past. In fact, a remarkable 11 men have run faster than Lyles this year—a stat that would make any champion pause.
Still, Lyles showed his class and composure by cruising through his heat on Saturday evening, clocking a comfortable 9.95 seconds to secure his place in Sunday’s semifinals. Reflecting on his challenging season, Lyles said last month, “Everybody else has had probably eight, 10 races already. I’m coming in [on] a rushed schedule. I know something great is going to happen. My body is showing that it’s adjusting to the speed.” It’s clear he believes in his ability to peak when it matters most, but the competition is fiercer than ever.
The biggest threats to Lyles’ crown? None other than Jamaica’s Kishane Thompson and Oblique Seville. Thompson, who took silver behind Lyles at the Paris Olympics, has set the pace this year with a world-leading 9.75 seconds. He matched Lyles’ heat time of 9.95 seconds in Tokyo, looking every bit the contender. Seville, meanwhile, has already beaten Lyles twice in 2025 and finished third-fastest in the heats, advancing comfortably. Usain Bolt, the sprinting legend himself, weighed in on the Jamaican duo, saying, “Kishane and Oblique have really shown this season that they’re really doing extremely well. They should be one-two, at least, because they have proven throughout the season that they are at the top, and they’re running fast times. So it’s just all about execution.”
South Africa’s Gift Leotlela can’t be overlooked either. He blazed through his heat with a session-best 9.87 seconds, making him a genuine gold medal threat. The men’s 100m semifinals and final are set up to be an absolute barnburner, with established champions and emerging talents all vying for glory.
On the women’s side, Saint Lucia’s Julien Alfred remains the favorite for 100m gold after winning her heat in 10.93 seconds. Australia’s Torrie Lewis, just 20 years old, broke her own national record with a run of 11.08 seconds, finishing third in her heat behind sprint heavyweights Sha’Carri Richardson and Shericka Jackson. The women’s 100m semifinals, scheduled for Sunday at 7:20 a.m. ET, will also feature Canada’s Audrey Leduc, who booked her spot with a strong performance in the opening round.
Middle-distance events are also heating up. Jess Hull of Australia, the runner-up from Paris last summer, breezed into the women’s 1,500m semifinals after winning her heat in 4:04.41. She’ll have to contend with Kenya’s Faith Kipyegon, widely regarded as the greatest 1,500m runner in history, who also advanced with ease. Notably, Ethiopia’s Diribe Welteji was banned from competing at the last minute due to a legal dispute over an alleged missed drug test, shaking up the field. Canada’s Gabriela DeBues-Stafford will be in the mix in the women’s 1,500m semifinals on Sunday at 8:05 a.m. ET, hoping to capitalize on the opportunity.
Field events brought their own excitement. Mondo Duplantis, the men’s pole vault superstar, and Australia’s Kurtis Marschall both qualified for the final by clearing 5.75m. The pair will be joined by three other jumpers in Monday evening’s final, where the bar—literally and figuratively—will be set sky-high.
Endurance athletes had their moment in the spotlight as well. Canada’s Evan Dunfee claimed victory in the men’s 35km race walk, while Spain’s Maria Perez took top honors in the women’s event. Australia’s Rhydian Cowley finished 11th in the men’s race, with Rebecca Henderson and Olivia Sandery securing ninth and 14th in the women’s competition, respectively. These grueling events are a testament to the sheer determination and grit required at the world-class level.
Looking ahead, Sunday’s schedule is packed. Moh Ahmed is set to race in the men’s 10,000m final at 8:30 a.m. ET, a distance where he’s consistently among the world’s best. The men’s and women’s 400m heats will see Canada’s Christopher Morales Williams in action at 5:35 a.m. ET, with hopes high for another strong showing.
As the championships roll on, the tension is palpable. Will Noah Lyles find that extra gear to defend his title? Can the Jamaican sprinters seize the moment, or will a new name emerge from the pack? And how far can Canada’s athletes go in this fiercely competitive environment? With records on the line and reputations at stake, the next 24 hours in Tokyo promise edge-of-the-seat action for fans across the globe.
For now, the world watches as athletes chase history under the bright lights of Tokyo. The medals are still to be decided, but the stories are already unforgettable.
