World Athletics President Seb Coe On The Importance Of America To Grow Track and Field's Popularity

"We've got a world championships here. That is only the start of the story. It can not be the end of it. We had the World Juniors here in 2014 and World Indoors in 2016. We always made it really clear that we wanted the U.S. Track and Field federation to apply and successfully host a World Championships. We've done that. We've got a really interesting glidepath between now and 2028. It's going to mean creating more events like what we're trying to do with the Continental Tour. We've got more gold label races here than we've had before. There are opportunities. We've got a World Road Racing Championships in a completely new format and some American cities have shown interest in that. We need to keep our foot hard to the pedal, as they say, and continue to make those opportunities. It's important because I'm a great believer that it's competition that matters. People need to see more athletes of the stature that you have in this country in domestic meetings."

Chris Chavez and Kyle Merber had the chance to speak with World Athletics President Seb Coe while in Eugene, Ore. about plans beyond Oregon22 and promoting the sport before LA2028.

SUPPORT THE SPONSORS

GARMIN: Music. Training. Data. The Garmin Forerunner 245 Music is my favorite running partner. You do the running. This GPS running smartwatch does the thinking. It even gets to know you and your body better, mile after mile and song after song. Get one for yourself here >> https://bit.ly/3Pcu0qo

Article One Eyewear: Article One is an independent eyewear company based in Flint, Mich. with designers with deep roots in running. All their frames are handcrafted in a small village in Northern Italy. Designed with your entire day in mind, Article One takes you from a long run in the morning to drinks on the patio to wind down. Their timeless silhouettes, paired with technical components — like adjustable silicone nose pads, polarized lenses, and spring hinges — create running sunglasses that are standalone. CITIUS MAG listeners get 20% off using CITIUS at checkout at https://articleoneeyewear.com/

HYDROW: Hydrow is a state-of-the-art rowing experience. Hydrow works 86% of major muscle groups, compared with only 44% from cycling. That’s twice the benefit in half the time! It’s a perfect low-impact workout to add to your training cycle for both endurance and resistance training. Use code CITIUS100 for $100 off of the rower (stackable with any current offerings) >> https://hydrow.com/

@HaywardMagic is the Instagram home for the true track & field diehards, dreamers and fans. They are sharing the magic of the sport and elevating the athletes that push it forward. Follow them on Instagram @HaywardMagic.