World Athletics

A new study reports that higher air pollution levels are associated with slower finishing times across the six World Marathon Majors, including Boston, London, Berlin, Chicago, New York and Tokyo. The findings suggest poor air quality measurably affects elite and amateur runners' performance on race day, adding an environmental dimension to debates over race scheduling and urban air standards.

The Asian Games have opened in Japan, with attention turning to ten standout athletes expected to headline the competition. Coverage highlights the competitors seen as most likely to dominate their events and shape the medal race. As one of the world's largest multi-sport events, the Games draw wide interest from fans and national teams across Asia ahead of the opening contests.

A full rundown of the 2026 World Marathon Majors is circulating, listing every race winner and their finishing times across the series. Athletics fans are checking the results to see who triumphed in each major city marathon and how the winning times compare across the season.

An approaching storm on the US East Coast has led sports leagues and organizers to postpone or cancel scheduled events across the region. Teams and venues have adjusted calendars as conditions are expected to disrupt travel and outdoor competition. The Athletic reports the changes are spread across multiple sports throughout the affected area.

The Seattle Mariners are set to dismiss manager Dan Wilson following a season that fell short of expectations, according to a report by The Athletic. Wilson, a former Mariners catcher who took over as manager in 2024, is expected to be let go as the club moves to reset its leadership after missing its goals. The report, attributed to a source, is drawing attention across the baseball world as fans and analysts await official confirmation from the team.

The triathlon course for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics will include a rare beach start, a departure from the more common water or pontoon starts used at most Olympic triathlons. Swimming World reports the venue design puts athletes sprinting from the sand into the surf, a format rarely seen at the Games and expected to add a distinctive spectacle to the event.

The Cliff Diving World Series has concluded, with the top titles awarded to this season's winners. The series, which sees athletes leap from platforms as high as 27 meters into open water, wrapped up its circuit with final standings decided at the season's last stop. Details on the individual champions and their winning performances were highlighted in coverage of the event.

Virat Kohli has revealed how deeply India's 2019 World Cup exit affected him, saying the semifinal loss to New Zealand was 'tough to swallow' and that he was 'totally gone mentally' and distraught in its aftermath. His candid admission about the mental toll of that defeat is drawing wide reaction from fans and cricket followers.

The Laver Cup, the team competition pitting Europe against the rest of the world, is back, and explainer coverage is detailing its unusual format: three days of matches where each win is worth one point on days one and two, and three points on the final day, with the first team to reach 13 points taking the title. The Athletic explains the event's standing in the sport, who has been selected to play, and what is at stake. Interest centres on the star-studded rosters and whether the event, co-founded by Roger Federer's team, still carries real weight in tennis.

The Athletic's NFL experts are debating which team has been the biggest disappointment through Week 3, with the Dallas Cowboys' latest collapse a central topic. Their takeaways round up the league's early surprises, underperforming rosters and what recent results signal for the rest of the season, drawing reaction from fans across the football world.