Mondo Duplantis, Molly Caudery will be among the track & field athletes who will look to defend their titles at the World Athletics Indoor Championships Nanjing 2025, starting Friday.
The Swedish pole vaulter topped the podium last year in Glasgow, Scotland with an effort of 6.05m. He has broken the World Record 11 times with the latest mark of 6.27m, earning him a victory in France on February 28.
Amongst the women, Molly Caudery took home the gold with a height of 4.80m, last season. Yelena Isinbayeva of Russia had set the World Record of 5.06m in 2009.
The other defending champions for field events are New Zealand’s Hamish Kerr in the men’s high jump, Dominica’s Thea Lafond in the women’s triple jump, Canada’s Sarah Mitton in the women’s shot put, Australia’s Nicola Olyslagers in the women’s high jump, Greece’s Miltiadis Tentoglou in the men’s long jump, and Burkina Faso’s Hugues Fabrice Zango in the men’s triple jump.
Grant Holloway, meanwhile, will look to retain the top honours in men’s 60m hurdles while Devynne Charlton of the Bahamas will do the same in the women’s event.
In the women’s 800m, Tsige Duguma of Ethiopia will look to defend her title.
China’s Olympic women’s shot put gold medalist Gong Lijiao and double triple jump medalists Zhu Yaming will compete in front of their own fans.