Wild. A California startup has been pitching the idea of "brainless clones" that serve as our backup bodies. It's like: "a baby version of yourself with only enough of a brain structure to be alive in case you ever need a new kidney or liver." technologyreview.com/2026/03…

QUALIFYING STANDARDS FOR BEIJING 2027 ARE OUT! 🇨🇳 World Athletics has published the qualification framework for the 2027 World Championships in Beijing, continuing the hybrid model that combines entry standards with world rankings. Rankings now carry more weight than ever before. The system is designed so roughly 40% of athletes qualify via entry standards and now 60% via world rankings, which is a deliberate shift toward rewarding consistent performance across a full season rather than a single peak result. Four ways to qualify: – Achieve the entry standard during the qualification window – Finish in a designated position at select competitions – Receive a wild card – Qualify via world rankings position at the end of the ranking period Qualification windows: – Marathon: November 3, 2025 – May 2, 2027 – 10,000m, race walks, combined events, relays: February 23, 2026 – August 22, 2027 – All other disciplines: August 23, 2026 – August 22, 2027 Wild cards go to: – Defending 2025 world champions – Winners at the 2026 World Athletics Ultimate Championship – Winners of the 2026 World Race Walking Tour and World Combined Events Tour – Leading hammer performers on the 2026 Continental Tour – Winners of the 2027 Wanda Diamond League Marathon pathway: The top five finishers at Platinum Label marathons during the qualification window automatically qualify, as do winners of Gold Label marathons held in 2027 up to May 2. The world rankings formula now places more weight on results scores and less on placing scores, which is seen as a deliberate move to level the playing field for athletes with limited access to high-ranking competitions.

They named the street after my favorite 2x NCAA 1500m champ,,: the sport is growing

Rojo seemed to miss the difference between Olympics and World Championships. Rethinking world championships selection isn’t the same as changing the Olympic Trials. As one example, the Darts World Championships is very popular, and it doesn’t have a national qualifying element.

💰 The Diamond League is putting more money in more athletes' pockets in 2026 by expanding its premium prize structure while maintaining its record-high total prize pool. 💎 🥇The top individual prize at series meetings has increased to $20,000 — up from $10,000 at the standard level. 🏆 Top individual prize at the Diamond League Final rises to $60,000 🟰 Total prize pool stays at $9.24 million, which was set in 2025 The number of Diamond disciplines (the select events with elevated prize money at certain meets) doubles from four to eight at every meet. As part of that, each meet has to select two sprint/hurdles events, two distance events and two field events (all gender-equal) plus two additional events of the host's choosing for the Diamond disciplines. 📊 Here is the updated prize money structure... Diamond Disciplines Series Meeting 1st — $10,000 2nd — $6,000 3rd — $4,000 4th — $3,000 5th — $2,500 6th — $2,000 7th — $1,500 8th — $1,000 9th — $500 Final 1st — $30,000 2nd — $12,000 3rd — $7,000 4th — $4,000 5th — $2,500 6th — $2,000 7th — $1,500 8th — $1,000 9th — $500 Diamond Disciplines Series Meeting 1st — $20,000 2nd — $6,000 3rd — $4,000 4th — $3,000 5th — $2,500 6th — $2,000 7th — $1,500 8th — $1,000 9th — $500 Final 1st — $60,000 2nd — $20,000 3rd — $9,000 4th — $4,000 5th — $2,500 6th — $2,000 7th — $1,500 8th — $1,000 9th — $500

Australian champion 🏆 Claudia Hollingsworth has been reinstated as the winner of the 1500m at the Australian Athletics Championships after an appeals process by Australian Athletics. The panel found after viewing all the available footage and interviewing concerned parties Hollingsworth’s appeal was upheld. A request for a rerun of the 1500m is not feasible at these championships, but the Australian Athletics High Performance Department and Selection Committee will review its status as a selection race. #AthleticsNation

99 mile down week

Never seen this before. At the Arkansas Qualifier, an Oregon athlete loses his balance while cheering on teammate, enters the track & bumps Oregon anchor leg (and forces UW anchor wide). Washington wins in 9:17.03. Oregon runs 9:18.55 but DQ'd. Discuss: letsrun.com/forum/flat_read.…

🗣️ “Obviously not a direct correlation but he ran that 3:51 on a chewed up cinder track with 1960s spikes and of course no bicarb. 4% difference on the shoes and bicarb and factor in Mondo providing just under a second of time per lap and I begin to realize even more what a freak athlete my dad was back in the day.” Jim Ryun’s son estimates what his father’s 3:51.1 from 1967 is worth given 2026’s trackflation. 🧮 59 years later, the performance puts Ryun at No. 27 on the U.S. all-time outdoor mile list.