The world of indoor athletics is set to ignite as the World Athletics Indoor Championships commence in Torun, Poland. This highly anticipated event, running from Friday, March 20th to Sunday, March 22nd, promises a spectacular showcase of speed, power, and precision. Several marquee matchups are poised to capture the attention of fans worldwide, with some of the sport’s biggest stars vying for glory. Here’s a look at five of the most compelling events to watch:
Women’s 800 Metres
All eyes will undoubtedly be on Great Britain’s Keely Hodgkinson, who has been in phenomenal form. Last month, she shattered the indoor 800 metres world record, signalling her readiness to dominate on the global stage. Despite a history of untimely injuries that have kept her from participating in the last three indoor championships, the 24-year-old appears to be in peak physical condition. Her impressive resume already includes a silver medal from the Tokyo Olympics, a gold from the Paris Olympics, and two World Outdoor Championship silver medals, along with a bronze.
While Hodgkinson’s training partner, Georgia Hunter Bell, will be focusing on the 1500 metres in Poland, the primary challengers for Hodgkinson’s crown are expected to be Switzerland’s Audrey Werro and Ethiopia’s Olympic silver medallist, Tsige Duguma. The competition in this event is shaping up to be a fierce battle for supremacy.
Men’s Pole Vault
Sweden’s Armand Duplantis is on the cusp of achieving a remarkable feat: a fourth World Indoor title, which would place him in the same elite company as the legendary Sergey Bubka. Duplantis is fresh off his 15th world record, soaring to an incredible 6.31 metres just last week. The 26-year-old phenom has a history of setting records in Torun, having established his first-ever world record there in 2020. He has gone on to win the past three World Indoor titles, with each of his winning vaults being among the highest in world indoor history: 6.20m in 2022, 6.05m in 2024, and 6.15m in 2025.
However, Duplantis may face his sternest test yet from Greece’s Emmanouil Karalis. Karalis, who secured a silver medal behind Duplantis at both the World Indoor and Outdoor championships in 2025, recently cleared an impressive 6.17 metres at the Greek Indoor Championships. This phenomenal jump elevates him to second on the all-time world list, setting the stage for a potentially thrilling duel.
Women’s High Jump
The women’s high jump promises a captivating contest as world record-holder and Olympic champion Yaroslava Mahuchikh aims to reclaim the world indoor title she last won in Belgrade in 2022. Standing in her path is the formidable defending champion, Nicola Olyslagers of Australia. Olyslagers is on a quest for her third consecutive gold medal in this event, a record previously held by Stefka Kostadinova, the long-time former world record holder. The field is exceptionally strong, featuring eight women who have successfully cleared the two-metre mark at some point in their careers, ensuring a high-stakes competition.
Men’s 60 Metres
The men’s 60 metres sprint is shaping up to be a compelling showdown, potentially a “sandwich” of American and Jamaican talent. Defending champion Jeremiah Azu of Great Britain will face stiff competition from a powerful trio of Jamaican sprinters, spearheaded by Kishane Thompson. Thompson, the world and Olympic 100m silver medallist, is determined to end Jamaica’s gold medal drought in this prestigious event.
The United States has a rich history of success in the 60m, with athletes like Maurice Greene, Justin Gatlin, Christian Coleman, and Trayvon Bromell all having claimed world indoor titles. Bromell, a previous winner in 2016 and a member of last year’s gold medal-winning 4x100m relay team at the Tokyo Olympics, will compete alongside American newcomer Jordan Anthony. Anthony currently leads the world with a blistering time of 6.43 seconds, a mark that ranks joint ninth on the all-time world indoor list. Azu will undoubtedly need to be at his absolute best to keep pace with both Anthony and Thompson.
Men’s 3000 Metres
The men’s 3000 metres is anticipated to be one of the most electrifying races of the three-day championships. This event brings together the exact podium finishers from the 1500 metres at the Paris Olympics: American gold medallist Cole Hocker, Great Britain’s Josh Kerr, and fellow American Yared Nuguse. Their previous rivalry on the track suggests an intense and tactical race.
An outside contender with a real chance of success is world steeplechase champion Geordie Beamish of New Zealand. Beamish demonstrated his explosive finishing power two years ago when he unleashed a remarkable surge to win the world indoor 1500m title. The 15-strong field will compete in a straight final, with no heats, indicating a high level of quality throughout. The presence of the talented French duo Azeddine Habz and Yann Schrub further adds to the depth of competition, ensuring a thrilling spectacle for athletics enthusiasts.
