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Deji’s Doodles: The World Indoors and the tale of the athletes that really wanted them
The world indoor championships in Nanjing underpromised but overdelivered. Context matters, but if you had done a sample size of the stakeholders who were primarily core followers of athletics, a large chunk of them would have nodded in the dissident about the potential for the event to be a hit.
The event itself felt like an afterthought. Almost akin to promising a 10-year-old a trip to Disney World shortly before COVID-19 brought the world to a standstill and five years later you try to make it up to them. Their priority would have changed, and you will need to pull off something extraordinary if you want to spark that excitement in them five years from when you promised them. It turns out Nanjing just needed to put up a quality show and a decent crowd, and the weekend became a blast.
In this case, the top country at the last few World Indoors, the United States of America, sent over what you would call a B-team; most of the top athletes that dominated the European Indoors a few weeks ago in Apeldoorn opted not to travel to China and a furry of marquee athletes who had committed to the new wave of the Micheal Johnson initiative Grand Slam Track made the call that an indoor medal round your neck isn’t worth risking for a few more zeros in your bank account. After all, hundreds of athletes are already jostling it out for a small pool of funds around the sport.
In the grand scheme of things, the legacy of some of the very best in the sport isn’t always decided by whether they won an indoor medal or not. But still, some athletes have taken it upon themselves to show up and use it as a springboard for their outdoor season or event some that were looking for that elusive medal at the world stage. Like fiat money, we give meaning to what we want meaning to. And these athletes that showed up in Nanjing wrote their own stories.
Here are some of the storylines that made the world indoors worth the while of some athletes
Akani Simbine finally got his hands on a global medal
If there’s one athlete who will leave Nanjing with a smile, it’s Akani Simbine. The South African sprinter had long been the “nearly man” of sprinting, consistently reaching the global 100m finals since 2016. However, despite his steady presence on the biggest stages, he had yet to claim a global medal. That’s why his bronze in the 60m would have meant the world to him.
Simbine’s time of 6.54 seconds might not have caused a massive stir, but it was a hard-earned achievement. This was his first-ever indoor competition, and the 60m event was an entirely different challenge for him. He was up against fierce competition, with Australian rising star Lachlan Kennedy making an unexpected mark, and Jerimiah Azu remaining unbeaten in the 60m that season. With such strong contenders, it was always going to be difficult for Simbine to secure the gold.
However, a stroke of luck worked in his favor. Ronnie Baker, who had been in excellent form, was slightly ahead of Simbine in the race. Yet, as the race neared its end, Baker pulled up a few meters from the finish line. This allowed Simbine to surge ahead and clinch the bronze. In sprinting, fine margins often determine the outcome, and on this occasion, the stars aligned for Simbine.
For an athlete who had spent years so close to the podium, this bronze in Nanjing marked a significant breakthrough.
2. Jakob Ingebrigtsen finally won a world 1500m title
As strange as it sounds, Jakob Ingebrigtsen had not a world (outdoor or indoor title) over the 1500m before Nanjing. Despite winning Olympic gold in 2021, Ingebrigtsen had come up short in the last four World Championship finals. But in Nanjing, China, he finally claimed gold with a time of 3:38.79, becoming only the second man after Haile Gebrselassie to win both the 1500 and 3000-meter titles at World Indoors.
His victory marked more than just a personal win. After losing in the past four global 1500 finals, Ingebrigtsen could have easily felt disheartened. Instead, he powered through, taking the win in a controlled and steady performance. While it wasn’t his fastest race, nor the biggest championship win of his career, this gold in Nanjing was significant. It filled a hole that had been missing from his career, making the victory all the more meaningful.
Ingebrigtsen’s recent schedule has been nothing short of demanding. In the last 18 days alone, he raced seven times across two major events, including four finals. And he won every one of them. Competing in such a packed schedule — three races in three days at World Indoors, and four races in four days at the European Championships — would have taken its toll on most athletes. But not Ingebrigtsen. His ability to compete at a high level despite the physical challenges of fatigue, jet lag, and illness highlights just how exceptional he has become. Now, with this long-awaited World title, Ingebrigtsen continues to prove himself as one of the most successful distance runners in recent memory.
3. Gudaf Tsegay and her quest to make amends
After a disappointing stint at the Paris Olympics, where Gudaf Tsegay failed to medal in any of the three events she contested, the Ethiopian runner arrived at the 2025 World Indoor Championships in Nanjing with something to prove. Her performance in Paris had left a bitter taste, but in Nanjing, Tsegay reminded everyone why she’s one of the best.
In the 1500 meters, she was in a class of her own. From the gun, Tsegay surged ahead, and by the time she crossed the finish line, her time of 3:54.86 was a championship record—one of the most dominant performances of the championships. Her teammate, Diribe Welteji, took silver, while Britain’s Georgia Hunter Bell settled for bronze, but they were no match for Tsegay, who was simply too fast.
The win marked her second World Indoor 1500m title, and both of her wins have come with championship-record times. The 3:54.86 she posted in Nanjing is now the fourth-fastest indoor women’s 1500m time in history, only behind her own world record of 3:53.09. She holds the top four fastest indoor times ever, with two of those coming in 2025. After a win earlier in the year in Lievin, where she ran 3:53.92, she entered the championships as the clear favorite—and she lived up to the billing.
After the win, Tsegay shared her thoughts on the journey it took to get here. “It was not an easy race,” she said, adding with a smile, “This was a fast time, so I’m very happy about that.” For an athlete who has already claimed world titles in the 5000m and 10,000m, it was clear that this 1500m meant something more. She was back to her best, and it felt like the perfect way to regain the confidence she had lost in Paris.
Tsegay also made it clear that indoors is where she truly thrives. “For outdoors, I’ll do the 800m or 10,000m, but indoors I like the 1500m,” she said. And on that day in Nanjing, she was exactly where she belonged—head and shoulders above the rest.
4. Ackera Nugent cried tears of joy
Ackera Nugent’s journey to the 2025 World Indoor Championships in Nanjing was far from smooth. It did end in tears though, but good kind of tears. Just months before, at the 2024 Paris Olympics, she faced a devastating setback. In the final of the 100m hurdles, Nugent was on track to make a strong finish when disaster struck. She clipped a hurdle and didn’t finish the race.
Fast forward to Nanjing, and things were looking much different. Nugent entered the 60m hurdles with a new sense of purpose. But once again, she was on the edge of disaster. In the semifinals, she had another close call. As she cleared the final hurdle, she hit it with such force that it nearly cost her a spot in the final. Yet, with impressive poise, Nugent kept her balance and crossed the line in second, just 0.01 seconds ahead of elimination. The near-miss would become a turning point.
In the final, Nugent was a different athlete. The stakes were high, and the competition fierce. She held her own against defending champion Devynne Charlton and European champion Ditaji Kambundji. In one of the closest 60m hurdles races in history, Nugent clinched the bronze medal, putting Jamaica back on the podium for the first time in 28 years.
It was a remarkable moment for Nugent—her first major senior medal and a dream come true. From the near disaster in Paris to her historic bronze in Nanjing, Ackera Nugent had proved that setbacks don’t define her. They only fuel her determination to rise again.
