Highlights from three days of global track and field action at the Emirates Arena in Glasgow

Josh Kerrs 3000m masterclass

Nine years after running a modest 9:11.76 aged 17 for 3000m at a British Milers Club event at the Emirates Arena, Josh Kerr returned to the venue and stormed to world indoor gold in 7:42.98. Back in January 2015 he finished DFL by some distance on a night where Laura Muir stole the AW headlines for breaking nine minutes for the first time.

Kerr was actually no slouch as a teenage runner and he is the only runner in the UK under-13 boys 1500m all-time top 30 rankings to actually get to the Olympics, let alone win a medal. But he has now moved on to a new level as world 1500m champion and, this winter, two miles world record-breaker and world indoor 3000m winner.

Molly Caudery makes her mark

Molly Cauderys Instagram following was already pretty big before the World Indoor Championships but pole vault victory has led to thousands more fans flooding to her account. If her brilliant form continues into this summer and the Paris Olymipcs, there will be even more attention too. It is something Caudery and her clan are slowly getting used to.

Long after the Emirates Arena had emptied on Scotlands super Saturday following her triumph, her parents and boyfriend, the high jump international Joel Clarke-Khan, were waiting patiently for her to emerge from media interviews in the bowels of the stadium. They knew she would be up early for an appearance on BBC Breakfast among other things as well. Chatting to AW, we joked: Will she get the back page lead in the West Briton, Cornish Guardian and Western Morning News this week, though?

Caudery soon heads to New Zealand, partly to escape the spotlight in the UK as she begins to crank up preparations for the summer under the guidance of coach Scott Simpson, not to mention the long-time advice from dad Stuart, who himself is an excellent vaulter and all-round athlete.

Success in Glasgow was a long time coming for Caudery. She made her mark with a podium place at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham and fifth place at the World Championships last year in Budapest but her 4.80m victory at the World Indoors was a new level.

After two surgeries last year, I felt like I was losing belief in myself, and that motivation at times, she said. I honestly cant believe Im a world champion in an Olympic year. My dreams are coming true and Im loving absolutely every single moment of this journey.

Best from the West take on east Africas finest

Glasgow 2024 was notable for endurance runners from the Western world enjoying rare success over their east African rivals. This was epitomised by Elle St Pierre, who set the ball rolling by out-kicking Gudaf Tsegay of Ethiopia in the womens 3000m in a championship record of 8:20.87.

Josh Kerr (and Yared Nuguse of the United States) followed by beating reigning mens 3000m champion Selemon Barega, while Geordie Beamish of New Zealand headed two Americans in the mens 1500m and Bryce Hoppell of the United States led two Europeans home in the mens 800m. Ethiopia did, however, win the womens 800m and 1500m

In comparison, at the last World Indoors in Belgrade in 2022 the entire medals table was topped by Ethiopia after they won the mens and womens 1500m and 3000m titles in addition to five minor medals across the endurance races. Even Jakob Ingebrigtsen couldnt live with the Ethiopians on that occasion, as he was beaten in the 1500m by Samuel Tefera, but now the tide has turned, although you can expect Ethiopia and Kenya to enjoy its usual stranglehold at the World Cross Country Champs this month of course.

Rich history of the sport celebrated

Not all of the best moments were in the Emirates Arena. On Saturday afternoon at the St Enoch shopping centre there was a special presentation at the temporary Museum of World Athletics exhibition.

Brilliantly organised by Chris Turner, a former AW contributor who now works for World Athletics, it saw Scottish athletics legends like Yvonne Murray-Mooney, Tom McKean and Allan Wells donating memorabilia, plus Eric Liddell, the original Flying Scotsman, was posthumously awarded a prestigious Heritage plaque an timely gesture given that this is the 100^th anniversary of the 1924 Paris Chariots of Fire Games.

The presentation was packed with fans of the history of the sport with guests such as Steve Cram, Fiona May, Denise Lewis, John Regis and of course Seb Coe also involved with Coe giving the plaque to Sue Liddell Caton.

Tentoglous fury at new long jump rule ideas

Miltos Tentoglou beat Mattia Furlani and Carey McLeod in a close and exciting long jump but the Greek athletes comments after the event were even more eye-catching as he slated proposals to introduce a boardless long jump.

Its so bad, its funny, he said. I think nobody likes it apart from maybe some of the guys who do a lot of fouls.

There were a few voices of disgruntlement the following day at a Coaches Club presentation in Glasgow city centre, too, with Swedish jumps coach Yannick Tregaro clearly opposed to the plans.

However, Jakob Larsen, Florian Weber and Jon Ridgeon from World Athletics offered more insight into the proposals at the same Coaches Club event with Ridgeon emphasising that it was very much an idea in its early stages of testing and with no guarantee at all that it will become part of the official rules in, at the earliest, 2026.

Beamish beaming after blistering 1500m finish

Geordie Beamishs finishing sprint is so good that since 2019 he has only been overtaken in the last 200m of a race once and that was when he miscounted the laps at the Millrose Games last month and began his final charge too early.

He showed this speed in the world indoor 1500m final by coming from fifth to first in the final straight and then suggested his native New Zealand should stage the event.

With it being reinvented as a global short track championships, he figures, there could be scope for an outdoor 200m circuit in New Zealand.

Record-breaking Bol conquers flat 400m

If Femke Bols winter form is anything to go by then we should expect further improvements in her specialist 400m hurdles this summer.

In Glasgow the Dutch athlete improved her world record to 49.17 and then anchored her team to gold in the 4x400m.

Its a dream come true. I knew I was in good shape, but you can never predict a world record, she said. It was such a strong race, I knew I had to go out fast. My coach said to me you can run faster but to be honest I just wanted to win. This is great because Ive not done hurdles for four weeks and it gives me confidence.

Sprint hurdles excellence from Charlton

Deyvenne Charlton claimed the second world record of these championships when she stormed to 60m hurdles victory in 7.65.

More records, more golds I think Im in the best shape of my life and only getting better, she said.

To be world champion in Glasgow its the perfect season for me.

LaFond flies the flag for Dominica

If fans of British athletics thought the host nation had a small team in Glasgow then spare a thought for some of the one-athlete teams who had a solitary competitor flying the flag.

Commonwealth of Dominica, for example, is an island country in the Caribbean and was represented by Thea LaFond, who struck gold in the womens triple jump with 15.01m.

This feels absolutely surreal. Im the only athlete here from my country and I have the gold medal, she said. Were just a little island with a population of 70,000 people, so this one is for my people, all of my people.

Even traditional athletics superpowers like Germany had a tiny team at the championships.

With just one track athlete 60m sprinter Aleksandar Askovic in their six-man squad, for instance, it meant the Germans only had a presence on the track for 12 seconds as he reached the semi-final of his event.

Reekie reaps the rewards of persistence

Jemma Reekie might not have won the gold that her home fans craved but she walked away from the Emirates Arena with the biggest smile in the city after taking a well-earned silver medal in the 800m.

Ultimately she didnt have enough firepower in the last lap to deal with Tsigie Duguma, but her form and fitness has improved massively after a lean spell caused by glandular fever.

I really wanted to walk away with that gold medal in front of a home crowd but it is my first senior medal, I have got to take it, she said.

Check out our Glasgow 2024 coverage here