Sebastian Coe is advocating for the reintroduction of cross-country running at the 2030 Winter Olympics. As the head of World Athletics, Coe has long championed this move and credits the new International Olympic Committee president, Kirsty Coventry, for her open-minded approach to exploring new initiatives.
In a recent interview with The Associated Press, Coe expressed enthusiasm for the possibility of including cross-country running in the 2030 Winter Games, potentially in the French Alps or Salt Lake City. The event was last featured in the Summer Olympics in 1924 but was discontinued due to extreme conditions that led to athlete exhaustion.
Coe believes that adding cross-country running to the Winter Olympics could address past challenges and offer more inclusivity, particularly for African nations that have a strong tradition in the sport. He emphasized the potential to broaden the geographical representation of the Games and create new opportunities for diverse participation.
To reintroduce cross-country running to the Olympics, Coe highlighted the need for a straightforward amendment to the Olympic charter to allow winter sports to be eligible for inclusion. He is actively involved in the IOC’s Olympic program working group, which is tasked with evaluating the event’s scope and considering innovative ways to incorporate sports into the Games.
Looking ahead to the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles, Coe supports the scheduling of track events in the first week of the Games. Reflecting on his own Olympic experience in Los Angeles in 1984, where he set a Games record and won a gold medal, Coe praised the city’s contributions to modernizing the Games, particularly in areas such as broadcasting rights and venue sustainability.
In other developments, a new event named RUN X was recently announced, featuring a world treadmill championship with qualifying events leading to a live final next year. Coe highlighted the event’s focus on leveraging technology to engage the global running community and enhance participation across different levels.
Additionally, Coe expressed excitement for the upcoming Ultimate Championships in Budapest, Hungary, which will showcase elite track and field athletes in a condensed format designed for television viewership. The event, scheduled for September 11-13, aims to bring together Olympic, world, and Diamond League champions for an intense three-day competition.
World Athletics is committed to supporting the host city of the Ultimate Championships through ticket sales and sponsorships, emphasizing the importance of local engagement and community involvement in making the event a success.