Olympic gold medal winners Elaine Thompson-Herah of Jamaica and Karsten Warholm of Norway have been named the World Athletes of the Year at the World Athletics Awards 2021, a ceremony held virtually on Wednesday. So let us have a look at the other given Awards.

Female Rising Star

Athing Mu

The US teenager was undefeated at 800m all year; winning Olympic gold at the distance following a long but successful collegiate season. She broke the senior US 800m record with her victory in Tokyo and then improved it to 1:55.04 just a few weeks later. Athing Mu also graced at 400m, clocking a North American U20 record of 49.57 for the distance. She won the Female Rising Star in the World Athletics of the Year Awards.

"It means the world to know that my support goes beyond friends and families and extends worldwide," said Mu. "This award shows all young girls that your dreams can, indeed, come true."

Male Rising Star

Erriyon Knighton

Throughout 2021 the 17-year-old took down several marks that had belonged to sprint legend Usain Bolt. Knighton first set world U18 bests of 20.11 and 20.04 over 200m; but his rapid rise continued and he broke Bolt's world U20 record for the distance with 19.88 and 19.84. He went on to finish fourth in the Olympic final with 19.93. He won the Male Rising Star in the World Athletics of the Year Awards.

"I'm really thankful for this award," said Knighton. "One of my most memorable moments of this year was making it to the Olympic final in Tokyo and finishing fourth at the age of 17."

Member Federations Award

Federación Costarricense de Atletismo (Costa Rica)

In recognition for their outstanding training, competition, and development program roll-out over the past 12 months, for their consultative work on the World Athletics Kids' Athletics program, and for successfully staging a host of international events over the past year.

Inspiration Award

Mutaz Barshim and Gianmarco Tamberi

The shared high jump victory between Qatar's Mutaz Barshim and Italy's Gianmarco Tamberi became one of the biggest talking points of the Olympic Games – not only for everything it represented in their own individual careers having both battled serious injuries since the last Games, but mainly for the act of respect and sportsmanship between two friends.

"It is just crazy if I think about this story," said Tamberi. "Thank you very much for this trophy.

"I now call Mutaz like five times a week because I need to speak with him. I feel that now we are not just friends, we are really like blood brothers."

Barshim added: "I hope to inspire more people to love our sport and maybe share a gold one day!"

President's Award

Peter Diamond, Executive Vice President of NBC Olympic programming

"Athletics owes Peter a massive debt of gratitude," said World Athletics President Sebastian Coe. "Peter has worked alongside us for effectively 40 years and has been a constant source of great advice and wise counsel, and occasional humor that has softened the edges of any particular situation. And he has made athletics a lot better."

Coaching Achievement Award

Bobby Kersee

The US coach has guided the careers of many legendary athletes over the years; but this year two of his charges made history. Allyson Felix became the most decorated female track and field Olympian in history after winning her 10th and 11th Olympic gold medals in Tokyo; while training partner Sydney McLaughlin broke two world records in the 400m hurdles and claimed Olympic gold in the discipline.

Woman of the Year Award

Anju Bobby George

The former international long jump star from India is still actively involved in the sport. In 2016 she opened a training academy for young girls, which has already helped to produce a world U20 medallist. A constant voice for gender equality in her role as Senior Vice President of the Indian Athletics Federation, Bobby George also mentors schoolgirls for future leadership positions within the sport.

World Athletics Photograph of the Year

Jean-Pierre Durand

World Athletics has earlier announced that athletes should wear shoes with a uniform 20-millimeter sole thickness limit for all events. This rule will come into action on November 1st, 2024, marking a notable change in the actions of the athletes.

This rule has been induced to welcome fairness in the game. However, this has sparked controversies. While many athletes have accepted it, some are still in dilemmas about the rule.

Well, let's look at how the rule will impact the performance. However, for now, let's look at the present thickness.

Current Shoe Sole Thickness Rules in Athletics

Presently, there is no such uniformity of sole thickness. Thickness normally varies according to the events in which the athletes participate.

Suppose, in events where an athlete will have run more than 800 meters, shoes are allowed to have a sole up to 25 mm. However, when it comes to shorter distances, the maximum thickness has been limited to 20 mm.

For field events, including the high jump, athletes have a 20mm limit. But for the triple jump, athletes are allowed to wear shoes with soles up to 25mm.

These rules were implemented in January 2022, based on the technological advancements in shoes. However, from 1st November this year, there will be no distinction in sole thickness in different events.

Point to be noted: the rules for road events like marathons and race walks, which permit a 40mm sole thickness, will remain unchanged.

Why is World Athletics enforcing a 20mm sole limit?

The main motto of World Athletics is to ensure fairness. As a result of this, the federation has decided to apply the rule of a uniform 20mm limit to the sole.

In recent years, advances in shoe technology—particularly with thicker soles and carbon fiber plates—have sparked debates about whether these shoes offer athletes some unfair advantage.

Thus, World Athletics created its own Working Group on Athletic Shoes in 2020. The main task of this group is to analyze the impact of shoe technology on performance. They also draft regulations, ensuring that athletes are focusing more on skills and not technology.

The new rule was announced well in advance to give shoe manufacturers ample time to adapt their designs.

Athletes' Reactions to the 20mm Rule Change

Top athletes have had mixed reactions to the upcoming rule. Joshua Cheptegei, the Olympic and World Champion in the 10,000 meters, supports the change, describing it as "for the benefit of the sport."

He added that the thinner soles won’t necessarily lead to slower times, emphasizing that performance is often influenced by an athlete's mindset. Cheptegei also noted that recent shoe technology has aided recovery between training sessions, which could be impacted by the new regulations.

Meanwhile, Muktar Edris, a former two-time 5,000m World Champion, said that a thicker sole helps the athletes, providing them extra "energy" and "push." A reduced sole may hamper a regular action.

The Controversy Surrounding Shoe Technology

The controversy regarding shoe technology is nothing new. Before 2022, the track spikes had soles with thicknesses up to 30 mm.

During the Tokyo Olympics, legendary sprinter Usain Bolt brought this issue to the public, citing the unfair advantage an athlete may receive due to thicker boots. Not only that, but with the increased use of technologically advanced shoes, world records that looked unbreakable are at stake.

Karsten Warholm, the one who holds the World Record in 400m hurdles, also expressed his concern. After winning the gold medal in the Tokyo Olympics, he questioned the boots of the runner-up, Rai Benjamin.

Warholm made serious claims that Benjamin used thicker Nike soles that provided the later an unfair advantage. Warholm's remarks not only concerned the federation but drew attention to the fine line between technological innovation and "technological doping."

The Impact of Shoe Technology on Performance

Eliud Kipchoge, the first athlete who broke the two-hour marathon barrier in 2019, sparked controversies at his time as well. He used the Nike Alphafly, which featured thick soles and carbon plates. However, the nature of the event didn't let that record count. 

Later, World Athletics introduced a rule. It required the new shoes to be in the open market for at least four months prior to the competition. This rule also aspired to thwart athletes with exclusive shoe deals from gaining an unfair advantage.

Will the 20mm sole limit affect athlete performance?

It is not exactly negative, but the athletes will solely depend on their physical abilities and techniques. Yes, a few athletes do consider this to hurt their performance, but just like Cheptegei mentioned, mental resilience and training will play a crucial role in breaking records or achieving personal bests (PB).

Well, a reduced cushion in the sole will demand more energy from the athlete. Thus, athletes need to adjust their training regimes to adapt to the new rules.

World Athletics had mentioned clearly that they want to promote uniformity. They want the athletes to rely on their power and skills, not some technology beneath their feet, that will change and evolve with time. 

However, with shoe manufacturers rushing to adapt their designs, the real test will come when athletes compete under the new regulations in 2024.

The Paris Olympics 2024 is going to start from July 26, all the countries of the world including India are busy in preparations for these games. The last few Olympic events have seen a steady increase in the number of Indian athletes. This time too, India is already busy in preparations for its Paris 2024 mission.

Read Also: Vinesh Phogat wins Paris Olympics Quota in Women's 50kg category

India won maximum number of medals in Tokyo

Earlier a total of 124 players from India had participated in the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. This was by far the largest contingent of Indian players who had participated in the Olympic Games. This team of India also won the maximum number of medals in the Games. It was in this Olympics itself that Neeraj Chopra created history by winning a historic gold medal in the men's javelin throw event.

Also Read: Looking back at India's 7 medals at Tokyo Olympics 2020

Bhowneesh Mendiratta couldn't make it to the final team

This time many new athletes are getting a chance in the Paris Olympics 2024. Trap shooter Bhowneesh Mendiratta secured India's first Paris 2024 quota at the 2022 ISSF World Championships. But Bhowneesh could not make it to the final team after the national trials. After this, Prithviraj Tondaiman was given a quota in the men's trap event.

Shooters secure quotas in every category 

Notably, for the first time, Indian shooters have secured quotas in every Olympic shooting category. Earlier, 15 shooters from India had participated in Tokyo Olympics 2020.

Also Read: India at Olympics: India's medals at the Olympics by sports

Paris 2024 flagbearer

Famous badminton star PV Sindhu will lead the Indian contingent along with famous table tennis player Achanta Sharath Kamal during the opening ceremony of the upcoming Paris 2024. However, no name has been announced yet for the closing ceremony, which is expected to be announced later. 

There are 82 quota places from India so far have confirmed for the Paris 2024. Here is the list of players who have qualified for the Games.

Indian athletes who qualified for Paris Olympics 2024

In the realm of Indian sporting history, the Tokyo Olympics 2020 will forever be marked as a unforgettable moment. With a remarkable tally of seven medals, India shattered records and expectations as this was country's best medal haul ever at the Olympics. Some sections of the sporting fraternity were disappointed that India’s medal total did not touch double figures, but the fact is that Tokyo Games saw a stupendous show by the Indian athletes at the highest level. 

Also Read: India at Olympics: India's medals at the Olympics by sports

Since the Paris Olympics 2024 are about to start in a few months (July 26), let's relive some old memories of Tokyo Olympics 2020. 

India's 7 medals at Tokyo Olympics 2020

Neeraj Chopra | Gold

Neeraj Chopra etched his name in history books by clinching India's first-ever Olympic gold in track and field. Neeraj started with a throw of 87.03m and stunned the world by throwing 87.58 meters in his second attempt in the final of the javelin throw event of the Tokyo Olympics 2020. No one came close to the mark set by Neeraj, including the likes of Germany’s Johannes Vetter and Arshad Nadeem of Pakistan. This is India's first Olympic medal in athletics in more than 100 years. Neeraj is also the second Indian player to win an individual gold medal. Earlier, shooter Abhinav Bindra had won the gold medal in men's 10-meter air rifle at the Beijing Olympics 2008.

Also Read: 'I will try to breach the 90m mark before Paris Olympics': Neeraj Chopra aims to retain his Olympic gold in Paris

Mirabai Chanu | Silver

Manipur's Mirabai Chanu registered India's name in the medal tally Tokyo Olympics 2020. She ended a 21-year medal drought in weightlifting by winning a silver medal in the 49 kg category during her four successful attempts across the competition. This 29-year-old player removed the disappointment she faced in the Rio Olympics (2016) by lifting a total weight of 202 kg. Mirabai is also a former world champion and holds the world record in the clean and jerk event in the 49kg category.

Ravi Dahiya | Silver

Ravi Kumar Dahiya, born in Nahari village of Sonepat district of Haryana, proved his strength and technique by winning the silver medal in men's 57 kg freestyle wrestling. He is the only second Indian wrestler, after Sushil Kumar, to win an Olympic silver medal. Dahiya secured his Olympic berth by winning the bronze medal at the 2019 World Championship and then won the Asian Championship in Delhi in 2020 and defended the title in Almaty this year.

PV Sindhu | Bronze

PV Sindhu was already considered a strong medal contender for the Tokyo Olympics 2020 and she did not disappoint anyone by winning the bronze medal. This 28-year-old player had earlier won a silver medal in the 2016 Rio Olympics. She is the only woman from the country to win multiple medals in the Olympics. Her performance in the Tokyo Games can be gauged from the fact that she had not lost a single game before losing two games against Tai Tzu Ying. The Hyderabadi shuttler made her mark at the international level in 2014 after winning bronze medals at the World Championships, Asian Games, Commonwealth Games and Asian Championships. 

Also Read: From Abhinav Brinda to PV Sindhu: Every First for India at Olympics

Lovlina Borgohain | Bronze

Lovlina Borgohain of Assam created history by winning a bronze medal in her first Olympics. She is the third Indian to win an Olympic medal in boxing after Vijender Singh (2008) and MC Mary Kom (2012). Before going on a 52-day tour of Europe to prepare for the Olympics, she got infected with Covid 19 but she made a spectacular comeback and defeated former world champion Nien-Chin Chen of Chinese Taipei in the quarterfinals of the 69 kg category. The 26-year-old signed off with a bronze medal after a 0-5 loss to reigning world champion Busenaz Surmeneli.

Bajrang Punia | Bronze

Before these games, Bajrang Punia was also considered the biggest contender for the gold medal in the Tokyo Games. After losing in the semi-finals, he could not fulfill his dream of gold medal due to multiple injuries. Bajrang suffered a knee injury in Russia in a tournament and then also pulled his left hamstring. Despite this, he brought glory to the country by winning the bronze medal. Bajrang beat Kazakhstan's Daulet Niyazbekov 8-0 in the 65kg bronze medal bout. With his bronze, Indian wrestlers matched their best performance at the Tokyo Olympics.

Also Read: $50000 per Gold medal winner in Athletics at Paris Olympics

Indian Men's Hockey Team | Bronze

The Indian Men's Hockey Team ended a 41-year drought in the Tokyo Olympics 2020 by winning the bronze medal. Although this medal was not gold, it was enough to make hockey popular again in the country. After losing badly by 1-7 against Australia in the second match of the group stage, the team made a great comeback under the leadership of Manpreet Singh. After defeating Belgium in the semi-finals, the team defeated Germany 5-4 in the bronze medal play-off. This was India's third hockey bronze medal in the history of the Olympics. The other two before this were won in the 1968 Mexico City and the 1972 Munich Games.

Indian athlete Avinash Sable broke his own national record and bettered it to clinch the gold medal at the Indian Grand Prix 2 2022. He set the record bar in the men's 3000m steeplechase at the athletics meet, hosted in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, on Wednesday

Read also: Russian Racewalker Elena Lashmanova banned, will be stripped off from Olympic gold medal

Avinash surpassed his past record of 8.18.12 seconds and won the gold medal this time after clocking 8.16.21 seconds. He achieved the record of 8.18.12 in the men's 3000m steeplechase heats at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Indian Grand Prix 2 was his first competition after the Tokyo Olympics. In fact, his time is the fastest this year in men's 3000m steeplechase, that too worldwide.

Read also: Neeraj Chopra: "My next target is winning gold in World Championships"

Neeraj Chopra scripted history after winning India's maiden athletics medal in the Tokyo Olympics 2020. It's been quite some time since Neeraj made his breakthrough in the Olympics. He is now focusing on his next target in the upcoming events. He is gearing up for the World Championships and the World Athletics Championships in the USA.

Read also: Commonwealth Games 2022: Indian Men's and Women's Hockey team to face Ghana in their opening match

The World Championships will commence from 15 July to 24 July 2022. It got postponed to these dates after the 2020 Tokyo Olympics was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Athletics Federation of India (AFI) arranged a small gathering to felicitate Neeraj post his Olympic victory. In that press conference, he said, "I have already won gold in Asian Games and Commonwealth Games and now an Olympic gold. So my next target is winning gold in World Championships."

While speaking on World Championships, he shared, "World Championships is a big competition and sometimes tougher than the Olympics. I am not going to be content with this Olympic gold and sit on this laurel. I would like to do even better and win gold again in Asian Games, CWG and again in Olympics. That is the medal which is with Anju madam and I want to win it."

Read also: Boxing Federation of India announces trial dates for World Championship, Asian Games and CWG

The 24-year-old also spoke about his mental state before the grand Olympics. He added, "There was no pressure and I was taking it (Olympics) just like any other event. It was like I have played against these athletes before and there's no reason to worry. I was able to focus on my performance. That has helped me win gold. Yes, I did think about India not winning a medal in athletics but once I get hold of my javelin, all these things do not come to my mind."