Athletics Weekly – August 2026

Summary

Two truths about athletics in August 2026: Josh Kerr is now the fastest miler in history, and Femke Broeders-Bol is switching from the 400m hurdles to the 800m. This 116-page European Championships preview issue from Athletics Weekly leads with an exclusive Broeders-Bol interview — "I'm not afraid to fail" — as the Dutch star explains why she is making the leap to a new event. The Birmingham 26 championships take centre stage, with event-by-event previews running from page 50 through the back of the book.

Editorial director Euan Crumley's lead note connects two landmark performances — the sub-two-hour marathon by Sabastian Sawe and Kerr's mile world record, both in London — as proof that 2026 is a vintage year. The preview section covers every event from the 100m through the marathon and race walks, with dedicated features on Romell Glave's 100m rematch with Marcell Jacobs, Emmanouil Karalis' pole-vault journey, Elise Thorner's breakout and Kimani Jack's breakthrough. A picture special on page 78 looks back 40 years to the 1986 Stuttgart European Championships.

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Content Guide

▸ Cover Feature / European Champs Preview

p.32 · FEMKE BROEDERS-BOL EXCLUSIVE
The Dutch star opens up about the 400m hurdles-to-800m transition, the technical challenges of learning a new event at the elite level, and why she is not afraid to fail in Birmingham. Her split times and training adjustments are detailed. Middle-distance coaches can study the event-switch blueprint as a case study in athletic adaptation.

p.38 · THERE WILL BE FIREWORKS — ROMELL GLAVE
The British sprinter prepares for a 100m rematch with Marcell Jacobs, the Olympic and European champion. Glave's start-phase improvements and his mental approach to the head-to-head are covered. Sprint coaches can extract the technical cues from his pre-race preparation routine.

▸ Athlete Profiles

p.42 · THE THRILL OF THE CHASE — ELISE THORNER
Moving into contention at the European level, Thorner's progression from domestic talent to championship contender is mapped through her seasonal bests and race selections. A case study for athletes moving up through the senior ranks.

p.46 · LEARNING TO FLY — EMMANOUIL KARALIS
The Greek pole vaulter's journey to new heights, covering the technique refinements and coaching changes that have pushed his ceiling higher. Pole-vault specialists will find the biomechanical adjustments worth logging.

p.84 · HIGH HOPES — KIMANI JACK
The breakthrough year that has changed Jack's outlook completely, from a supporting role to a genuine medal contender. A timeline of his 2026 season progression.

▸ Championship Context

p.28 · CONTINENTAL CELEBRATION — BIRMINGHAM GETS READY
Behind the scenes of Birmingham's hosting operation: venue readiness, transport planning and the legacy infrastructure left from the 2022 Commonwealth Games. Event organisers can benchmark their own major-event planning against Birmingham's model.

p.50 · EUROPEAN OUTLOOK
Every event previewed, from the 100m through the marathon and both race walks. Each preview includes the defending champion, seasonal leaders and a medal prediction. A pull-out reference for any fan following the championships live.

p.78 · STUTTGART 1986 REVISITED
A 40-year retrospective picture special on the 1986 European Championships in Stuttgart, when athletics dominated the continental sporting calendar. A historical companion for long-time fans.

p.88 · EUROPEAN RECORD
How the champions across 40 years of European Championships have reflected the evolution of the continent, from the Cold War era to the present. A sociological reading of medal tables.

p.90 · AW LEGENDS — ROGER BLACK
The British 400m great relives his greatest championship moments, including his European golds and Olympic silver. A first-person history lesson for younger readers who only know Black as a commentator.

▸ Regulars

p.8 · DIGEST — THE EYES HAVE IT IN THE MEN'S 100M
The race within the race: how start reaction times and visual focus separate medallists in the men's 100m. Sprinters can study the split data to refine their own start drills.

p.10 · THE MONTH IN NUMBERS
Key statistics and records from the lead-up to the European Championships.

p.20 · THE HARD WAY — JOSH KERR'S COACH DANNY MACKEY
Mackey discusses why Kerr chose not to take the easy path, and how that approach produced the mile world record. A training-philosophy piece for coaches working with ambitious athletes.

p.24 · GLIMPSE OF THE FUTURE
World U20 Championships preview, identifying the junior stars who could make an impact in Birmingham.

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Editor's Take

This 116-page preview issue is the most substantial single edition of Athletics Weekly in the 2026 cycle. The Broeders-Bol exclusive justifies the cover by getting an elite athlete to explain a genuinely unusual event switch — she is not afraid to fail, and that honesty makes the interview land. The event-by-event preview from page 50 is a monumental organisational effort, giving every discipline its due. The Stuttgart 1986 picture special is a nice historical counterweight to all the forward-looking content. Weaknesses: the Romell Glave-Jacobs rematch feature is strong on quotes but short on split data. Kimani Jack's profile is too brief to match the "breakthrough" billing. The issue will primarily serve European athletics fans and anyone attending or covering the Birmingham championships; casual readers may find the preview density overwhelming.

Strengths
• Broeders-Bol exclusive delivers genuine insight into a rare event transition
• 116-page European Championships preview covers every event systematically
• Stuttgart 1986 picture special adds valuable historical context

Weaknesses
• Romell Glave feature lacks the split-level analysis the matchup deserves
• Kimani Jack profile is too short to justify its billing as a breakthrough story

Verdict: Essential — the definitive European Championships preview, anchored by an exclusive interview that justifies the cover price.