Home > Runs & Races

Everything you need to know about the World Championships

Schedule, how to watch, who to watch and everything else you could need to know about the upcoming World Championships

Mohammed Ahmed

The 2019 World Championships are getting underway this Friday and team Canada is ready to roll. Here’s everything you need to know about the upcoming World Championships.

Schedule

Doha, Qatar is seven hours ahead of EDT, which means that most events will usually begin around 9 a.m. and end at 5 p.m. in Canada. The full schedule can be found here. Friday is primarily qualification rounds, with the exception of the women’s marathon, which begins at midnight local time or 5 p.m. EDT.

Doha Stadium. Photo: Instagram

Canadians to watch

Lyndsay Tessier (marathon Friday, September 27 at 5 p.m. EDT)–Tessier is certainly a team qualifier that few would have predicted. Tessier has consistently improved since beginning her running career only eight years ago. At the Canadian Marathon Championships in 2017, Tessier finished in 2:36:55, nine minutes faster than her previous best of 2:45:39, set in 2014. She ran her first marathon in 2012, where she ran 2:54:29. Seven years later (and nearly 25 minutes faster), Tessier landed herself on a start line with the best women in the world.

Justyn Knight (5,000m Monday, September 30 at 2:20 p.m. EDT)–Knight is one of the few athletes who managed to perform extremely well in his first World Championship two years ago. The runner finished ninth in the 5,000m among an extremely competitive field. Knight has since graduated, signed a professional contract with Reebok and is ready for another World Championship final, where he will hopefully improve on his placing from 2017.

Justyn Knight
Photo: Michael Scott/Syracuse Athletics

Moh Ahmed (5,000m/10,000m Monday, September 30 at 2:20 p.m. EDT/Sunday, October 6 at 1 p.m. EDT)–Ahmed is fresh off a pacing job for his Bowerman teammates, in what ended up being one of the most competitive and unorthodox 5,000m races of the summer. The Portland-based track club set up a race to ensure that their runners had next year’s Olympic standard in the bag before the 2020 season began. Ahmed was their rabbit, and took his teammates through 4,600m at sub-Olympic standard pace (13:13.50) and looked effortless. Ahmed is clearly fit and ready for a big performance in 10 days’ time.

Gabriela DeBues-Stafford (1,500m Saturday, October 5 at 1:55 p.m. EDT)–The 23-year-old made Canadian history this summer at the Zurich Diamond League, becoming the first Canadian woman to run under four minutes in the 1,500m. Her new record of 3:59.59 was her sixth record of 2019. Only one year ago DeBues-Stafford was just becoming accustomed to the world scene, and learning the ropes of the highest level of track and field. But she’s a quick learner, and her 2019 has proved that. The runner has now broken seven Canadian records in eight months–all before this October’s World Championships. She has a real shot at winning a medal in Doha.

Damian Warner (decathlon Wednesday, October 2 and Thursday, October 3 at various times)–Having won two World Championship medals and one Olympic medal in 2016, Warner is arguably the most experienced Worlds team member. He had a great summer, running the fastest-ever 100m within a decathlon competition at Gotzis in May.

Andre De Grasse at Harry Jerome Track Classic 2018. Photo: Maxine Gravina

Andre De Grasse (100m/200m Saturday, September 28 at 3:15 p.m./Tuesday, October 1 at 3:40 p.m.)–De Grasse had a disappointing summer on the track in 2018, dealing with a hamstring injury that forced him to pull up in the 200m semi-final at the Canadian championships and call his season early. He also was unable to compete at the 2018 Commonwealth Games. The sprinter’s difficult 2018 season followed his withdrawal from the 2017 World Championships. While De Grasse isn’t the 2019 national champion (see below), he’s still had a great season and will certainly be a threat at the World Championships.

Aaron Brown (100m/200m Saturday, September 28 at 3:15 p.m./Tuesday, October 1 at 3:40 p.m.)– Brown was the 2018 100m national champion when De Grasse sat out due to injury. But while De Grasse was healing his hamstring, Brown got really good. Brown went on to win nationals in a head-t0-head contest against De Grasse, running sub-10 and successfully defending his title. Brown has had a breakout 2019 and asserted himself as a force on the international scene. He’s likely to make the final and in contention for a medal.

How to watch

CBC Sports is streaming the championships in Canada, with a schedule that can be found here. NBC Sports is also streaming for American viewers or those with a paid pass for their live feed.

Live results

Live results can be found here.

Entry lists

The final entry lists can be found here.

Helpful Canadian Running links

Why Gabriela DeBues-Stafford has a real shot at winning Worlds

Rookies and vets of the Canadian worlds team

Demystifying IAAF invitations

4-time Canadian record-holder Rachel Cliff late addition to Worlds team

The worlds team includes largely Canadian-developed distance athletes

Athletics Canada selects 2019 World Championship team

Check out the latest buyer's guide:

Top 10 shoes our testers are loving this March

We tested tons of great shoes this year, but only the very best make the list