Sebastian Coe is advocating for the inclusion of a cross-country running race at the 2030 Winter Olympics. The president of World Athletics has been a long-standing supporter of this idea and is encouraged by the openness of the new International Olympic Committee president, Kirsty Coventry, to consider new approaches.
Coe mentioned in an interview with The Associated Press that there is a willingness to explore all possibilities at the moment. He highlighted the collaborative atmosphere under Coventry’s leadership, emphasizing a focus on mutual improvement rather than dictation. This shift has injected new energy into the organization.
The discussion revolves around the potential introduction of cross-country running at the 2030 Winter Olympics in the French Alps or potentially in Salt Lake City in 2034. This event was part of the Summer Olympics until 1924, when it was removed due to extreme heat and course conditions. Moving it to the Winter Games could address these challenges and also broaden participation, particularly from African nations.
Coe pointed out that the Winter Games do not traditionally represent African sports, making the inclusion of cross-country a unique opportunity to diversify the event. To reintroduce cross-country, a simple amendment to the Olympic charter would be necessary to allow winter sports to be eligible for the program.
Being part of the IOC’s new Olympic program working group, Coe is involved in evaluating the event’s scale and potential crossovers between traditional sports in each Olympics.
In other Olympic news, track events are set to kick off the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, a move that Coe supports. The exact schedule is still being finalized, but Coe reminisced about his successful participation in the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles, where he set a Games record and won a gold medal in the 1,500 meters.
Additionally, a new event called 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 technology and global running community engagement.
Looking ahead, Coe expressed excitement for the upcoming Ultimate Championships in Budapest, Hungary, scheduled for September 11-13, which will showcase top champions over three evening sessions. The event is designed for television, with semifinals and finals in most track events and limited participants in field events. World Athletics is committed to supporting the host city with ticketing and sponsorships for the event’s success.