This children’s article, The World Athletics Championships 2025: Records, crowds and amazing moments, has been written for native English speakers and learners of English as a second or foreign language. It can help children build vocabulary, learn about athletics, and discover why this event is so special. Written by Mark Pulley, a teacher and writer who creates fun and informative news articles for English learners.
Records and firsts
The World Athletics Championships 2025 in Tokyo were the biggest in history, with 1,992 athletes from 193 countries. A record 53 nations won medals, demonstrating the global reach of athletics. Some countries, such as Samoa, Saint Lucia, Uruguay, and Tanzania, won medals for the very first time.
Only one world record was broken, but it was a big one. Sweden’s pole vault superstar Mondo Duplantis cleared 6.30m, the highest vault ever. There were also nine championship records and plenty of personal bests to cheer for.
Star performances
The nine days were packed with brilliant moments. US sprinter Melissa Jefferson-Wooden won three golds in the 100m, 200m and 4x100m relay. Kenyan runner Beatrice Chebet and Spanish race walker Maria Perez both won two individual gold medals each.
Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone set a championship record in the 400m with 47.78 seconds – the second-fastest time ever. And Canadian Ethan Katzberg won the hammer throw with the longest distance seen for 20 years.
Fans and global attention
The Tokyo National Stadium was full of energy, with more than 619,000 fans filling the seats across the week. Evening sessions were often sold out, and TV audiences were huge. In Japan, more than 12 million people tuned in on the first day alone.
Around the world, millions more followed the action. In Sweden, three-quarters of all TV viewers watched Duplantis set his pole vault record. Online, the World Athletics website and social media channels broke records too, with hundreds of millions of video views.
Looking ahead
As the championships closed, organisers thanked the people of Tokyo for their noisy support. The event was seen as one of the greatest celebrations of athletics ever held. Even legendary sprinter Usain Bolt made an appearance, looking ahead to the brand-new World Athletics Ultimate Championship that will take place in Budapest in 2026.
Tokyo 2025 will be remembered for its mix of new stars, historic firsts, and the incredible atmosphere in the stadium. Athletics fans already can’t wait for what comes next.
Article vocabulary list
- Medal: A prize given for finishing first, second, or third in a competition.
- Pole vault: An event where athletes jump over a bar using a long pole.
- Relay: A race where team members take turns running parts of the distance.
- Record: The best performance ever achieved in an event.
- Atmosphere: The mood or feeling in a place.
- Legendary: Very famous and admired.
- Celebration: A joyful event to mark success.
- Global: Involving the whole world.
Comprehension questions
Just click the plus (+) to see the answer
1. How many nations won medals at the 2025 World Championships?
A) 46
B) 53
C) 61
Answer: B) 53
2. Which athlete broke the world record in Tokyo?
A) Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone
B) Melissa Jefferson-Wooden
C) Mondo Duplantis
Answer: C) Mondo Duplantis
3. How many fans attended the championships in Tokyo?
A) About 400,000
B) About 620,000
C) About 1 million
Answer: B) About 620,000
4. Where will the World Athletics Ultimate Championship take place in 2026?
A) Paris
B) Budapest
C) Tokyo
Answer: B) Budapest
5. What was special about Tanzania’s medal at the championships?
A) It was their first ever World Championships gold
B) It was won in swimming
C) It was the last medal of the championships
Answer: A) It was their first ever World Championships gold
Mark is a writer and EFL teacher from England with eight years’ experience. He’s passionate about travel, sport (especially football), animals, nature, and history, and enjoys helping children explore the world through language and learning.
