**Great Britain’s Challenging World Athletics Championships: Reflections and Lessons After a Medal Shortfall**
**Overview: A Historic Low for Team GB**
At the latest World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, Great Britain and Northern Ireland experienced one of their most challenging outings in recent memory. For the first time in 22 years, the team failed to secure a single gold medal. Their final medal tally stood at five—matching their result from Doha in 2019 and equaling their joint-lowest total since 2005. This disappointing outcome represented a significant step back from their recent highs: at the previous Championships in Budapest two years ago, GB won ten medals, including two golds, and enjoyed their best Olympic return in four decades at Paris 2024 with ten athletics medals.
Paula Dunn, the head coach for the British squad, had set a target of five to eight medals for Tokyo, without specifying a goal for the team’s final ranking on the medal table. Ultimately, the 64-strong British contingent finished 21st overall—a clear sign of the difficulties faced throughout the nine-day competition.
**Missed Opportunities and Near Misses**
The British campaign was defined as much by close calls as by outright disappointments. In a poignant example, the women’s 4x100m relay team—silver medalists at the previous Olympics—finished just two-tenths of a second outside the medals in Tokyo. This marked the first time since the 2003 World Championships in Paris that Great Britain failed to win a relay medal of any color. That year was also the last time the team left the Championships without a gold, underscoring the significance of this year’s shortfall.
While there were moments of promise, the team was unable to convert these into top podium finishes. Jake Wightman claimed silver in the men’s 1500m, ending GB’s wait for a medal on day five. Amy Hunt earned her first individual global medal with a silver in the women’s 200m. The heptathlon saw a dramatic finish, with Katarina Johnson-Thompson sharing bronze. In the women’s 800m final, Georgia Hunter Bell edged out Olympic champion Keely Hodgkinson for silver, with Hodgkinson settling for bronze as Kenya’s Lilian Odira spoiled the British hopes of a one-two finish.
**Injuries and Adversity Affect Key Athletes**
Misfortune played its part in the British campaign. Defending 1500m champion Josh Kerr, Olympic and world 400m silver medalist Matthew Hudson-Smith, and world indoor pole vault champion Molly Caudery all suffered injuries that hampered their performances or forced early exits. In the men’s marathon, Emile Cairess, a strong medal prospect after his fourth-place finish at the Paris Olympics, was unable to complete the grueling race, dropping out with less than three miles to go due to the extreme heat and humidity.
The men’s 4x100m relay team, traditionally a source of British medals, saw their hopes dashed in the heats when they failed to complete the baton exchange—symbolic of a Championships where little seemed to go right at crucial moments.
**Challenging Conditions in Tokyo**
The Tokyo Championships posed particular challenges for all athletes, but especially for those unaccustomed to such oppressive conditions. Throughout the event, temperatures soared above 30°C (86°F), accompanied by stifling humidity. These environmental factors became a critical talking point, with several athletes and coaches highlighting the difficulties they presented.
Paula Dunn acknowledged the impact of the weather, noting that while the team had prepared for heat and humidity, the reality exceeded expectations. “We knew it was going to be hot and humid but one day you could see the humidity in the sky, it was so thick,” Dunn explained. Despite implementing strategies for heat and cooling, managing such extreme conditions proved “incredibly difficult.”
Dunn also looked ahead, framing this experience as a “dress rehearsal” for the World Championships scheduled for Beijing in 2027, where similar conditions are expected. The hope is that the lessons learned in Tokyo will provide British athletes with a valuable advantage in future competitions.
**Logistical Hurdles: The Warm-Up Facility Issue**
Beyond the weather, logistical issues also affected athletes’ preparations. The main warm-up facility was located in Yoyogi Park, a 2.5-kilometer (about 1.5 miles) drive from the main