Ben Bloom @benbloomsport Twitter profile

Pinned Tweet

Ben Bloom

2 months

At the most uncertain time in English cricket’s long history, I’ve written a book on the domestic game’s precarious state, civil wars and worrying future. Batting For Time: The Fight To Keep English Cricket Alive (out on March 25):

4

22

69

Last Seen Profiles

@xdivinedoll

@ProfJarz

@ricketty321

@gauhgremlin2

@ooboochoo

@ginuhowski

@DefinitiveFi

@tufavorita77

@ordinaryeoz

@gustavind0swag

@theLindashow

@oregon_pharm

@EX4Cw9k9XipUezL

@SamuelPadgitt

@timthetimtamman

@yildirim_turker

@CEVolleyball

@LandynLocke

@BlakeBodenstein

@Disinthekitchen

@BlvckSigmaCO

@velorraofficial

@Natrone86

@rsy_stan

@Salud_CZ4

@DrHelenTaylorCC

@NSaolaop

@ShombiSharp

@BelenSussini

@N_tm_r

@DEFENDERist

@blackwid0f

@WingedValky

@ATL_Danielujah

@momoa_cos

@pwnieride

Ben Bloom

@benbloomsport

6 years

Men = 100/100 Women = 0/100 For the first time ever since Forbes started compiling the world's 100 highest paid sportspeople, there is not a single woman in the list. Not one. What a damning indictment of the enormous disparity between men/women's sport.

434

4K

6K

Ben Bloom

@benbloomsport

4 years

Caster Semenya: “I am very disappointed, but refuse to let World Athletics drug me or stop me from being who I am. Excluding female athletes or endangering our health solely because of our natural abilities puts World Athletics on the wrong side of history."

Ben Bloom

@benbloomsport

4 years

Caster Semenya has lost her appeal against World Athletics at the Swiss Supreme Court. As things stand, she will not be able to compete over 800m at the Tokyo Olympics unless she takes testosterone-lowering medication.

71

295

769

30

2K

5K

Ben Bloom

@benbloomsport

3 years

This could be big. World Athletics scientists admit the findings behind their testosterone rules might be "misleading" and the evidence was only "exploratory". Caster Semenya's lawyers ask why this wasn't revealed before she was banned from the Olympics.

Caster Semenya's lawyers want answers from World Athletics after 'misleading' study stopped her...

Exclusive: Semenya was barred from taking part at Tokyo Olympics due to DSD regulations based on a study now described as 'exploratory'

www.telegraph.co.uk

65

2K

3K

Ben Bloom

@benbloomsport

4 years

Lifetime ambition accomplished. 122 screamers, volleys, headers, slices, scuffs, curlers, backheels, Panenkas and toe-pokes scored. And so many missed.

41

237

3K

Ben Bloom

@benbloomsport

1 year

Sadly, while I was on paternity leave the Telegraph decided they no longer need an athletics correspondent nor my services covering other sports. So, after a great 11 years, my time there is up. Let’s see what the future holds.

206

79

2K

Ben Bloom

@benbloomsport

5 years

1. Just look how far out he launches the dive. 2. The face plant at the end. What a face plant. 3. His name is Infinite Tucker. His actual name.

44

449

2K

Ben Bloom

@benbloomsport

5 years

Last month Nike decided to drop Holly Bradshaw after nine years, so she now has no sponsor. Today she beat the Olympic/world champion and produced the second best vault of her life. Not a bad way to respond.

Holly Bradshaw and Laura Muir enjoy perfect European Indoors warm up with Birmingham success

Up to this point there have been two distinct stages to Holly Bradshaw’s pole vault career:

www.telegraph.co.uk

21

172

2K

Ben Bloom

@benbloomsport

6 years

Laura Muir's last 24 hours: - Wake up and go to work at an animal hospital. - Try and fail to get multiple flights from Glasgow to Birmingham because of snow. - Take a seven-hour, 300-mile taxi instead. - Win world indoor 3,000m bronze. Easy, really.

13

303

2K

Ben Bloom

@benbloomsport

3 years

Big news for athletics fans in Britain: the BBC has secured the rights to show every Diamond League live (on TV, online and radio) for the next four years.

29

115

1K

Ben Bloom

@benbloomsport

3 years

Keely Hodgkinson in February: "It would be silly not to try and qualify for the Olympics, but I really would like to win European juniors." Keely Hodgkinson in August: Wins Olympic 800m silver and breaks Kelly Holmes' 26-year-old British record.

6

104

1K

Ben Bloom

@benbloomsport

2 years

Fred Kerley was two years old when, with his dad in jail and his mum taking “wrong turns in life”, he moved to be raised by his aunt. 13 children in one bedroom. On Saturday, he won world 100m gold to lead an American medal clean sweep.

The incredible rise of new sprint king Fred Kerley

Kerley's fuel comes from a desire to prove his ability to succeed after enduring an unimaginably difficult upbringing

www.telegraph.co.uk

20

152

1K

Ben Bloom

@benbloomsport

4 years

Despite the lack of big names, the British Athletics Championships peaked at 1.4 million viewers on BBC2 at 8.25pm Friday - more than BBC1 and ITV at the same time.

28

104

1K

Ben Bloom

@benbloomsport

3 years

Holly Bradshaw's lesson in resilience: 2012 Olympics: 6th 2015 Worlds: 7th 2016 Olympics: 5th 2017 Worlds: 6th * Dropped by her sponsor * 2019 Worlds: 4th 2021 Olympics: Bronze

9

106

1K

Ben Bloom

@benbloomsport

3 years

This is horrendous. A famous Japanese musician has kept his job as composer for the Tokyo Olympics opening ceremony despite describing how he bullied mentally-ill classmates into eating their own faeces and masturbating in front of other students.

Japanese composer axed from Olympics opening ceremony after boasts about abusing disabled classma...

Keigo Oyamada, better known by his stage name Cornelius, has been one of Japan’s most successful singer-songwriters

www.telegraph.co.uk

23

968

1K

Ben Bloom

@benbloomsport

3 years

Karsten Warholm's 400m hurdles world record (45.94 seconds) would have won him gold at this year's British Championships... over the flat 400m.

12

136

1K

Ben Bloom

@benbloomsport

5 years

Dina Asher-Smith’s 200m winning time of 21.88 seconds would have been good enough for gold at 13 of the 17 World Championships. Decent response to anyone who suggests it was a soft victory.

12

131

984

Ben Bloom

@benbloomsport

8 years

What this? Oh, just a Usain Bolt press conference. Nothing to see here.

13

384

922

Ben Bloom

@benbloomsport

4 years

Caster Semenya has lost her appeal against World Athletics at the Swiss Supreme Court. As things stand, she will not be able to compete over 800m at the Tokyo Olympics unless she takes testosterone-lowering medication.

71

295

769

Ben Bloom

@benbloomsport

3 years

10.78, 10.82, 10.84, 10.91, 10.95, 10.96... in the HEATS of the women's Olympic 100m. And half of them weren't even sprinting to the line. Crazy, crazy, crazy.

13

142

726

Ben Bloom

@benbloomsport

7 years

Kyle Langford was ranked 46th in the world going into World Champs. Missed 800m medal by 0.04sec. Talk about punching above your weight...

10

172

717

Ben Bloom

@benbloomsport

5 years

The 2019 World Athletics Championships giving a lesson in what happens when you take a sport to Qatar. Upper tier covered up, boxes empty, middle tier covered up, lower tier 20% full. Bet the athletes can’t wait to compete in the pinnacle of their sport.

54

246

701

Ben Bloom

@benbloomsport

4 years

It’s what William Blake would have wanted.

28

133

704

Ben Bloom

@benbloomsport

3 years

The 800 metres is the best event in athletics and I refuse to accept any different opinions.

47

58

687

Ben Bloom

@benbloomsport

4 years

Asked Joshua Cheptegei why the first thing he did after breaking the 5,000m world record - at a high-profile and impeccably-recorded competition - was stop his own watch.

14

100

656

Ben Bloom

@benbloomsport

2 years

“No one knows who I am. I’m just a club runner. I don’t even have my name on my bib.” What a story. Ellis Cross was denied a place in the elite field so paid his own £37 entry fee, took the train to the start line... and beat Mo Farah.

Mo Farah's elite career in tatters following 10km defeat to unknown club runner

The four-time Olympic champion was unexpectedly out-sprinted by Ellis Cross in the closing stages of the Vitality 10,000 race

www.telegraph.co.uk

10

73

637

Ben Bloom

@benbloomsport

6 years

Obviously Jakob Ingebrigtsen has just won European 5000m gold a day after 1500m gold. Obviously. I mean, what the fuck else would you expect of the most ridiculous 17-year-old athletics has ever seen??? HE. IS. NOT. HUMAN.

11

129

623

Ben Bloom

@benbloomsport

5 years

Zimbabwe are the feel-good story of the Netball World Cup, but their coach has been searching for equipment with £30 of his own money because they have so little. The extraordinary story of Zimbabwe's minnows: 'Think how much better we’d be with funding'

The extraordinary story of Zimbabwe's netball minnows: 'Think how much better we would be with...

A few hours before his side claimed an unlikely third World Cup victory over Barbados on Tuesday, Zimbabwe head coach Lloyd Makunde snatched some time for a quick shopping trip in Liverpool city...

www.telegraph.co.uk

20

292

618

Ben Bloom

@benbloomsport

7 years

If you haven't read this about Luvo Manyonga, who has just won world long jump gold, then do. It's incredible.

From crystal meth to Olympic glory: the recovery and rise of Luvo Manyonga

Three years ago Luvo Manyonga was a crystal meth addict. Now he is an Olympic silver medallist. This is his journey from the tik-addled townships to Rio glory, with the help of an Irish former...

www.theguardian.com

5

365

593

Ben Bloom

@benbloomsport

9 years

Hi kids, you know when your teacher tells you to learn German. Well, do it. http://t.co/XLuBvDwfbl

Jurgen Klopp to quit Borussia Dortmund on July 1 - as it happened

German manager - who could also interest Manchester City - will leave Dortmund at the end of the season, according to reports in Germany

www.telegraph.co.uk

53

641

564

Ben Bloom

@benbloomsport

6 years

Amid the Justin Gatlin/Dennis Mitchell storm, it's very easy to miss this... Colin Jackson refused to have anything to do with it: "I look after some young people and I would never advise them to do that. Hard work and graft is always the way. No shortcuts." Huge respect.

12

187

539

Ben Bloom

@benbloomsport

3 years

Paula Radcliffe, Joyce Smith, Laura Muir, Mara Yamauchi and many other British female runners have signed a letter strongly opposing equal men/women cross-country distances. "Sweeping change based on ideology about gender equality would be simply wrong"

Legends of women's cross country in opposition to UKA's equality plan - AW

Big-name British female runners such as Paula Radcliffe, Joyce Smith, Hayley Yelling, Laura Muir and Mara Yamauchi issue strong statement about equalisation of cross-country distances

athleticsweekly.com

11

156

499

Ben Bloom

@benbloomsport

5 years

A few days ago, Charlotte Purdue said this: "I’ve been told so many times I don’t look like a marathon runner. 'You look too strong'. What does that mean? I always get comments. I just laugh it off." She's just become the 3rd fastest British woman in history (2.25:38).

5

59

519

Ben Bloom

@benbloomsport

4 years

20.33 is ridiculously fast aged 16. The fastest time ever run by a 16-year-old? 20.13. By Usain Bolt.

FloTrack

@FloTrack

4 years

Erriyon Knighton ran a wind legal U.S. No. 1 in 20.33 AND set a new 200m national record. Did we mention this is the 15-16-year-old age group?😱🤯 He's unbelievable!

142

1K

5K

5

90

505

Ben Bloom

@benbloomsport

8 years

Jessica Ennis-Hill must beat Nafissatou Thiam by 9.47sec in the 800m to win Olympic heptathlon gold. The gap between their PBs? 9.47sec.

19

704

487

Ben Bloom

@benbloomsport

5 years

The way Tyson Fury has overcome his mental health problems is hugely admirable. What that doesn't do is re-write history. Fury has never taken back his homophobic or sexist rants and he has never acknowledged/apologised for being a drugs cheat. Let's maintain some balance.

21

79

490

Ben Bloom

@benbloomsport

5 years

My job is watching people run, so I decided to see what life as a runner is really like (spoiler: bloody hard). For the past year I have been training and competing over 800m. Here's what happened.

One non-runner's quest to make it onto the British 800m rankings in a year

The question asked was so simple that millions of people in Britain would have answered without hesitation:

www.telegraph.co.uk

34

74

493

Ben Bloom

@benbloomsport

8 months

46 different countries won medals at the 2023 World Athletics Championships - the biggest ever spread of nations. For a sport struggling for attention, that’s a heck of a global reach.

10

94

475

Ben Bloom

@benbloomsport

5 years

No Mo Farah, don’t try and align yourself with Raheem Sterling and Lewis Hamilton. You’re being asked difficult questions because your old coach has been kicked out of the sport. It has absolutely nothing to do with race.

Mo Farah's claims there were racial elements in questioning over Alberto Salazar scandal is nothing...

That Mo Farah came out swinging when speaking to the media ahead of Sunday’s Chicago Marathon was perhaps no surprise given his repeated refusals to accept any error over his association with the now...

www.telegraph.co.uk

16

55

474

Ben Bloom

@benbloomsport

6 years

Love this Winter Olympics picture. 26 minutes after the winner, Mexican cross country skier German Madrazo is welcomed by friends/rivals from Colombia, Tonga, Morocco and Portugal as he finishes. They came 111 / 113 / 114 / 115 / 116 (out of 116) and are absolutely buzzing.

3

179

471

Ben Bloom

@benbloomsport

3 years

- Elaine Thompson-Herah, 10.54sec. 117 women have gone sub-11. - Usain Bolt, 9.58sec. 156 men have gone sub-10. Take Flo-Jo out of the equation (there are various reasons to do so) and Thompson-Herah is arguably sprinting's greatest ever outlier.

Better than Usain Bolt? Elaine Thompson-Herah's 10.54sec 100m is arguably the greatest sprint in...

Diamond League showing proves that Jamaican is in a class of her own - and Florence Griffith Joyner's 1988 world record is highly dubious

www.telegraph.co.uk

13

145

472

Ben Bloom

@benbloomsport

5 years

Liz McColgan-Nuttall was dropped by Nike when she became pregnant and told her career was over. A few months after giving birth she became world champion. Interview on life as a mother-athlete almost 30 years ago.

Liz McColgan-Nuttall exclusive - on being dropped by Nike while pregnant and wanting to protect...

This month's Women's Sport 12-page supplement is the Motherhood Issue and will be available in print in Thursday's paper.

www.telegraph.co.uk

9

76

460

Ben Bloom

@benbloomsport

3 years

Nigeria's Tokyo Olympics athletics experience so far: - 10 of its 23 athletes told they hadn't taken enough drug tests to be eligible one day before competition begins. - Team superstar Blessing Okagbare busted for drugs 12 hours after racing in the 100m first round.

43

256

431

Ben Bloom

@benbloomsport

6 years

Saturday, February 17: Ester Ledecka wins an Olympic skiing gold medal. Saturday, February 24: Ester Ledecka wins an Olympic snowboarding gold medal. That is a staggering achievement. Ridiculous. Wow.

4

111

427

Ben Bloom

@benbloomsport

6 years

Got to think that’s an enormous opportunity missed with Eliud Kipchoge smashing the marathon world record by 78 seconds - without doubt the greatest marathon performance by the greatest marathon runner of all time - and it wasn’t available anywhere on TV in Britain.

28

69

430

Ben Bloom

@benbloomsport

4 years

Exclusive: Britain's Diamond League blackout has been averted after the BBC signed a last-minute TV deal. It will stream live coverage of all 2020 Diamond Leagues except Brussels (which clashes with British Championships).

Exclusive: Diamond League blackout averted after BBC signs last-minute TV deal

BBC signs deal to show five of this year's six meets, starting with Monaco and followed by Stockholm, Lausanne, Rome and Doha

www.telegraph.co.uk

12

77

422

Ben Bloom

@benbloomsport

2 years

A lot of people seemed to get rather angry about Ellis Cross (who paid his own entry fee and beat Mo Farah at the Vitality London 10,000) being referred to as a club runner. So I asked him about it.

17

418

Ben Bloom

@benbloomsport

5 years

Serious perseverance from Jodie Williams. Didn’t lose a race from 2005-2010, 151 consecutive wins, ran 100m PB of 11.18 aged 17. Eight years (and a hell of a lot injuries) later, she’s just run 11.17.

4

32

405

Ben Bloom

@benbloomsport

3 years

I’ve written so much about ‘super shoes’, I decided to test them over a series of 5km time trials. Normal shoe PB: 18.38 ‘Super shoe’ PB: 17.43 Same person, same place, same weather, same preparation... 55 seconds difference. They are astonishing.

'Super shoes' are a gamechanger - they turned me into a turbo-charged runner

In just a few days, and without any training, I ran 5km almost an entire minute faster than I ever have thanks to 'super shoes'

www.telegraph.co.uk

22

58

394

Ben Bloom

@benbloomsport

5 years

Caster Semenya v IAAF case is so complex I can't understand how people hold such vehement opinions. Even the 3 judges that made the ruling were split 2 against 1. Ethical, moral, scientific, sporting debates all woven into one decision. It's a minefield.

10

62

385

Ben Bloom

@benbloomsport

3 years

Two things are true: 1. Britain has its most exciting crop of 800/1500m runners in a generation. Seriously, seriously good. 2. Track spikes technology has totally changed the game for middle and long-distance. We are going to have to recalibrate how we view times.

8

27

386

Ben Bloom

@benbloomsport

6 years

Wow. This huge 8.48m jump from Markus Rehm would have won him gold at every single able-bodied European Championships in history.

#ParaAthletics

@ParaAthletics

6 years

🚨 WORLD RECORD 🚨 Markus Rehm 🇩🇪 saves the best til last! 🔥🔥🔥 A world record of 8.48m to take 🥇 in the men’s Long Jump T64 #Berlin2018

14

389

1K

9

88

379

Ben Bloom

@benbloomsport

10 months

High jumper Laura Zialor ruptured her Achilles mid-competition while representing Britain last week. She's now had to crowdfund for surgery because British Athletics said they won't pay for it. Story for @BBCSport .

Laura Zialor: Injured high jumper shocked by UK Athletics not paying for operation

British high jumper Laura Zialor has revealed her shock at having to crowdfund her surgery after UK Athletics said it would not pay for it.

www.bbc.co.uk

30

107

377

Ben Bloom

@benbloomsport

6 years

Beth Dobbin has four jobs and works at Loughborough Uni reception, watching full-time athletes go past on their way to training. Then she took on the professionals and beat them to be crowned British 200m champion. Now she's going international.

No funding and four jobs - How Beth Dobbin beat the professionals to become British 200m champion

If the manager of Loughborough University’s reception happens to be reading this, Beth Dobbin has something to tell you:

www.telegraph.co.uk

6

74

373

Ben Bloom

@benbloomsport

3 years

Love the marathon. GB's Olympic trials winners: - Steph Davis. An unsponsored, asset management company worker who started running seriously three years ago. - Chris Thompson. A 39-year-old who first ran for Britain in 1998 and became a dad this week.

Tokyo Olympic trials: Marathon latecomer Steph Davis and Chris Thompson, 39, show it is never too...

Thompson, who turns 40 next month and welcomed his first child this week, was left in tears with Davis similarly emotional after her win

www.telegraph.co.uk

2

42

369

Ben Bloom

@benbloomsport

5 years

Alberto Salazar would never have been found guilty of doping offences and banned for four years without some excellent journalism and bravery from people who risked a lot to blow the whistle. This is a great account of how it all happened.

Alberto Salazar: The inside story of Nike Oregon Project founder's downfall

Panorama journalist Mark Daly recounts how he first started looking into Alberto Salazar and takes us through each step of the six-year investigation.

www.bbc.com

9

85

363

Ben Bloom

@benbloomsport

5 years

Nike have confirmed Eliud Kipchoge’s shoes for his sub-2hr marathon attempt are an “unreleased, updated” version of the ZoomX Vaporfly NEXT%, which are “still in the testing phase”.

21

147

331

Ben Bloom

@benbloomsport

3 years

Richard Kilty on Italy winning Eurovision, Euros football, Olympic men's 100m and 4x100m golds: "In the history of mankind this is Italy's biggest year ever. Forget the Roman Empire, Nero, all that nonsense. This is as big as it gets for them. They have conquered the world."

6

60

342

Ben Bloom

@benbloomsport

6 years

Oh my word. Take a bow Dina Asher-Smith. Handed the relay baton in fourth place, she destroyed everyone to lead Britain to gold. 100m European champion, 200m European champion and 4x100m European champion. The first British athlete in history to complete a European treble. Wow.

4

57

325

Ben Bloom

@benbloomsport

5 years

Don't care if there's precedent or if people argue it should be the ultimate test, the women's World Championships marathon should not have been run last night. There is no justification for dozens of people collapsing. Dangerous and horrible to watch.

'Really scary and daunting': World Championships women's marathon chaos as 28 athletes pull out...

The Doha World Championships descended into carnage in the early hours of Saturday morning, with close to half the women’s marathon field failing to finish as sweltering conditions caused shocking...

www.telegraph.co.uk

21

71

332

Ben Bloom

@benbloomsport

5 years

Once the fastest man in the world, Michael Johnson suffered a sudden stroke this summer and had to learn to walk again. He vowed to recover quicker than anyone ever has. Here’s his first interview since that day.

Michael Johnson interview: 'I used to be world's fastest man over 200m but after my stroke it took...

The moment that convinced Michael Johnson he would make a full recovery from his stroke felt both comfortingly familiar and horribly alien.

www.telegraph.co.uk

3

108

317

Ben Bloom

@benbloomsport

3 years

Exclusive: 1. BBC declines to put GB Olympic trials on main channels or pay for the rights, but offers to host coverage on red button/website 2. UK Athletics says BBC can't have it for free 3. GB Olympic trials aren't on TV for the first time this century

BBC refuses to pay to broadcast British Olympic athletics trials

Exclusive: UK Athletics opted against giving broadcaster free coverage this weekend, with fans instead having a basic live stream option

www.telegraph.co.uk

71

117

322

Ben Bloom

@benbloomsport

4 years

2020 as an athletics reporter: - Six months of no athletics. - Fly to Monaco for Diamond League. - Interview athletes in Monaco on the phone because not allowed face-to-face contact. - Evacuate back to Britain before Diamond League takes place to avoid quarantine.

6

29

322

Ben Bloom

@benbloomsport

4 years

If you only read one thing on the Nike Vaporfly debate, make it this from @sweatscience . Balanced, informative and a great response to people who just bellow: "Cheats!" Particularly like this imagined conversation.

7

108

324

Ben Bloom

@benbloomsport

9 years

Was ist geschehen? Und wo soll das noch hinführen?

31

82

312

Ben Bloom

@benbloomsport

9 months

“UK Athletics make us feel like the shittest athletes in the world. I feel like I am being robbed.” At least 19 British athletes will have their World Championships invitation rejected by UK Athletics. Story for @guardian_sport .

British athletes accuse UKA of ‘stealing’ World Championships chance

Furious British athletes have accused the national federation of ‘stealing’ their chance to compete at next month’s World Championships, with UK Athletics set to rip up their invitations

www.theguardian.com

30

106

319

Ben Bloom

@benbloomsport

4 years

The anti-doping whereabouts system is not flawless. And it’s a big imposition for athletes. But if you’ve missed two tests, survived a near-ban last year, the Olympics are upcoming and you’re the fastest man in the world, why would you not do EVERYTHING to avoid another miss?

14

35

315

Ben Bloom

@benbloomsport

8 years

No one has ever come within 22secs of Wang Junxia's doped up 10,000m world record set in 1993. Almaz Ayana has smashed it by 14secs. Erm...

13

188

305

Ben Bloom

@benbloomsport

5 years

Oh my god. Salwa Eid Naser (Bahrain, via Nigeria) running 48.14 seconds is the third fastest 400m time in history, behind an East German from 1985 and a Czechoslovak from 1983. Which is... interesting.

29

68

307

Ben Bloom

@benbloomsport

5 years

These two statements can’t both be true. - Farah says he’s had nothing to do with Aden (coach arrested in June 2016 for doping) since early 2015. - Gebrselassie says he banned Farah from bringing Aden into his hotel in late 2016 and so this grudge began.

Exclusive: Haile Gebrselassie - Mo Farah has held a 'grudge' ever since I turned coach accused of...

Haile Gebrselassie has made the extraordinary claim Sir Mo Farah launched his unprovoked attack about a burglary at his hotel as part of a two-year "grudge" after the Ethiopian refused to host a...

www.telegraph.co.uk

8

119

302

Ben Bloom

@benbloomsport

3 years

Commonwealth 100m champion Michelle-Lee Ahye's appeal against a ban for missed drug tests has been rejected. She said she was home and the tester didn't do enough to locate her. He was there for 72 minutes, knocked 36 times, rang the bell 12 times and called her 2 phone numbers.

14

47

300

Ben Bloom

@benbloomsport

3 years

Sifan Hassan has been named for the 1,500m, 5,000m AND 10,000m in Tokyo. Is triple Olympic gold possible? July 30, 19.00: 5,000m heats Aug 2, 9.35: 1,500m heats Aug 2, 21.40: 5,000m final Aug 4, 19.00: 1,500m semis Aug 6, 21.50: 1,500m final Aug 7, 19.45: 10,000m final

39

40

300

Ben Bloom

@benbloomsport

5 years

Two new events announced for World Relays: - Mixed 2x2x400m. One man and one woman run 400m... twice each. - Mixed shuttle hurdles. Men and women do 100/110m hurdles in opposite directions. Both sound totally bonkers but can’t wait to see them.

12

42

297

Ben Bloom

@benbloomsport

3 years

Holly Bradshaw: fought back from multiple injuries, shrugged off losing her sponsor, found another one on LinkedIn, ignored social media abuse, recovered from multiple near misses and won Britain's first Olympic pole vault medal.

Holly Bradshaw has last laugh over Nike after making history with pole vault bronze

What must Nike think now?

www.telegraph.co.uk

5

28

282

Ben Bloom

@benbloomsport

4 years

Wake, walk the dog, go to work, train, shower, eat and go to bed. 6am start, 11pm finish. Six days a week. Meet Jessie Knight, the full-time primary school teacher (and third fastest 400m runner in the world this year) with Olympic dreams.

Wake, walk the dog, go to work, train, shower, eat and go to bed – meet Jessie Knight, the primary...

Jessie Knight has returned from premature retirement to become one of the fastest 400m runners in the world this year

www.telegraph.co.uk

4

25

270

Ben Bloom

@benbloomsport

11 months

At a time when all-time greats like Faith Kipyegon, Jakob Ingebrigtsen, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, Mondo Duplantis, Ryan Crouser and others are at the peak of their powers, it's a travesty that athletics is struggling like it is. The sport doesn't struggle for superstars.

15

30

265

Ben Bloom

@benbloomsport

4 years

Confirmed dates for 2022 athletics calendar: - World Championships, July 15-July 24 - Commonwealth Games, July 27-Aug 7 - European Championships, Aug 11-Aug 21 Wonder if anyone will attempt the treble...

30

60

249

Ben Bloom

@benbloomsport

3 years

- Dina Asher-Smith (60m) - Andrew Pozzi (60m hurdles) - Jemma Reekie v Keely Hodgkinson (800m) - Laura Muir (1500m) + many other Brits If the BBC are ever inclined to stick indoor athletics on the main channel, the Lievin World Indoor Tour on Tuesday is the time.

6

24

247

Ben Bloom

@benbloomsport

7 years

Seven weeks ago, Dina Asher-Smith had not even put her spikes on after broken foot. She just came 4th in World Champs 200m. What a comeback.

3

62

229

Ben Bloom

@benbloomsport

2 years

Great photo sequence from the World Championships in the sport section of today's Telegraph.

4

46

237

Ben Bloom

@benbloomsport

7 years

If you want to get a friend into athletics, show them the London 2017 women's 1500m. If they don't like it, drop them as a friend.

5

62

237

Ben Bloom

@benbloomsport

9 years

Not sure I've ever regretted dropping German post-GCSE as much as I do now, while live blogging a Borussia Dortmund press conference

20

188

220

Ben Bloom

@benbloomsport

1 year

Many won’t admit it, but elite athletics is in a fight for its existence. It must sell its heroes better if it’s going to survive. A piece for @AthleticsWeekly on athletes and the media.

11

42

228

Ben Bloom

@benbloomsport

3 years

Given all the pre-Games super-spreader fears, it’s been an incredible achievement for the Tokyo organisers to stage an Olympics with minimal Covid impact. They took a hell of a lot of criticism beforehand, so deserve big credit for pulling it off.

6

20

226

Ben Bloom

@benbloomsport

7 years

Moments like this make athletics great - A self-coached club runner took the Tube to the London Marathon... and won.

3

89

215

Ben Bloom

@benbloomsport

2 years

“I feel like my career has been the biggest rollercoaster ever. I’m sick of my story. But I’m still not finished. Sometimes shit things happen.” Many months after her traumatic Tokyo Olympics, KJT is at peace and ready to talk as openly as always.

Katarina Johnson-Thompson interview: 'I'm not an athlete you can depend on - but I'm not finished'

After Olympic heartbreak last year, the heptathlete has changed training base again and refocussed on 2022

www.telegraph.co.uk

2

17

218

Ben Bloom

@benbloomsport

6 years

Eliud Kipchoge has just destroyed the marathon world record in Berlin: 2.01:40. That is obscene. Obscene. The greatest of all time just got even greater. Incredible. Totally and utterly incredible.

8

73

212

Ben Bloom

@benbloomsport

4 years

Exclusive: The IOC and IPC have confirmed athletes will not be allowed to ‘take a knee’ at next year’s Olympics and Paralympics.

Athletes taking a knee at Tokyo 2021 Olympics and Paralympics face bans

IOC says disciplinary action “will be taken on a case-by-case basis” but current guidelines are "still in place"

www.telegraph.co.uk

119

146

200

Ben Bloom

@benbloomsport

6 years

Made my @parkrunUK debut this morning. Such a great concept. Would definitely recommend for any level of runner.

7

9

208

Ben Bloom

@benbloomsport

5 years

This is brilliant. Dina Asher-Smith, the fastest woman in the world last year, ran for her club in a relay race against total amateurs on Saturday (and it appears was the only one with starting blocks!). Harry Kane, my Sunday League team has a game this weekend if you fancy it?

4

21

205

Ben Bloom

@benbloomsport

6 years

Photographic gold from Adelaide.

1

84

196

Ben Bloom

@benbloomsport

1 year

The response to this has been entirely unexpected and totally overwhelming. Thank you so much for all the messages - I've read every single one. Right then... that's more than enough self-indulgence. Onwards and (hopefully) upwards we go.

Ben Bloom

@benbloomsport

1 year

Sadly, while I was on paternity leave the Telegraph decided they no longer need an athletics correspondent nor my services covering other sports. So, after a great 11 years, my time there is up. Let’s see what the future holds.

206

79

2K

7

4

204

Ben Bloom

@benbloomsport

2 years

“I’m testimony that there’s light at the end of the tunnel. Everyone who is going through struggles, fight and you will come through.” A year after attempting to take his own life, Matt Hudson-Smith has won Euro gold, Commonwealth silver and world bronze.

Matthew Hudson-Smith wins European 400m gold a year after suicide attempt

After the race Hudson-Smith said: 'I’m testimony that there is always light at the end of the tunnel'

www.telegraph.co.uk

3

35

196

Ben Bloom

@benbloomsport

5 years

After Abraham Kiptum was done for doping yesterday, his manager Juan Pineda was asked if he is worried about his own reputation. I present (courtesy of @letsrundotcom ) the most worried, unworried defence of being worried in the history of worriedness. Is he worried?

11

51

193

Ben Bloom

@benbloomsport

11 months

This is a phenomenal story. Eugene Amo-Dadzie is 30 years old and only ran his first 100m race aged 26! He's now (by some margin) Europe's fastest man this year.

AW

@AthleticsWeekly

11 months

9⃣.9⃣3⃣ Eugene Amo-Dadzie, who labels himself as the "fastest accountant in the world" and started sprinting just four years ago, has clocked 9.93 (0.1) over 100m 🔥 It puts him joint-fourth on the UK all-time list and it's the joint-sixth quickest time by a Brit in history 🇬🇧

3

81

526

6

29

199

Ben Bloom

@benbloomsport

2 years

Favourite fact of these European Athletics Championships: Alex Haydock-Wilson, who won 400m bronze, is about to start a PhD on ‘Improving solar panels to make them more resistant to dust’.

2

14

194

Ben Bloom

@benbloomsport

5 years

A week ago, Amy Hunt became the fastest under-18 woman over 200m in history. Who's the male equivalent? That would be Usain Bolt.

Meet Amy Hunt: the British teenage sprinter following in the footsteps of Usain Bolt

Of the multiple records Amy Hunt broke in the space of 22.

www.telegraph.co.uk

3

28

194

Ben Bloom

@benbloomsport

5 years

Want to see how you fare against Eliud Kipchoge? Stick the running machine on 21.1kph (13.1mph) and see how far you can go. If you don’t manage a full marathon you’ve failed.

13

37

190

Ben Bloom

@benbloomsport

4 years

It’s difficult for us non-athletes to fully understand what it’s like to live by the anti-doping whereabouts system. So here’s an insight after Christian Coleman’s fourth failure in 18 months.

6

32

183

Ben Bloom

@benbloomsport

5 years

Really admire Adam Gemili’s honesty. “People always say ‘potential’ with me. I don’t like that word. I’m 25 years old, if it’s not going to happen now… I need to start performing on a world stage. There’s no real excuses for not.”

Adam Gemili ready to silence doubters after Briton reaches 200m World Athletics Championships final...

Most athletes avoid bold predictions, preferring instead to err on the side of caution.

www.telegraph.co.uk

4

10

179