World Athletics Championships 2025: Top 8 clashes to watch out for ft Noah Lyles Vs Kishane Thompson

The World Athletics Championships 2025 will witness some of the fiercest clashes in the domain of track and field this time. From the battle of supremacy between Noah Lyles and Kishane Thompson to the clash between Dalilah Muhammad and Femke Bol, the stage is set for a grand display of fireworks.

The current edition of the World Athletics Championships 2025 will be held from September 13 to September 21 this year. The venue for this event will be the National Stadium of Tokyo, which had previously served as the main venue for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

The World Athletics Championships 2025 will witness multiple clashes. One of the most awaited events will be undoubtedly the men's 100m, where athletes like Noah Lyles and Kishane Thompson will be aiming for the ultimate supremacy. While Noah Lyles is the reigning Olympic champion, Thompson is the current world-leading athlete in this discipline.

Likewise, former world record holder in women's 400m hurdles Dalilah Muhammad will be representing the USA for one final time at the World Athletics Championships 2025. However, the road to a gold medal will be far from a cakewalk, since Dutch athlete Femke Bol will be leaving no stone unturned to defend her title from the Budapest edition of 2023.

Following are some of the most intense clashes that the audience may get to witness at the World Athletics Championships 2025 in Tokyo:

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Most anticipated clashes to watch out for at the World Athletics Championships 2025 ft. Noah Lyles vs. Kishane Thompson

#1) Noah Lyles vs Kishane Thompson [Men's 100m]

Will Kishane Thompson have the last laugh this time? [Image Source : Getty]

The most talked about event at the World Athletics Championships 2025 is undoubtedly the men's 100m, whose finals shall be held on September 14, only a day after the commencement of the Championships.

Jamaican sprinter Kishane Thompson, as well as his teammate Oblique Seville, hopes to restore the Jamaican supremacy as they clash against the reigning Olympic champion Noah Lyles, who is also the defending champion from the previous edition in Budapest.

However, Lyles is equally eager to prove his mettle, having won the Diamond League title in the men's 200m event a couple of weeks ago.

#2) Femke Bol vs Dalilah Muhammad [Women's 400m hurdles]

Will Dalilah Muhammad get the perfect ending? [Image Source : Getty]

Though the women's 400m hurdles event will miss the presence of Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, a clash is still on the cards.

Former Olympic champion and world record holder Dalilah Muhammad will be aiming to end her career on a golden high with a gold medal in the women's 400m hurdles event.

However, this would be far from a cakewalk, since the American stalwart is facing Dutch champion Femke Bol, who is also the current defending champion in this event. Having won the Diamond League trophy at Zurich, Bol would like nothing better than a golden finish to the 2025 season.

#3) Winfred Yavi vs Faith Cherotich [Women's 3000m Steeplechase]

Time for Faith Cherotich to settle scores [Image Source : Getty]

Another intense clash will be seen at the World Athletics Championships 2025 in the women's steeplechase event, whose finals shall be held on September 17.

On one side is the reigning Olympic champion Winfred Yavi, who is also the defending champion in the event. On the other side is Kenyan runner Faith Cherotich, who had won the Olympic bronze medal in the women's 3000m steeplechase at the Paris Olympics last year.

Fresh from her victory at the Diamond League finals held in Zurich a couple of weeks ago, Cherotich will be aiming to topple Yavi and win her first World Championship title this year.

#4) Ryan Crouser vs Leonardo Fabbri [Men's Shot Put]

Another legendary clash loading in Shot Put [Men's] [Image Source : Getty]

It's David vs. Goliath in men's shot put this time. The finals will be held on the opening day itself, i.e., tomorrow [13 September].

On one side is the legend himself, Ryan Crouser, who has never lost a single World Championship edition since 2019 [where he finished second]. However, this time, the three-time Olympic champion would be facing one of the biggest challenges in the form of Leonardo Fabbri, who had won the silver medal at the Budapest edition in 2023.

The Italian shot putter had shocked Crouser as he went on to win the Diamond League finals last year, after he finished on the fifth position at the Paris Olympics held a few months before. This time, Fabbri would want to settle the scores in style.

#5) Sha'Carri Richardson vs Julien Alfred [Women's 200m]

Will Sha'Carri Richardson get the perfect ending for 2025? [Image Source : Getty]

Sha'Carri Richardson hopes for a perfect season ending this year, and what better than a gold medal at the World Athletics Championships 2025?

However, standing in her way is the current Olympic as well as the Diamond League champion, Julien Alfred from St. Lucia. The sprinter had previously won the indoor title last year and would like nothing better than to add another feather to her cap with a gold medal at the World Championships in Tokyo this time.

#6) Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone vs Marileidy Paulino [Women's 400m]

Stage set for the most intense clash of the World Athletics Championships 2025 [Image Source : Getty]

If you thought that the most anticipated clash at the World Athletics Championships 2025 would be the men's 100m final, wait for the women's 400m finals scheduled for September 18.

Olympic champion Marileidy Paulino, who also holds the current Olympic record for the women's 400m, will be facing world record holder Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, who is participating for the first time in the 400m dash at the World Championships.

Apart from the two, Bahraini athlete Salwa Eid Naser is also expected to spring a surprise, making this event one of the most anticipated clashes of this edition.

#7) Neeraj Chopra vs Arshad Nadeem [Men's Javelin Throw]

Will Neeraj make it even against Arshad this year? [Image Source : Getty]

Last year, Neeraj Chopra was expected to make it two in a row at the Paris Olympics. However, out of nowhere, Pakistani javelin thrower Arshad Nadeem shocked him as well as the entire world, setting a new Olympic record of 92.97m to win Pakistan's first individual Olympic gold medal in the history of the quadrennial event.

Though Nadeem is not in the best form after having undergone surgery for his calf injury, he is expected to spring a surprise like he did at Paris last year. However, the National Stadium in Tokyo has been lucky for Neeraj Chopra, who had created history at the same venue four years ago in the Tokyo Olympics, becoming the first Indian as well as the first Asian to win an Olympic gold medal in javelin throw.

At the World Athletics Championships 2025, Neeraj Chopra will be aiming to not only add another feather to his cap but also restore his supremacy against a fiercely competitive lineup of throwers like Arshad Nadeem, Julian Weber, and Anderson Peters, among others. The finals of the men's javelin throw will be held at the National Stadium on September 18.

#8) Tara Davis-Woodhall vs Malaika Mihambo [Women's Long Jump]

Will Tara Davis-Woodhall get her first World title? [Image Source : Getty]

One of the most underrated clashes at the World Athletics Championships has to be the women's long jump event, whose finals will be held on September 14.

While German long jumper Malaika Mihambo will be hoping to restore her lost glory at the World Athletics Championships 2025, she will be facing her archrival and reigning Olympic champion Tara Davis-Woodhall.

Woodhall has won almost every major athletic tournament except the World Championships, where her best performance has been a silver medal at the previous edition held in Budapest. This time, the 26-year-old long jumper wants to change the color of the medal to gold.