Hayward Magic: New Balance soars to success at the 2022 World Championships

Hayward magic is real.

As the World Championships took place in the United States for the first time in the history of the championships, we saw world records get shattered, national records fall and personal bests broken. The best in the world went head to head for 10 days in front of a vibrant crowd at the University of Oregon's Hayward Field, in what would have been the most electrifying international track event in recent years, following the Tokyo Olympics in which fans were barred from entry.

Athletes took advantage of the big crowd and the performances reflected this, including  stand out races from: Sydney McLaughlin, Femke Bol, Trayvon Bromell, Jake Wightman, Emma Coburn, Lindsey Butterworth and  Charles Philibert-Thiboutot.

These New Balance athletes are all about empowering people at the intersection of sport and culture, and wow did they ever do that! Read on for their championship highlights, learn about the shoes they like to train in and their collegiate experiences.

Sydney McLaughlin, USA, - Fresh Foam X 880v12

The Championships

Sydney McLaughlin is a once in a generation athlete and she has proven that once again. Each time she stepped on the track there were flames. Going into this championship McLaughlin was already the world record holder in the 400m hurdles. She had shattered the world record multiple times since the start of 2021 (51.90, 51.46, 51.41) and as of July 22, 2022, she did it yet again with a blistering 50.68, making her the first woman to ever go under 51 seconds in the event. Not to mention she won the race by more than 1.5 seconds and would have placed 7th in the flat 400m final with her hurdle time.

McLaughlin took to the track one last time at the championships to anchor the USA Women’s 4x400m team, running an incredible 47.91 second split. No other woman in the field split faster than 49.39 seconds.

The University of Kentucky

In 2016 McLaughlin signed a National Letter of Intent with the University of Kentucky. In what was her only collegiate year - before she turned professional with New Balance - McLaughlin set a world junior record in the 400m (50.36) and broke the NCAA record in the 400m hurdles (52.75).

How about when it comes to training?

McLaughlin enjoys the Fresh Foam X 880v12. The New Balance 880 has a full-length Fresh Foam X midsole on a 10mm drop, which provides athletes with a traditional underfoot feel that is forgiving for day-in, day-out training.  Sydney likes the 880 for the daily protection she gets while performing in it during tempos, drills, warmups…whenever she’s not in spikes.

Femke Bol, Netherlands - Fresh Foam X 880v12

The Championships

Seven months younger than her 400m hurdle and New Balance counterpart Sydney McLaughlin, Femke Bol upgraded her Olympic Bronze to a World Championships Silver, running a time of 52.27 to equal her season's best. Bol is the third-fastest woman all time in the event and holds the European record with a time of 52.03.

She also earned another silver for the Netherlands while in Oregon, as part of the Mixed 4x400m relay. As a member of the Dutch quartet, Bol took the baton well behind the leading team, but ran a sizzling anchor leg of 48.95 to run her team all the way to second place and a national record time of 3:09.90!

Wageningen University & Research

Femke Bol is a student of Communication Sciences at the Wageningen University of Research, a public university in the Netherlands. The university specializes in technical and engineering subjects.

How about when it comes to training?

Bol enjoys the Fresh Foam X 880v12. With the 880’s full-length, forgiving midsole being Fresh Foam X, it is 3D designed to offer cushioning and support for a 360 degree underfoot experience.  With some of the daily pounding from hurdle drills, the 10mm offset in the 880 delivers a forgiving feel on the rear lower leg compartment.

Trayvon Bromell, USA - FuelCell Rebel v2

The Championships

In what was an American sweep in the Men’s 100m, Trayvon Bromell ran away with a third place finish! It has been quite the road for Bromell, so much so that he was in tears (of joy!) after receiving his bronze medal. Having suffered a torn Achilles in 2016, Bromell finally returned to form in 2021 where he won the 2021 Olympic Trials in the 100m; however, he failed to make the finals at the Olympics, even though he ran a world-leading 9.76 seconds over the 100m after the Games.

Flash forward to 2022 and Bromwell is back on the podium, having been a part of the first American sweep at worlds since Carl Lewis, Leroy Burrell and Dennis Mitchell in 1991. A true story of perseverance.

Baylor University

2014 was the first year Bromell competed in the NCAA, representing Baylor. He tied the world junior record running 10.01 over 100m. Later that season, at the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships, he ran a 9.92 (+2.2 wind) in the 100m semi-finals, but the following day ran a 9.97 (+1.8 wind) giving him sole possession of the record and making him the first freshman since 2005 to win the 100m NCAA title. He turned professional later in the 2015 year with New Balance.

How about when it comes to training?

Bromwll enjoys the FuelCell Rebel v2. The Rebel is a popular favourite because of its explosive POP coming from the TPU blended FuelCell midsole, that is remarkably ‘bouncy’.  With a 6mm drop and a pronounced toe spring, the NB Rebel is built to BLAST on shape, underfoot, and a locked down spikes-like fit.

Jake Wightman, Great Britain - Fresh Foam X 860v12

The Championships

Jake Wightman had the run of his life, his golden run.

Wightman came into the championship as the British 1500m champion; however, in a stacked field in the men’s 1500m, which included the likes of Olympic champion, Jakob Ingerbrigsten and defending champion, Timothy Cheruiyot, all eyes were on his teammate Josh Kerr, the Olympic bronze medalist, to pull the upset.  But in his moment of glory, Wightman stunned the world to take the Gold and to make the moment even sweeter, Wightman’s father, Geoff Wightman, was on the stadium commentary watching his son be crowned World Champion.

“That’s my son, and he’s the World Champion!”

Loughborough University

Wightman attended Melville College and Fettes College, before studying at Loughborough University, a public research university in Loughborough, Leicestershire, England.

How about when it comes to training?

Wightman enjoys the Fresh Foam X 860v12. The New Balance 860 is on a 10mm drop and has a medial post, giving inner arch structure for the pronating foot over prolonged miles.  The underfoot is a bit more firm and responsive, compared with some other taller stack height, softer shoes.  For a Miler like Jake, he’s totally good to run daily training in 860’s and then wear light, fast shoes just for hard workouts and race day; the variety in footwear for different training sessions helps to promote health and consistency.

Emma Coburn, USA - Fresh Foam X 1080v12

The Championships

“I wanted to get a medal or die trying”, Coburn said in a post race interview.

Last month, Coburn won her 10th US Steeplechase championship on the exact track she stepped foot on in her bid to win her second world championship. Coburn won her first title and championship gold at the 2017 World Championships in London, but in what was a fast race to the finish line, that saw multiple national records fall, Coburn found herself in eighth place, after a valiant effort in the championship final.

University of Colorado Boulder

During her time at the University of Colorado Boulder, Coburn became a three-time NCAA Champion, twice in the steeplechase and once in the indoor mile, not to mention she graduated as a six-time All-American. As a junior Coburn won the 2011 USA outdoor title in the steeplechase and made the US steeple team that was going onto the World Championships in Daegu, South Korea. The following year, Coburn made the Olympic team after redshirting the collegiate outdoor season to focus on the trials.

How about when it comes to training?

Coburn enjoys the Fresh Foam X 1080 v12. The New Balance 1080 is the go-to premium cushioning training shoe in the NB line-up, with an 8mm drop.  With a generous amount of Fresh Foam X cushioning and taller stack heights than the 880, the 1080 is very protective for athletes who undergo pounding on the body, whether that be from mileage, plyometrics, or overall cumulative training gains.  The 1080 is what Team NB athletes use as proactive injury prevention, reducing repetitive impact.

Lindsey Butterworth, Canada - Fresh Foam X 1080v12

The Championships

One of Canada’s most dominant 800m runners, Lindsey Butterworth has competed on the international stage numerous times, including the 2017 and 2019 World Championships and the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. The 2022 World Championships was routine as usual, with Butterworth again being named to the National Team.

A two-time Canadian champion with a personal best of 1:59.19, Butterworth easily moved on from the first round of the 800s, running the 8th fastest time in the heats out of the event's 45 competitors. Unfortunately, Butterworth failed to move past the semi-finals, but it is only up from here!

Simon Fraser University

During her time as a collegiate runner for Simon Fraser University, Butterworth won an NAIA bronze in the 1500m,  won the NCAA D-II 800m indoor and outdoor titles and represented Canada in the 800m at the Universiade FISU World University Games.

Simon Fraser University is the only Canadian school that competes in the NCAA, after they made the transition from being an NAIA institution.

How about when it comes to training?

Butterworth enjoys the Fresh Foam X 1080v12.  Lindsey is a long-time supporter of the 1080 series, starting from her time with the Rackets & Runners specialty store in Vancouver, BC.  Lindsey wears the 1080 for all types of training, for mileage longer runs, tempo work, drills and even speedwork sometimes.  The range of the highly cushioned 1080 is broad, and the v12 gets lighter and faster.

Charles Philibert-Thiboutot, Canada - FuelCell RC Elite v2

The Championships

At the Canadian Track and Field Championships in June, CPT was back on top once again taking the win in the 5,000m. He ran this same event at the World Track and Field Championships, along with the 1500m, a true distance double.

Philibert-Thiboutot was one of three Canadians to reach the semi-final of the men’s 1500m, running a season's best time of 3:35.02 in the process, ahead of Olympic Champion Jakob Ingerbrigsten. However when it came time to make the final, CPT narrowly missed the mark. He took to the heats of the 5000m only days later.

Université Laval

During his time at the Université Laval Philibert-Thiboutot was named the 2013 and 2015 Canadian Interuniversity Sport Athlete of the Year. In 2012 he finished second in the 1500m at both the CIS Championships and NACAC U23 Championships and competed at the 2014 installment of the World University Cross-Country Championships in Uganda.

How about when it comes to training?

Philibert-Thiboutot enjoys the FuelCell RC Elite v2. The RC Elite is NB’s higher stacked carbon-plated race day shoe, and Milers like CPT will wear them in a range of workouts from faster interval sessions, to longer tempo sessions on the road.  CPT will wear a range of footwear like sometimes the lower profile 1400, or these higher profile RC Elite’s, which help to offer different stimulus and facilitate different training adaptations.  The RC Elite is NB’s World Athletics regulation compliant carbon race day shoe at 37mm in the heel.

How about for you?

Do you feel inspired to become that best athlete you can be? Head to https://streamlineathletes.com to start your own journey to post-secondary academics and athletics. You won’t know your potential until you take that next step! Who knows, maybe you will be a future World Champion.