Featured image: Thelma Davies, Joseph Fahnbulleh, Destiny Smith-Barnett.

The 2025 World Athletics Championships is taking place in Tokyo, Japan, from Sept. 13 to 21. 

The track and field competition, which began as a global event held every four years, and was first hosted in Helsinki, Finland, in 1983, is now held every two years. This year, Liberia is present with three standout athletes: Thelma Davies, Destiny Smith-Barnett, and Joseph Fahnbulleh.

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Both Davies and Smith-Barnett performed in the women’s 100 meters race on day one of the Championships. Davies will also compete in the women’s 200m starting on Wednesday, while Fahnbulleh joins her representing Liberia in the men’s 200m that same day.  

A closer look at Liberia’s 2025 World Championships team

Davies was first up for Liberia on Saturday and has been a standout performer this season.

She ran 10.91 seconds in June setting a new Liberian national record in the women’s 100 meters. Davies also claimed a 200m victory and ran a season’s best 22.41 at the BAUHAUS-Galan Diamond League Series meet that same month. 

On Saturday, she had a close third-place finish in her heat, running 11.12, and advanced to Sunday’s semifinals, where she placed seventh in her heat with an 11.24 run and missed out on a spot at the finals.  

“I’m excited to be here,” Davies told GTL. “I look forward to competing and representing Liberia well.”

Smith-Barnett also competed on Saturday, but did not advance. She ran 11.33 and finished fifth in her heat.

Despite being knocked out in round one, Smith-Barnett has been sharp throughout 2025, including her appearance at the 2025 World Indoor Championships and a second place finish at the Beijing Continental Tour in 11.28 seconds. 

“I’m excited. We’re healthy, prepared and it’s the last race of the season.” She said before the race. “Might as well go out with a bang and have fun doing it.”

Fahnbulleh, a two-time Olympian, enters the men’s 200 meters with a season best of 20.07 seconds, proving his consistency on the Diamond League circuit. His strong 2025 campaign puts him in contention to advance deep into the rounds.

“Happy to race again, I call Japan my second home. Can’t wait to show y’all what I can do.” 

Key events and how to watch

Liberia has wrapped its day one and two performance. Next up is the men’s and women’s 200m events, which will unfold in the middle of the championships starting on Sept. 17, with semifinals on Sept. 18, and finals on Sept. 19.

  • Women’s 100m: Heats Sept. 13, Semifinals and Finals Sept. 14 
  • Women’s 200m: Heats on Sept. 17, Semifinals on Sept. 18, Final on Sept. 19
  • Men’s 200m: Heats on Sept. 17, Semifinals on Sept. 18, Final on Sept.19

SuperSport Africa 1 is streaming the World Athletic Championships in Liberia. The race is also live on Peacock or CNBC if watching from the USA.  As always, stay up to date on Team Liberia with GTL on all our social media platforms.

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