Obiri, O’Brien and four Budapest medallists among 23 athletes entering MOWA

The World Athletics Heritage Collection, displayed on the Museum of World Athletics (MOWA) online 3D platform, welcomes iconic artifacts from renowned athletes.

Among them are the singlet worn by Kenya’s Hellen Obiri and the singlet and bodysuit worn by USA’s Dan O’Brien, both multiple world champions.

Notable additions include Obiri’s 2023 Boston Marathon-winning singlet and artifacts from Olympic marathon champions Frank Shorter (USA) and Stefano Baldini (Italy). The collection features the donation from Italian runner Orlando Pizzolato, a two-time New York City Marathon winner.

The 1991 World Championships outfits of decathlon world record breaker Dan O’Brien and items from World Athletics Council Member Sylvia Barlag, who set a heptathlon world best in 1979, are also on display. The selfless generosity of athletes like Faith Kipyegon (Kenya) and Grant Holloway (USA), who donated their championship-winning items, adds a unique touch to the exhibit.

Kenya’s Kipyegon gifted her spikes to Sandrine Prokopowicz, World Athletics’ Technical Services Manager, who then contributed the spikes to MOWA.

Anjelina Lohalith, a member of the Athlete Refugee Team, made a remarkable donation by giving her winning singlet from the European Champion Clubs Cup Cross Country in February 2023, marking the ART’s first international victory.

In total, 30 artifacts from 23 athletes representing 11 countries, including the Athlete Refugee Team, have been added to MOWA’s online galleries, spanning four continental areas.

The items, donated in 2023, were previously exhibited during the five-month-long MOWA Heritage Athletics Exhibition in Budapest, celebrating 40 years of the World Athletics Championships.

Currently, the new additions are on display at the World Athletics offices in Monaco, with plans to exhibit some of them in the MOWA Indoor Athletics Exhibition in Glasgow from February 3 to March 3, leading up to the World Athletics Indoor Championships in the Scottish city. Additionally, three more athletes who generously donated artifacts in 2023 will be featured when a new gallery is launched next year.