The CITIUS MAG Podcast | A Running + Track and Field Show

Chris Chavez and Preet Majithia are back for a packed episode. With Preet heading to the stadium on Saturday for the London Diamond League and the aftermath of the Monaco Diamond League, there’s a lot to discuss:
– World Cup check-in: England squeaked through in a stressful Saturday night match that Preet describes as not fun to watch.
– CITIUS MAG x New Balance at the 2026 USATF Outdoor Championships
– Running’s baby boom
– Emmanuel Wanyonyi, 1000m world record, 1:11.83: Monaco Diamond League. Broke Noah Ngeny’s 27-year-old record of 1:11.96 set in Rieti in 1999. Can he inch closer to David Rudisha’s 800m WR in London?
– Julien Alfred, 21.51 in the women’s 200m: Third-fastest women’s 200 in history behind Flo-Jo (21.34) and Shericka Jackson (21.41). Why this one is not a shocker and we’re living in the best year of the women’s 200m with her, Elaine Thompson-Herah, Gabby, MJW, Shericka, plus Adaejah Hodge.
– Collen Kebinatshipi goes 43.44 and is now on the conversation for the men’s 400m world record, if he can maybe run the first 200m a bit more aggressively. The dream matchup is still Kebinatshipi vs. Samuel Ogazi.
– Masai Russell’s dominance: The five fastest women’s 100 hurdles times of 2026 all belong to Masai Russell. Off the final hurdle, she sometimes begins to celebrate slightly before the line — that tiny relaxation may be the difference between her and the world record.
– Agnes Ngetich runs 8:08.95 for No. 3 all-time in the 3000m, but what’s up with Faith Kipyegon?
– Graham Blanks showcased his best kick against pros in the 5000m in Monaco, which he nearly won.
– More from the Monaco Diamond League
– Russia was reinstated by the International Olympic Committee but there is still more to be sorted by Seb Coe and World Athletics’ stance to keep Russian and Belarusian athletes out until the war in Ukraine ends
– Celebrating records by decades rather than all-time to sidestep the doping era problems
– Unpacking Josh Kerr’s London mile world record attempt now that the full start list has been revealed. Preet argues that most of the field will just get on the fast train with Yared Nuguse as the potential spoiler if Kerr falters. Chris wants Hobbs Kessler to play spoiler from the gun by fighting for the front early.
– The women’s 800m has been billed as Keely Hodgkinson’s world record attempt for months but it should be framed as a comeback race for the Olympic champion. The field is legitimately dangerous with Georgia Hunter-Bell and Femke Bol.
+ More
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SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS
BANDIT: For 2026, Bandit is providing support for any Unsponsored athletes competing at the USATF Outdoor Championships. Every contract includes a release clause so an athlete can sign with a bigger brand the moment an offer lands. 11 Unsponsored alumni have already gone on to deals with some of the largest footwear brands in the world. Competing at USATF Outdoors? Interested? Contact: ⁠⁠⁠timrossi@banditrunning.com⁠⁠⁠
CORE: The CORE 2 Thermal Sensor takes the guessing out of heat training. It reads your core body temperature in real time - no thermometer, nothing invasive, and you can actually see what's happening inside your body while you train. ⁠⁠⁠⁠Take 10% off the CORE 2 with code CITIUS10 at checkout when you visit corebodytemp.com.⁠⁠⁠⁠
VELOUS: VELOUS makes recovery footwear designed to help runners bounce back faster between sessions. Their sandals feature Tri-Motion™ Technology: a technical three-density foam system and contoured footbed engineered to cushion impact, support your arches, and help your toes stretch and relax on every step. Run. Recover. Repeat. with VELOUS! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Get 20% off your VELOUS order with code CITIUSMAG20 at checkout including FREE Shipping!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

“You just have to have that confidence in anything you do. That was the biggest thing that had driven me… Having that extreme level of confidence and delusion. You want it to seem hard, but you don't want it to seem impossible.”
My guest for today's episode is Marco Langon, the 21-year-old distance runner out of the state of New Jersey who just finished his career at Villanova and signed a professional contract with Diodora. He made his pro debut at the Pre Classic and is currently in Germany as he gets started on his European circuit tour.
His resume is strong from his four years at Villanova. He ran a personal best of 3:32 in the 1500m, 7:34 in the 3K, and 13:05 in the 5K, all which put him in the top four in NCAA history. He was at the center of some of the most dramatic finishes of the past season: He dove at the finish line in his duel against Habtom Samuel at BU, and he anchored Villanova to the 4xmile title at Penn Relays after some hotly contested back to back days against Oregon and their anchor, Simeon Birnbaum.
His story is pretty impactful. He grew up watching his mom, a lunch lady, navigate a divorce and make ends meet for him and his sister on a single income, and he was stocking shelves in a convenience store freezer while in high school, crying because he knew that that couldn't be his life. He’s someone who has been committed to exploring how good he can be at this sport because it could lead to him providing for his family.
He signed with Diadora specifically because they took a chance on him before anyone else did when he signed his NIL deal. His personality is not one that necessarily fits into some of the bigger brands marketing strategy and he's quick to admit that himself. So, in this chat, we get into all of that from the moments in that QuickCheck freezer that made the dream feel urgent, his full ride to Villanova, what he's taking from coach Marcus O'Sullivan and what they also butted heads on, the Penn Relays anchor that he describes as the most relieved he's ever felt rather than the happiest, the 1500m versus 5K debate that he's still processing, and what he's looking forward to in his first season as a pro.
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Host: Chris Chavez | ⁠⁠@chris_j_chavez
Guest: Marco Langon | @marcolangon
Produced by: Jasmine Fehr | ⁠⁠⁠@jasminefehr
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SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS
BANDIT: For 2026, Bandit is providing support for any Unsponsored athletes competing at the USATF Outdoor Championships. Every contract includes a release clause so an athlete can sign with a bigger brand the moment an offer lands. 11 Unsponsored alumni have already gone on to deals with some of the largest footwear brands in the world. Competing at USATF Outdoors? Interested? Contact: ⁠⁠timrossi@banditrunning.com⁠⁠
CORE: The CORE 2 Thermal Sensor takes the guessing out of heat training. It reads your core body temperature in real time - no thermometer, nothing invasive, and you can actually see what's happening inside your body while you train. ⁠⁠⁠Take 10% off the CORE 2 with code CITIUS10 at checkout when you visit corebodytemp.com.⁠⁠⁠
VELOUS: VELOUS makes recovery footwear designed to help runners bounce back faster between sessions. Their sandals feature Tri-Motion™ Technology: a technical three-density foam system and contoured footbed engineered to cushion impact, support your arches, and help your toes stretch and relax on every step. Run. Recover. Repeat. with VELOUS! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Get 20% off your VELOUS order with code CITIUSMAG20 at checkout including FREE Shipping!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Chris Chavez, Kyle Merber and Preet Majithia recap all of the major action at the 2026 Prefontaine Classic. Streaks ended, young stars arrived, and the whole distance-and-sprint order got shaken up in a single afternoon in Eugene.
Discussed in this episode:
– Tate Taylor wins the men’s 200m in 19.75 into a -0.9 headwind: The biggest surprise of the meet. Tebogo was the overwhelming favorite. We discuss why it’s different from the Gout Gout 19.67. Taylor confirmed he will not be running USAs, and the World U20 Championships in Eugene in August is now the most anticipated junior sprint matchup of the year.
– Nikki Hiltz wins the mile in 4:17.49: Ends Faith Kipyegon’s five-year, 24-race unbeaten streak in 1500m/mile events on the track, dating to a loss to Sifan Hassan in Florence on June 10, 2021.
– This was not peak Faith Kipyegon; Faith posted on Instagram after: “Since Shanghai, I’ve been dealing with a hamstring injury, but the last two weeks have been a step in the right direction.”
– Cam Myers wins the Bowerman Mile in 3:46.06: First Australian to win the Bowerman Mile. Six days after running 3:28.00 in Paris, he sat in, took control at 600m, and closed the final 100 in 13.1 — the fastest of the race. Yared Nuguse second. Ethan Strand third in 3:46.97 after being well back at the bell.
– Kyle’s argument: please stop making athletes announce signings right before major races.
– Josh Kerr, London Diamond League, July 18th: Ten days out from his world record attempt. He’s been living in his altitude tent for twelve hours a day, writing for The Telegraph, and posting workouts that Kyle described as “giving serious hope”
– Lilian Odira beats Keely Hodgkinson in the women’s 800m, 1:56.19 to 1:56.73.
– World record watch for London: Keely’s situation two weeks out makes any WR talk look ambitious. She’s still on the start list.
– Melissa Jefferson-Wooden beats Sha’Carri Richardson in the women’s 100m, 10.78 to 10.79: MJW extends her unbeaten 100m streak to ten races since the Paris Olympic final.
– Sha’Carri’s start looked better than it has at points this season. She’s firmly back.
– Kayinsola Ajayi wins the men’s 100m in 9.84: Beats world champion Oblique Seville (9.89). Ties his PB and national record. A college kid finishing an NCAA season and immediately beating the world champion validates the performance.
– Jamal Britt wins the men’s 110m hurdles over Ja'kobe Tharp: Kyle’s call from the preview episode vindicated.
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Hosts: Chris Chavez | ⁠⁠⁠@chris_j_chavez⁠⁠⁠ + Preet Majithia | ⁠⁠⁠⁠@preet_athletics⁠⁠⁠⁠ + Kyle Merber | @kylemerber
Produced by: Jasmine Fehr |⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠@jasminefehr⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
____________
SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS
BANDIT: For 2026, Bandit is providing support for any Unsponsored athletes competing at the USATF Outdoor Championships. Every contract includes a release clause so an athlete can sign with a bigger brand the moment an offer lands. 11 Unsponsored alumni have already gone on to deals with some of the largest footwear brands in the world. Competing at USATF Outdoors? Interested? Contact: ⁠timrossi@banditrunning.com⁠
CORE: The CORE 2 Thermal Sensor takes the guessing out of heat training. It reads your core body temperature in real time - no thermometer, nothing invasive, and you can actually see what's happening inside your body while you train. ⁠⁠Take 10% off the CORE 2 with code CITIUS10 at checkout when you visit corebodytemp.com.⁠⁠
VELOUS: VELOUS makes recovery footwear designed to help runners bounce back faster between sessions. Their sandals feature Tri-Motion™ Technology: a technical three-density foam system and contoured footbed engineered to cushion impact, support your arches, and help your toes stretch and relax on every step. Run. Recover. Repeat. with VELOUS! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Get 20% off your VELOUS order with code CITIUSMAG20 at checkout including FREE Shipping!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

CITIUS MAG crew is LIVE from Hayward Field in Eugene, previewing everything you need to know before the meet with special guests, athlete interviews, and predictions across the whole card. This show is a partnership between CITIUS MAG and TrackTown USA, streamed from the VIP Village and Fan Festival stage.
Fans looking to watch every minute of the action will have to toggle between a few different networks, but the easiest and most consistent way to watch is on Peacock (subscription required), which will stream the final hour of Friday, July 3, from 11:30pm-12:30am EDT and the hot window on Saturday, July 4, from 4:00pm-6:00pm EDT.
⁠You can read our meet preview here⁠ and listen to ⁠our full meet preview episode here⁠.
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In today's show, Paul Hof-Mahoney and Karen Lesiewicz recap yesterday's action, preview the events ahead this afternoon, and welcome on a few guests, including Dawn Staley, Brandon Miller, Cooper Lutkenhaus, & Val Allman.
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Hosts: Paul Hof-Mahoney | ⁠@phofmahoney⁠ + Karen Lesiewicz | ⁠@karen_les

CITIUS MAG crew is LIVE from Hayward Field in Eugene, previewing everything you need to know before the meet with special guests, athlete interviews, and predictions across the whole card. This show is a partnership between CITIUS MAG and TrackTown USA, streamed from the VIP Village and Fan Festival stage.
Fans looking to watch every minute of the action will have to toggle between a few different networks, but the easiest and most consistent way to watch is on Peacock (subscription required), which will stream the final hour of Friday, July 3, from 11:30pm-12:30am EDT and the hot window on Saturday, July 4, from 4:00pm-6:00pm EDT.
You can read our meet preview here and listen to our full meet preview episode here.
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Hosts: Paul Hof-Mahoney | @phofmahoney + Karen Lesiewicz | @karen_les