Tokyo, July 13, 2025 — With just two months to go until the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 25, legendary athletes Sally Pearson and Christian Taylor have been unveiled as official World Athletics ambassadors for the event. The duo, who boast a combined total of six World Championships titles, will be in Tokyo to support and inspire the next generation of track and field stars during the nine-day global competition, which runs from September 13 to 21 at the newly upgraded National Stadium. From Rising Talents to World Champions Pearson, one of Australia’s greatest hurdlers, made her World Championships debut in Osaka in 2007, where she reached the semifinals in both the 100m and 100m hurdles. She had earlier featured in Australia’s 4x100m relay squad as a 16-year-old at the 2003 Championships in Paris. Her career highlights include: World 100m hurdles titles in 2011 (Daegu) and 2017 (London) Silver medal at the 2013 World Championships Olympic gold in 2012 (London) and silver in 2008 (Beijing) World indoor 60m hurdles gold in 2012, and silver in 2014 “That’s when I decided I wanted that as my career; I wanted to be a professional athlete,” Pearson recalled of her first experience at the World Championships. “Being at peak performance at the highest level of our sport is something dreams are made of. That’s why being selected as an athlete ambassador is a huge honour.” Christian Taylor, one of the greatest triple jumpers in history, launched his international career at the World U18 Championships in Ostrava (2007), winning triple jump gold and long jump bronze. He made an instant impact at senior level, claiming triple jump gold at his debut World Championships in Daegu 2011, before going on to become a: Four-time World Champion in triple jump (2011, 2015, 2017, 2019) Two-time Olympic gold medallist (London 2012, Rio 2016) World indoor silver medallist (2012) His North American record jump of 18.21m, achieved in Beijing 2015, ranks second on the all-time list, just behind Jonathan Edwards’ 1995 world record. “I have the privilege of cheering on and witnessing phenomenal performances in Tokyo, my favourite city in the world,” Taylor said. “My first World Championships was a turning point. I went with nothing to lose and came back with a world title. That snowball effect changed my career. I hope to pass that positive energy to the new athletes.” Global Stars, Local Inspiration As ambassadors, Pearson and Taylor will engage with fans, young athletes, and the global athletics community, helping to promote the values of excellence, resilience, and global unity through sport. The Tokyo 25 Championships, marking the 20th edition of the competition, promise to be one of the most anticipated athletics events in recent history, with athletes from over 200 countries set to compete. Organisers say the presence of Pearson and Taylor will inspire both participants and spectators, many of whom still remember their breathtaking performances on the world stage.
Pearson, Taylor Named Ambassadors for World Athletics Championships Tokyo 25
