Weini Kelati Realizes Olympic Dream 10 Years after Defecting from Eritrea – RUN | Powered by Outside

Weini Kelati Realizes Olympic Dream 10 Years after Defecting from Eritrea – RUN | Powered by Outside

Powered by Outside
Three years after becoming a U.S. citizen, Kelati will race in the 10,000 meters in the Paris Olympics for Team USA
Weini Kelati crosses the finish line to win the women’s 10,000 meter final on Day Nine of the 2024 U.S. Olympic Team Track & Field Trials at Hayward Field on June 29, 2024 in Eugene, Oregon. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images) Photo: Getty Images
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Ten years ago, Weini Kelati arrived in Eugene, Oregon, for the World Junior Championships and never went home.
As a 17-year-old coming from her native Eritrea, she had ambitious plans to run a strong 3,000-meter race, but she was also intent on staying in the U.S. to escape the political oppression of the Eritrean government. She finished eighth in the race that day, but then she wound up defecting from her home country by connecting with family members in Virginia, where her running career started in earnest.
A decade later, on the night of June 29 in Eugene, the 27-year-old American runner reached her next big goal of becoming a U.S. Olympian by winning the U.S. Olympic Trials 10,000 meters in 31:41.07. Now she’ll race in the event in the Olympics on August 9 in Paris.
“It’s crazy because I get pretty emotional every time I come here to run because I have all the memories of when I left my family, but not this year,” Kelati said after the race in Eugene. “I just wanted to come out here, focus on my race, and just perform well. This year I was working mentally just to get prepared, and it worked out. I can’t really process it all now, but I will soon. Right now, I just can’t believe it.”
Collegiate star Parker Valby of the University of Florida turned in her best race of the trials, snatching up second place (31:41.56) in an all-out sprint that ended in a photo finish with Nike pro Karissa Schweizer (31:41.56). Kelati, Valby, and Schweizer will represent Team USA in the event in Paris, competing in arguably the deepest field in the event’s Olympic history.
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Kelati excelled as a distance runner since she was a high school runner in Virginia. In 2015, a year after arriving in the U.S., Kelati helped her team to win a state cross country title, and she also won the Foot Locker Cross Country Championships in San Diego, one of the pinnacle events of high school distance running.

At the University of New Mexico, Kelati developed into the most decorated runner in school history, earning two NCAA individual titles (in cross country and in the 10,000 meters on the track), and 13 All-America honors. During her senior year of eligibility, in 2020, she turned professional and signed a multi-year deal with Under Armour and moved to Flagstaff, Arizona, to chase her biggest goal of becoming an U.S. Olympian.
The petite, 5-foot tall runner became a naturalized U.S. citizen three years ago in June, but she also dropped out of the 10,000 meters at the U.S. Olympic Trials later in same month because she wasn’t yet prepared to run at that level. Three more years of hard work under coach Stephen Haas has helped her become one of the best distance runners in the U.S.
RELATED: Weini Kelati’s Quiet Sacrifice to Chase an American Dream
In January, she won the U.S. cross country championships 10K in Richmond, Virginia, then placed 15th at the World Cross Country Championships two months later in Serbia. Before the Olympic Trials, she was the second-ranked U.S. runner in the 5,000 and first in the 10,000, but she opted to only run the 10,000 to give her the best shot at earning a qualifying spot for Paris. (The 5,000 meters, which included a semifinal around and a final, was held over the first weekend of the trials, while the 10,000 was held on the penultimate day a week later.)
Although she’s able to talk and text with her family regularly, Kelati has only seen her mom once since she arrived in the U.S. in 2014. She was able to reunite with her mom for the first time in eight years during a three-week vacation to Uganda in 2022. She still hopes to see other family members in the future, but she doesn’t know when or how it can happen, given that she can’t return to Eritrea. But for now, she continues to savor her weekly phone calls, the conversations of which are like a lifeline of reassurance and serve as powerful motivation to keep moving forward.
“I’ve been telling them one day I’m going to go to Olympics,” Kelati said. “It’s been hard here without my family, but I’m so proud of myself that I was able to come here and make the team. I can’t want to share it with them.”
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The race started slow as no one in the 23-runner field seemed interested in taking the lead. Susanna Sullivan did so by default and took the field through the 5,000 in a pedestrian pace for a 16:09 halfway split. She continued to lead for almost another mile until Erika Kemp took over for two laps, upping the pace a bit on each one.
But then Valby made a big surge and sped up from 75-second laps (5-minute mile pace) to 70-second laps (4:40-mile pace) for the next four laps. With Kelati and Schweizer sitting right behind her, Valby split apart the remaining lead pack and made it a three-person race. Schweizer moved into the lead with two laps to go, and the three runners remained in a battle until Kelati sprung out into the lead on the last lap and closed with a 66-second final 400 meters.
Valby said she went into the 10,000 very relaxed after being very high strung arriving in Eugene and feeling nervous for both her 5,000-meter preliminary race and the final, which she finished in a disappointing fourth-place.
“The plan was not to race from the front because it does take a lot out of you,” Valby said. “The plan was just to sit until (my coach) told me to go, because he’s very good at reading races, and I’m not really. So I just looked at him every laugh and when he said to go, I went and it worked. I wanted to prove I didn’t come this far just to come this far, and I didn’t want to leave on a fourth-place note and I knew my strength was probably better for the 10K.”
Schweizer was in tears for a moment during the post-race meeting with the media, but said she was happy with how she ran after dealing with a left ankle injury last winter that required surgery.
“It’s a sign of relief,” she said. “I put a lot of pressure on myself, and you work really hard to get to these moments. I had been struggling with a bit of a setback and you never know how you’re going to come back from those kinds of things. I just had to stay composed and, no matter how the race was going to go, I knew I was going to have to push myself to put myself in the top three. I’m really happy with myself and happy that I kept putting myself out there, and I know I can still be fast.”
Jessica McClain, who finished fourth in the U.S. Olympic Trials Marathon back in February in Orlando, Florida, and narrowly missed an Olympic team berth by 15 seconds, finished fourth in the 10,000 meters in 32:04.57. But she was upbeat about this fourth-place finish, knowing she probably wasn’t going to be able to hang with Kelati, Valby, and Schweizer, especially if the race was run at a fast pace from the start.
Amanda Vestri continued her strong year of running with a fifth-place, 32:11.00 effort, while Kellyn Taylor, a 37-year-old mother of four, finished sixth in 32:12.02.
“With the marathon trials, it hit afterwards that, man, just 15 seconds over 26 miles is really not that far off,” McClain said. “But with this one on the track, I was so happy with fourth because of the time I ran and how tactically I raced and I knew I needed to do to run really well. I’m a little bummed that it didn’t go out faster, but it’s OK. I should have taken it out, but I wasn’t going to do that in what was only my second track race in a minute.”
RESULTS: U.S. Olympic Trials Live Results
Gabby Thomas did what she came to Eugene to do—solidify her status as the best 200-meter runner in the U.S. She did that by winning the electrifying final in 21.81, her second-fastest time of the year. Brittany Brown was the biggest surprise of the final, using a great start to get an early jump and then dashing home in second in a personal-best 21.90, while McKenzie Long, the NCAA champion from Mississippi who just turned pro, was third in 21.91. Sha’Carri Richardson wound up fourth, much to the surprise of the crowd, as she got a slow start and couldn’t use her closing speed to break into the top three.

Although Kenny Bednarek was leading down the homestretch, Noah Lyles turned on his jets and sealed the 200-meter title in 19.53, narrowly edging out the career-best effort of Bednarek (19.59) before the line. Erriyon Knighton, a 20-year-old who placed fourth in the 2020 Olympics, was third in (19.77) while quick-starting Christian Coleman finished fourth (19.89), his same fate as it was in the 100.
“Well, when you claim that you’re gonna go out there and win four medals, the goal had to be to win the hundred and win the 200. So job is accomplished,” Lyles said. “Kenny got a great start. The plan was actually to swallow him up in the first 50 meters, but, you know, he was making sure that that job wasn’t accomplished. I knew that he was definitely working on something, so I guess that was it. After we came off the turn, I was like, all right, don’t panic. I’ve been here many times before. We’re gonna get to the last 80, he’s going to fall back and I’m going to get faster.”

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, the world record holder and defending Olympic champion in the 400-meter hurdles, continued her assault on the event after a year away from it, winning the first semifinal race in a world-leading 52.48 over former world record holder Dalilah Muhammad (54.16). Shamier Little won the second heat in 53.49, while Anna Cockrell buzzed the final heat in a speedy 52.95.
The women’s 400-meter hurdles final will close the Olympic Trials on Sunday (8:29 P.M. ET)
After all 27 runners in the prelims qualified for the semifinals, racing got spicier in the semifinals on Saturday. Christina Clemons narrowly won the first heat by outleaning Keni Harrison as both finished in 12.52 and edging out Nia Ali (12.55). Alaysha Johnson won the second heat in similar fashion with a much faster 12.36 clocking to sneak past Tonea Marshall (12.36), while Masai Russell (12.36) won the third and final heat over Grace Stark (12.45).
The women’s 100-meter hurdles final will be run on Sunday evening (8 P.M. ET)
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Grant Holloway proved track doesn’t need anyone to save it. It just needs more people to savor what he’s been doing lately.
Holloway put together a breathtaking performance of speed, power and precision on Friday evening in Eugene, Oregon, winning the 110-meter hurdles final of the U.S. Olympic Trials in a stunningly fast 12.86 seconds to secure his place on Team USA and punch his ticket for the Paris Olympics later this summer.
Conditions were perfect at Hayward Field with a slight tailwind and a near-capacity crowd that was hyped and ready for something big. The 26-year-old Holloway seized the moment, running like part well-oiled machine and part Marvel Studios animated superhero en route to storming his way to the fourth-fastest time in history.
Holloway, an Adidas-sponsored pro who trains in Gainesville, Florida, has been buzzing over hurdles at a different level this year, and he’s been in a zone since he arrived in Eugene. In his near-perfect first round race on Monday, he won in a world-leading 12.92 seconds—the 10th fastest time in history. Then he flawlessly nailed his semi-final race on Thursday night in 12.96, leaving roughly 12,000 spectators on the edge of their seats to see what he might do in the finals.
He didn’t disappoint. The only faster times on the all-time list are the 12.80 Aries Merritt ran in 2012, Holloway’s 12.81 effort from the U.S. Olympic Trials in 2021, and Devon Allen’s 12.84 effort from 2022.
“This whole weekend has been nothing but great for me,” Holloway said. “I’ve been in this zone, I’ve been in this funk. I’ve been in this thing where I’m just continuing just to pump out 12.9s like Aries Merritt did in 2012. And I know my progression. So we’re just trying to stay consistent in that aspect.”

Freddie Crittenden finished second in a career-best 12.93 seconds, while Daniel Roberts finished third in a lifetime best 12.96 seconds, marking the first time in history three athletes have broken the 13-second barriers in the same race.
Crittenden, is a 29-year-old Phoenix Track Club athlete who is backed by the Tracksmith Amateur Support Program, almost quit the sport three few years ago after the Olympic Trials in 2021 when he was hurt and down on his luck. But now he’s on his way to the Paris Olympics. He credits the support of his wife, his coach and his training partners for his miraculous turnaround, which included last year’s third-place showing at the U.S. championships and a fourth-place finish at the world championships.
“I was this close to giving it up (in 2021),” Crittenden said. “I was broke, didn’t make any money at all that year, and didn’t make it out of the semis of the Olympic Trials. Just that hard grind of waking up every day and not being able to train, not being able to hurdle, not being able to sprint. There’s a picture that I have of me kissing the track here because I was saying goodbye because I knew can’t do this anymore, you know? Honestly, I’m still in shock.”

That left Daniel Roberts, a Nike athlete who was the bronze medalist in last summer’s world championships, to hang on for third place in a career-best 12.96 seconds, and it put out Cordell Tinch, the runner-up at last year’s U.S. championships, on the outside looking in with a 13.03 effort—the fastest fourth-place time in history. Ja’Qualon Scott was fifth in 13.09, a time that would have earned a medal at every Olympics since the event’s inception in 1896.

With the win, Holloway is undefeated in five 110-meter hurdles races this season, and he’s now won his specialty event 47 times in his last 54 races since 2021.
Holloway is a three-time world champion in the 110-meter high hurdles (2019, 2022, 2023), but he’s still chasing his first Olympic gold medal after being edged out in Tokyo. The only real blemish on his record since turning pro in 2019—if you can call it that—was that loss to Jamaica’s Hansle Parchment, who, to his credit, ran the race of his life to capture gold for the only time in his career. Parchment clocked a 13.04 to win that race, while Holloway, who hit two hurdles, finished in 13.09.
“If you’re not training to win an Olympic gold medal,” Holloway said, “then what the heck are you doing?”
Holloway could face Parchment again in Paris, but it will hardly be a rematch as the 34-year-old has only run 13.26 seconds so far this year after taking the silver medal behind Holloway in the world championships last summer in Budapest.
Holloway isn’t worried about who he’ll face in Paris, he just knows he wants to destroy whoever is next to him. He did that Friday night with the second-best performance of his career, missing a flawless 51-stride performance by barely nicking the eighth of 10 hurdles.
“I was kind of mad at myself because for the first time in a long time I hit a hurdle and I kind of threw off my rhythm,” Holloway said. “But I knew what type of pace I was on, so I know it’s there. We just continue just to work, continue to freshen it up, sharpen our knives, and get ready for the next race.”
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After wining the Olympic Trials 100-meter title on Sunday, Noah Lyles showed once again why he’s been the best 200-meter runner in the world since 2019. He easily won his 200-meter semifinal heat in 19.60, the fastest time in the world this year and a new Olympic Trials record. He pulled Christian Coleman to the second-fastest time of the day (19.89), giving Coleman hope he can make amends for missing out on Team USA in the 100 meters. Erriyon Knighton won the first heat in 19.93, while Kenny Bednarek won the second heat in 19.96, which means Saturday night’s 200-meter final (9:49 P.M. ET) is going to be a real barn-burner.
Sha’Carri Richardson showed she can be in the hunt for multiple gold medals in Paris, winning her heat and tying her career-best in 21.92. McKenzie Long, the reigning NCAA champion won the second heat in 22.01, but it was Gabby Thomas who stole the show with a world-leading 21.78 to win the third heat. In all, six women ran 22.10 or faster, but with only three spots on Team USA available in the 200-meter final on Saturday night (8:27 P.M. ET), it’s shaping up to be one of the fastest races in U.S. history.
Bryce Hoppel is in the shape of his life and it shows. After running a 1:43.68 five weeks ago in Los Angeles, he won his semifinal heat with seeming ease in 1:44.01 clocking, then predicted it will take a sub-1:43 effort to make the U.S. team that will head to the Paris Olympics. His roommate and training partner Hobbs Kessler was the fastest runner in the semis, winning the second heat in 1:43.71. Josh Hoey won the first heat in 1:45.73, just ahead of 2016 Olympic bronze medalist and 2020 Olympian Clayton Murphy (1:45.76).
The men’s 800-meter final will be run Sunday at 7:51 P.M. ET.
Things got a lot faster in the women’s 1500 meters on Friday, but Nikki Hiltz rose to the occasion, winning the star-studded first heat in 4:01.40 over Sinclair Johnson (4:01.68), Heather Maclean (4:02.09), Cory McGee (4:02.09 and Elle St. Pierre (4:02.14) after they separated from the rest of the field to claim the five automatic qualifying spots for the final. The second heat wasn’t quite as fast, with Emily Mackay taking it in 4:02.46 over auto qualifiers Elise Cranny (4:02.56), Helen Schlachtenhaufen (4:02.68), Maggi Congdon (4:02.79) and Addy Wiley (4:02.92), while Dani Jones (4:04.45) and Christina Aragon (4:05.36) earned the two at-large time qualifiers.
The women’s 1500-meter final will be run Sunday at 8:09 P.M. ET.
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An inspired crop of U.S. women’s 3,000-meter steeplechase runners burst on the scene in Thursday night’s U.S. Olympic Trials final. With Emma Coburn (broken ankle) and Courtney Frerichs (torn ACL), the dominant American steeplechase runners for the past decade, both out of the trials recovering from major injuries, Val Constien, Courtney Wayment, and Marisa Howard helped an up-leveling pack of women through the fastest U.S. Olympic Trials steeplechase race in history.
Annie Rodenfels, who needed to get the Olympic-qualifying standard, took the early lead and pushed the pace ahead of the lead pack, opening a gap of as much as 35 meters through the 1,000-meter mark (3:00.53). It wasn’t until about 1800 meters that the field finally caught her, led by Wayment, Howard, Constient and Olivia Markezich, a recent Notre Dame grad. Wayment continued to press the pace, hitting the 2,000 in 6:08.53 as the field began to string out.
With 300 meters to go, Constien surged to the front and took over the race. Continuing her strong running just 13 months after double knee surgery, she cruised home in a new personal best and Olympic Trials record of 9:03.22.
In the battle for the final two places, Markezich had stumbled off the final water barrier and then appeared to be exceptionally fatigued as she chased Howard and Wayment down the homestretch. Her legs buckled after clearing the last barrier, and she tumbled to the track hard as Wayment (9:06.50) passed Howard (9:07.14) for the runner-up spot. Markezich wound up sixth in 9:14.87.
In all, the top nine finishers recorded personal bests, including Gabbi Jennings (9:12.08), Kaylee Mitchell (9:14.05), Markezich (9:14.87), Allie Ostrander (9:21.82), Rodenfels (9:22.66) and Lexy Halladay (9:22.77). Defending U.S. champ Krissy Gear dropped out after five laps.
While Wayment, 25, had appeared to emerge as the heir apparent to Coburn and Freirichs and qualified for the past two world championships, Constien, 28, was a Tokyo Olympian who didn’t get sponsorship support until last spring and then had to make an improbable comeback from ACL surgery last May. She closed with a 65-second final 400 meters and lowered her PR by 11 seconds after already lowering her PR by 4 seconds at the Prefontaine Meet on May 25 in Eugene.
“I knew it was going to be fast. I predicted that you had to run sub-9:10 to make the team,” Constien said. “Did I know I was going to run 9:03? No, but I feel like I’m just starting to reach my potential and figure out how good I am, and hopefully I can just keep it going.”
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Wayment finally had the breakthrough race she’d been working for since 2021, when she finished fourth in the Olympic Trials and narrowly missed a chance to run in the Tokyo Olympics. Wayment, who finished 15th and 12th in the past two world championships, respectively,  after just missing the Olympic team in 2021 with a fourth-place finish at the trials, believes all three U.S. women can make the Olympic final in Paris.
“Three years ago, I came here and was just hoping for the chance to be a dark horse and make the Olympic team,” she said. “Now I can go and lead almost every woman to a PR. That’s something that’s special and I am proud of this race and how far I was able to come the last three years. The women of American steepling … we’re starting to make our marks again. Everyone is here to raise the bar and it’s fun and special to be a part of that.”
Meanwhile, Howard kept believing in herself while continuing to train without much financial support after her contract with a brand wasn’t renewed after 2017 (she now runs under the Tracksmith Amateur Support Program) and after taking a year away in 2022 to give birth to a baby boy.
“I knew I had a big one in me,” Howard said. “It was just a matter of putting it together on the day, and I am very thankful that it was the day to qualify for the Olympics.”

Coburn, 33, a three-time Olympian and 2017 world champion who has won 10 U.S. titles, will be back—maybe before the Diamond League season ends. Frerichs, 31, the silver medalist in the 2017 world championships and Tokyo Olympics, will, too, even if it will take a bit longer.
“Emma Coburn and Courtney Frerichs paved the way. Without them, we wouldn’t have such a high bar,” Constien said. “Everyone has been inspired by them. Without them, there is no way we could have done what we did here today. If they were in the race, there would have even been more competition. They’re amazing and I can’t wait for them to come back.”
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In the men’s 5,000 semifinals, two-time 1500-meter Olympian Cole Hocker won a slowish first heat and qualified for Sunday’s final (7:30 P.M. ET) by outkicking recent NCAA champ Parker Wolfe from the University of North Carolina (13:33.96) and his training partner Cooper Teare (13:34.07), who narrowly missed making the Tokyo Olympic team in the 5,000 after a fourth-place finish in the Olympic Trials three years ago. Morgan Beadlescomb (13:34.34), Olin Hacker (13:34.72) and Graham Blanks (13:35.00) also advanced into the final.
In the slightly faster second heat, veteran Woody Kincaid won in 13:23.91, beating Abdihamid Nur (13:24.14) and Grant Fisher (13:24.78), whohas already made the U.S. team in the 10,000. Dylan Jacobs, Sam Prakel and Sean McGorty also earned automatic qualifying times, while Kasey Knevelbaard, Ahmed Muhumed, Willy Fink, and Eric van der Els earned time qualifiers.

Cory McGee, who was a 2020 Olympian and 10th at the past two world championships, won the first of three semifinal heats in 4:15.75 and edged out Sage Hurta-Klecker (4:15.90), who is looking for redemption after getting tangled up in Monday’s 800-meter final and finishing fifth. Three-time U.S. champion Nikki Hiltz, who was second in the 1500 at the World Indoor Championships in March, finished third (4:16.00), while Elise Cranny, the runner-up in Monday’s 5,000-meter final, was fourth (4:16.05).
In the second heat, Heather MacLean (4:07.31) beat Sinclaire Johnson (4:08.50) and Helen Schlachtenhaufen (4:08.81), while 2020 Olympian Elle St. Pierre, the Olympic Trials 5,000 champion, won the third heat (4:06.41) over training partner Emily Mackay (4:06.47).
In all, 24 runners advanced to Friday’s semifinals (8:53 P.M. ET).

Men’s 100-meter champion Noah Lyles easily won the second heat of the 200 prelims on Thursday night in 20.10. He’ll race again in Friday’s semifinals (10:06 P.M. ET) while hoping to make it to Saturday night’s final race (8:27 P.M. ET). Courtney Lindsey (20.28), Kenny Bednarek (20.28) and Erriyon Knighton (20.15) were the other heat winners.

Bryce Hoppel (1:46.83) edged roommate and training partner Hobbs Kessler (1:46.85) in the first of four heats of the 800-meter prelims as both were smiling and slapped hands at the finish line. NCAA runner-up Sam Whitmarsh of Texas A&M (1:46.13) won the second heat over Isaiah Harris (1:46.14). Clayton Murphy, a 2020 Olympian, looked good winning the slower third heat in 1:47.05 over Brandon Miller (1:47:10), while Georgetown’s Tinoda Matsatsa took the fourth and final heat in 1:46.73.  In all, 27 runners moved on to Friday’s semifinals (9:39 P.M.)

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If you missed the action live from Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon, Monday night was one of the most exciting and memorable nights of American track and field in recent memory.
Day 4 of the U.S. Olympic Trials was a stunning showcase of running, jumping, and throwing condensed into a two-hour made-for-TV special that left nearly 11,000 fans in the stands stunned and shocked from the exhilarating action. Top stars shined, rising young talents emerged, and a few dark horse competitors leveled-up while grinding to secure celebrated spots on Team USA for the Paris Olympics later this summer. Here’s a rundown of how it all went down.
In what was expected to be the grand re-emergence of Athing Mu, the women’s 800-meter final quickly turned into shocking disappointment early in the race. Just 200 meters into the race, the Tokyo Olympic champion and 2023 world championships bronze medalist got tangled up in the close pack of runners as she tried to cut into lane one. She smacked the track hard. As the crowd collectively groaned, the American record holder got up and continued running, but by then she was already out of the race, 20 meters behind the other eight runners in the field.
At the front of the race, Kristie Schoffield, a New Balance pro who won the 2022 NCAA Division I title at Boise State, was in the lead at the 300-meter mark, but was soon caught by LSU junior Michaela Rose, the 2023 NCAA champion, who likes to push the pace on the first lap. Rose took the group through the 400 in a speedy 57.68, but Nia Akins, a Brooks pro who was sixth at the world championships last summer, was right on her heels, as was reigning NCAA champion Juliette Whittaker of Stanford.
With Mu still desperately trying to catch up from behind, Akins made a dramatic move and surged into the lead. Akins, a 25-year-old runner who trains in Seattle, knows all too well about falling in the Olympic Trials final. That was her fate in 2021, when she was tripped up before the first 200 and, like Mu, was effectively out of the race almost immediately. This time, Akins took charge with 250 meters to go, passing Rose and taking a commanding lead she would never relinquish. She stormed around the final curve and down the homestretch unchallenged to win in a personal-best 1:57.36, earning her third national title in the past two years but her first Olympic team berth.
“I don’t think it’s really settled in yet, to be honest,” Akins said. “I never make a move from that far out, and that wasn’t my plan, but I just sensed it and I went. I remember it going by really quickly. It was just focused on just getting to the finish line the best I could, the fastest I could. I’m just so blessed to have been on top to win it.”
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Rose was still in second coming around the final turn, but Whittaker passed her at the top of the straightaway and then Wilson came by her, too, setting up an epic sprint down the homestretch. Ultimately, it was Wilson, who swung wide into lane three, who sprinted home in second place (1:58.32), just ahead of Whittaker, who kicked hard to finish third (1:58.45) ahead of Rose (1:59.32) and Sage Hurta-Klecker (2:00.38) who fought back after being forced to leap out of the way and into the infield when Mu fell. Meanwhile, a disappointed Mu jogged into the finish in last place (2:19.69) and then stormed off the track in tears.
Wilson, a 28-year-old former high school soccer player who ran collegiately for Monmouth University in New Jersey, had been coached by Andrew Begley and Amy Yoder Begley at the Atlanta Track Club. When Amy, a 2008 Olympian in the 10,000 meters, moved to Indianapolis last fall to become USA Track & Field’s associate director of long distance programs, Wilson followed, but she had to leave behind her Adidas sponsorship tied to the ATC. After working as a nanny for several months to support herself, she won the U.S. indoor title in the 800 in February and she signed a contract with Nike.
“I don’t know if I’ve never been more focused in my entire life,” Wilson said. “I kept telling myself that it didn’t have to be perfect, it didn’t have to be pretty. I just had to come here and do it on this day. I just drowned everything out and just followed whoever was right in front of me and tried to make moves as everyone else did. Then I just tried to throw the last surge with 50 to go and give it all I had.”
At the start of the women’s 5,000 meters, Parker Valby had a decision to make. Either sit behind established pros and previous Olympians Elle St. Pierre, Elise Cranny, Karissa Schweizer, and Rachel Smith (who, unlike Valby, also have monster kicks) or run aggressively to pare down the field while also chasing the Olympic standard of 14:52.00 that she narrowly missed a little more than two weeks ago while winning the NCAA title in the event. Parker chose to be assertive and took the lead early and kept pushing the pace deep into the race.
While Parker appears to be one of the next rising stars of American distance running, for the moment St. Pierre, Cranny, and Schweizer are still formidable veterans with exceptional fitness and speed. With two laps to go, St. Pierre, Cranny, and Schweizer went by Valby and took the race into another dimension. While Valby tried to hang on, St. Pierre and Cranny kept pushing the pace around the last lap and appeared intent on fighting it out to the finish. Cranny, the Olympic Trials champion in 2021, sprinted down the homestretch and looked like she might get the win, but St. Pierre surged one more time to barely edge out Cranny in a photo finish for an Olympic Trials record of 14:40.34, just two-hundredths of a second ahead of Cranny. Schweizer, an Olympian in the 5,000 and 10,000 in 2021, was third in 14:45.12.
The 29-year-old St. Pierre, just 14 months postpartum after giving birth to son, Ivan, in March 2023, has had an amazing year. She entered the meet as the top-ranked runner in both the 1500 and the 5,000, having run personal bests of 3:56.00 (the second-fastest time in U.S. history) and 14:34.12 (fifth-fastest on the U.S. list) this spring. In January, she broke the American indoor record in the mile (4:16.41) at the Millrose Games in New York City, then won the gold medal in the 3,000 meters at the indoor world championships in Glasgow in March.
“I’m a completely different person, a different athlete,” she said. “It’s something you think about a lot, to go out there and compete against some amazing other runners and have a dream come true is pretty great. The finish was definitely tough. I felt pretty good for the whole race, but maybe I should have started going a little sooner. It definitely made it exciting at the finish.”

St. Pierre and Cranny plan to run the Olympic Trials 1500 beginning on June 27, while Schweizer and Valby are entered in the 10,000 on June 29.
“That was exciting, and the energy of the crowd was incredible, so it made for a very fun race,” Cranny said. “I was trying to be patient and go hard over the last 70 meters, but I didn’t quite have that last little bit. But it was incredible to race against her after the season she’s been having and winning the gold medal indoors.”
Valby, who won five NCAA titles in the past year and set several collegiate records, said she deleted all of her social media last week to avoid any distractions, but she admitted there were a lot of expectations coming into her first meet above the college level. Even though she finished fourth (14:51.44), she ran hard enough to sneak under the Olympic standard, which could bode well if St. Pierre opts to run only the 1500 in Paris or Schweizer focuses on the 10,000.
“I wasn’t necessarily trying to get the Olympic standard, I was just trying to run my best race,” Valby said. “I ended up getting it because I ran my best race, but my goal was to make the Olympic team. Even though I was fourth, I’m proud of how I ran, and I know I gave it my all.”
Related: What You Need to Know About the U.S. Olympic Trials
The men’s 1500 meters was the first of four marquee finals races on the track, and there were probably eight guys who were legitimate contenders for the three Olympic team spots. But, because only about half the 12-runner field had the Olympic-qualifying standard of 3:33.50, everyone knew it was going to be a fast race from the starting gun.
For that reason, Yared Nuguse took the race out hard. Nuguse finished third in the 2020 U.S. Olympic Trials but was unable to compete at the Tokyo Olympics due to injury. He lowered the American record in the mile (3:43.97) on the Hayward Field track last fall, but he’s known for his aerobic strength and less so for a blistering kick. His goal was to set a fast pace beyond what most could handle, so as to not risk getting out-kicked in a moderately fast race.
With Nuguse moving fast off the front, everyone else lined up behind him, jostling for position on each lap as the excitement increased. Nuguse led them through the 400 in 56.32, the 800 in 1:55.30, and the 1200 in 2:51.33, but that still wasn’t fast enough to break up the field, as 12 runners were still separated by only a second and a half. With about 300 meters to go, Hocker seized an opportunity to take control of the race by bursting ahead down the backstretch. Nuguse reacted and gave chase, and suddenly it appeared to be a five-runner race for third place.
Hocker was untouchable around the final curve and down the homestretch, winning his second straight Olympic Trials title in an event-record and new personal best of 3:30.59.
“I never wanted to fall out of that top five. I just always wanted to be right there in it,” Hocker said. “I knew Yared and Hobbs were gonna be the ones to watch and just followed them and wanted to go with the pace that keeps it honest because I knew the college guys and some of the others weren’t going to feel comfortable running in a 3:30-low race. I was pretty confident that’s the way it was going to go, and I knew having 12:58 5K strength compared to 2021, 2022, and last year just completely changed the game for me.”

Nuguse closed hard and ran a season’s best 3:30.86 to join Hocker on the Olympic team for the second time, but behind him there was an all-out battle for third between 21-year-old Hobbs Kessler, a former high school phenom who skipped college and turned pro at 18, and 29-year-old Vincent Ciattei, a former NCAA champion and two-time U.S. road mile champion.
In the end, both ran new personal best times, with Kessler (3:31.53) having just enough to out-lean Ciattei (3:31.78) at the line for the third and final spot on the Olympic team. Amazingly, Nathan Green (3:32.20) and Henry Wynne (3:32.94) also broke 3:33 while finishing fifth and sixth, respectively, and eight runners set new personal bests.
“I didn’t even know how close Vince was, I was just running as hard as I could,” Kessler said. “It was stressful, there was a lot of pressure, but I’m really proud of how I managed it. The race was hard, and Vince was close, but I’m super happy and super relieved that I made the team.”
As for Ciattei, he lowered his personal best by nearly three seconds and ran faster than anyone ever had in Olympic Trials history before today, but he still had to swallow the bitter pill of fourth place.
“It’s really hard to swallow,” Ciattei said. “It’s tough to put forth an effort like that and still not make the team. But it’s a testament to the quality of those guys, and yet I didn’t let the fact that no one was picking me to beat any of those guys get to me because no one was picking me. But I had so much self-belief and so much support from my coaches and teammates in my corner.”
RELATED: How to Watch the U.S. Olympic Trials
With Olympic medalists Courtney Frerichs and Emma Coburn sidelined with injuries, the women’s 3,000-meter steeplechase appears to be wide open this year. But already several runners have leveled-up, making Monday night’s semifinal an exciting display of who the country’s next great steeplechasers may be.
Kaylee Mitchell won a relatively slow first heat in 9:29.54, followed closely by Valerie Constien (9:29.61) and Courtney Wayment (9:29.66). Madie Boreman survived a first-lap fall to finish fourth (9:30.26), while Angelina Ellis (9:33.11) earned the final automatic qualifying mark and Annie Rodenfels (9:33.12) and Logan Jolly (9:33.91) earned time-qualified spots.
In the second heat, Gabbi Jennings (9:23.88) and Marissa Howard (9:26.38) left nothing to chance and pushed the pace a little harder. Olivia Markezich (9:26.67), Lexy Halladay (9:27.36), and Allie Ostrander (9:29.39) rounded out the automatic qualifiers and Krissy Gear (9:30.92) and Kaley Delay (9:31.04) snagged the final time qualifiers.
“I’m definitely ahead of where I was in 2021,” said Constien, who finished 12th in the Tokyo Olympics. “In 2021 I was just a scared kid with a dream, and now I’m a fully fledged woman in a Nike kit, so there’s a lot of confidence because I’m definitely a different person. But that fire and that spark is still there so I’m really happy. It’s going to take probably a sub-9:10 to win (the final on Thursday) and maybe faster than 9:13 to make the team. But I’m ready.” 
RELATED: After Double Knee Surgery, This Runner is Poised to Make Team USA for the Paris Olympics
Quincy Hall continued to dominate the 400 this spring with a come-from-behind win in a new personal best of 44.17, outkicking 2022 world champion and Nike pro Michael Norman (44.41) down the homestretch. Unsung Chris Bailey, backed by the Tracksmith Amateur Support Program, closed hard to finish third in 44.42 ahead of Vernon Norwood (44.47) and Bryce Deadmon (44.61), who are both ranked among the top 10 in the world. Meanwhile, Quincy Wilson, the 16-year-old phenom from Maryland who set a U-18 world record of 44.59 in the semifinals on Sunday, placed sixth in 44.94 and will likely be considered for the U.S. Olympic 4×400-meter relay pool.
In the first of three semifinal heats, Quincy Hall (44.42) outran Chris Bailey (44.82), but they brought Matt Boling (44.91) and Justin Robinson (44.91) along as time qualifiers. Heat 2 saw Bryce Deadmon (44.44) outkicking Vernon Norwood (44.50) down the homestretch, but 16-year-old Quincy Wilson closed hard to finish in 44.59, also a time qualifier as he lowered the U-18 world record he had set two days earlier. Michael Norman, the 2022 world champion, easily won the third heat in 45.30 ahead of Khaleb McRae (45.59).
Wilson said he was stunned by how many top track stars were high-fiving him and wishing him good luck, including Grant Holloway, Sha’Carri Richardson and Twanisha “Tee Tee” Terry.
“It is one of the happiest days in my life,” said Wilson, who lives in Gaithersburg, Maryland. “I’m in the world’s biggest final coming up tomorrow, and at 16 years old, I’m ecstatic right now. I want people to know no matter what age you are, no matter how tall, how strong, you can always do it. You just put your mind to something and have a goal.”

Norman says it will be hard for Wilson to finish in the top three and make the team, but he’s impressed that he made it to the final.
“It’s spectacular,” he said. “I mean, a 16-year-old going out there and competing like a true competitor. Not letting the moment get too big, but just living in the moment and competing. It’s great to see young talents like himself, elevate, push us to run a little bit faster, and take us out of our comfort zone. And I think he has a bright future ahead of him, as long as he just stays grounded and focused.”
The men’s 400-meter final will take place at 9:59 P.M. ET on Monday.
RESULTS: U.S. Olympic Trials Live Results
So far the U.S. Olympic Trials have been a star-studded show with athletes like Sha’Carri Richardson, Noah Lyles, Ryan Crouser, Grant Fisher and Athing Mu rising to occasion and performing at the high level they have in the past. Kate Grace is doing that too, but she’s coming off two years without racing. Grace was a 2016 Olympian in the 800 meters who narrowly missed making Team USA for the Tokyo Olympics three years ago. Now she’s back running strong at age 35 after a two-year hiatus during which she suffered from a bout of long Covid and then took time off to give birth to her son, River, in March 2023.
In the first of three semi-final heats, LSU sophomore Michael Rose, the 2023 NCAA champion, set a blistering early place, split 57.5 for the first 400 meters. But Athing Mu started to close the gap on the backstretch and with 100 meters to go, Mu and Grace were kicking hard to catch her. Mu passed her on the right to steal the win in 1:58.84, while Grace edged her on the left to secure the other automatic qualifying spot in second (1:58.97) but Rose (1:59.00) still advanced with one of the three next fastest times along with Stanford star Juliette Whittaker, the reigning NCAA champion, and Kristie Schoffield (2:00.64).
“That was super tough diving at the line,” said Grace, who suffered cuts on her arms, legs and left hip. “I was tired and just trying to get through. I was kind of on the inside, but I think everything was clean, just some jostling. I didn’t hit my head or anything, but I came down hard on my arms and my legs and my hip. But the head is what we care about the most.”
Raevyn Rogers (2:01.08) edged Sage Hurt-Klecker (2:01.11) in the second heat—which would leave third-place finisher Ajeé Wilson, a two-time bronze medalist at the world championships and the 2022 indoor world champion, as first non-qualifier—while Allie Wilson (2:00.29) and Nia Akins (2:00.87) finished 1-2 in the third and final heat.
The women’s 800-meter final is slated for Monday at 10:32 P.M. ET., the final event of the night.

RELATED: Nia Akins Is Laying Down Tracks and Getting Faster on the Track
Kendall Ellis won one of the fastest U.S. 400-meter finals in recent memory, winning in a new personal best of 49.46 after outrunning Aaliyah Butler (49.71) and Alexis Holmes (49.78), who also ran personal best times. The 28-year-old Ellis has continued to work hard after a couple of years of not having things go her way. She helped the U.S. earn a gold medal in the 4×400-meter relay at the Tokyo Olympics, but her win in the 400 gave her her first U.S. team berth in an individual event since 2019 (when she competed in the 400 meters at the world championships in Doha). What is she doing differently?
“Just believing in myself,” she said. “The workouts haven’t changed. The results and practice haven’t changed, but finally something clicked up here that said, ‘You can do it. You can go out with the best of them and you can finish better than anyone else.’ So it’s really just about believing, and committing to that belief in the very first step. I haven’t been doing that.”
Annette Echikunwoke won the women’s hammer throw with a whirl of 245 feet; Pole vaulter Sam Kendricks, a two-time world champion and Olympic bronze medalist, won his 10th national title with a leap of 19 feet, 5 inches; Curtis Thompson won the javelin with a throw of 272 feet, 5 inches.
Monday is Day 4  of the U.S. Olympic Trials and key events include finals for women’s high jump, men’s long jump, men’s 1500, men’s 400, women’s 5,000, and women’s 800.
RELATED: With Snoop Cheering, Noah Lyles Wins U.S. Olympic Trials 100 Meters
The excitement level was ratcheted up several notches on Day 2 of the U.S. Olympic Trials for track and field on Saturday at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon.
With Snoop Dogg in the house to watch some of it unfold, reigning world champion Sha’Carri Richardson blazed her way to the Paris Olympics by winning the women’s 100-meter final in a world-leading 10.71 seconds followed by training partners Melissa Jefferson, (10.80) and Twanisha “Tee Tee” Terry (10.89).
Meanwhile, Noah Lyles, also a 2023 world champion, got his Olympic quest going as he sped into Sunday afternoon’s semifinals of the men’s 100 with a 9.92 clocking ahead of Kenny Bednarek (10.00). Fred Kerley (10.03), Brandon Hicklin (10.08), Christian Coleman (9.99) and Courtney Lindsey (10.00) were the other heat winners heading into Sunday afternoon’s semis. The top two runners in each semifinal plus the next three fastest times will make it to tonight’s finals (10:49 P.M. ET).
RELATED: How to Watch the 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials for Track and Field
In the men’s 1500-meter semifinals on Saturday afternoon, 25 runners battled for the 12 spots in Monday evening’s final. Yared Nuguse, a 2020 Olympian and the American record-holder in the mile, led wire-to-wire in the second heat to win in a swift 3:34.09, just ahead of Hobbs Kessler (3:34.16), Henry Wynne (3:34.40), Nathan Green (3:34.49), Elliott Cook (3:34.52) and Vincent Ciattei (3:34.63). Craig Engels (3:35.08) was the final qualifier, making it to the 1500 finals for the third straight time dating back to 2016.
“(My coach) Dathan told me, ‘Maybe you can take it easy today instead of leading 12 laps this weekend,’” said Nuguse, who runs for the On Athletics Club. “I said ‘OK,’ but I didn’t really like that idea, so I was like, ‘Maybe I can just go back to my normal strategy,’ and he said, ‘Yeah, OK.’ So that’s how it happened.”
In the first heat, fan-favorite and Nike pro Cole Hocker (3:37.89) won easily with collegians and friends Liam Murphy (Villanova) and Ethan Strand (North Carolina), who crossed the finish line together at 3:38.08 while smiling at each other in a bromance celebration of making it to the finals. Hocker’s training partner and former Oregon teammate Cooper Teare set the early pace, but hung on to finish fourth (3:38.26), while University of Washington star Joe Waskom, who just won his second NCAA 1500 title on the same track two weeks ago, was the final qualifier in 3:38.29.
Hocker took the lead after two and a half laps, but several runners closed in on him and he found himself boxed in with 150 meters to go. However, he was able to sneak through an opening along the rail and kick hard to secure the win.
“I was comfortable with what I did. It was just about staying comfortable, staying in control, and staying relaxed, was the name of the game, and both days had slightly different outcomes,” Hocker said. “I think I have a good feel for what I can do in the last 50 and based on the pace today, I was beyond confident on whatever happened. If it didn’t open up, I would have gone to the outside. I wasn’t making a statement, but I like to win races and I want to be 100 percent that I’m moving on to the next round.”
RESULTS: U.S. Olympic Trials Live Results
Two-time Olympic champion and Nike pro Ryan Crouser won the men’s shot put title with a huge throw of 74 feet, 11¼ inches, while two-time world champion and fellow Nike pro Joe Kovacs was second with a best of 73-7 ¼, and unsponsored athlete Payton Otterdahl was third in 73-0½. In the women’s triple jump, Jasmine Moore captured her first national title with a leap of 46-9½, followed by American record holder Keturah Orji (46-8), and Tori Franklin (45-0¼).
Heath Baldwin, a graduate student at Michigan State, won the men’s decathlon title with a career-best 8,625 points, edging out Zach Ziemek (8,516 points) and Harrison Williams (8,384 points). On Friday, Baldwin ran the 100 meters in 10.85 seconds, long jumped 24 feet, 5½ inches, threw the shot put 54-2½, high jumped 6-11¾, and ran the 400 meters in 48.58. On the second day of competition on Saturday, he ran the 110-meter high hurdles in 13.77, threw the discus 143-3¼, pole vaulted 15-10¾ threw the javelin 218-9½, and ran the 1500 in 4:41.87.
RELATED: Sha’Carri Richardson Wins 100 Meters, Qualifies for Paris Olympics
Sunday is Day 3 of the U.S. Olympic Trials and key events include finals for women’s hammer throw, men’s pole vault, men’s javelin, women’s 400, men’s 3,000-meter steeplechase, and men’s 100 meters.
RELATED: How to Watch the U.S. Olympic Trials
The U.S. Olympic Trials for track and field got underway on Friday night in Eugene, Oregon, and several American stars shined in their preliminary heats, including Sha’Carri Richardson, Ryan Crouser, Athing Mu, Elise Cranny, and Elle St. Pierre.
Richardson entered the meet as arguably the most high-profile track athlete in the U.S. After winning the 100 meters at the Prefontaine Classic in Eugene on May 25 with a bit of her usual flair, the Nike-sponsored pro is poised to run in the Olympics for the first time later this summer in Paris. She stumbled out of the starting blocks in her preliminary heat of the 100 on Friday night, but recovered from the poor start and won the race easily in 10.88 seconds—the fastest time of the five heats— much to the appreciation of the near-capacity crowd at Hayward Field.
“I definitely didn’t have the start that I have been training to have in this moment, but still I was not panicking, just staying patient, and knowing that no matter what’s going on, to continue to run my race,” Richardson told NBC’s Lewis Johnson after the race. “It just tells me I’m prepared, but I just need to put it all together.”
Other 100 heat winners included 2024 NCAA champion McKenzie Long (10.94) who just turned pro and signed with Adidas, Florida State sophomore Dajaz Defrand (11.05) and second-year pro Melissa Jefferson (10.91), while Aleia Hobbs, who finished sixth at the 2022 world championships, clocked 10.97 as the runner-up in the first heat.
In 2021, Richardson won the 100 meters at the U.S. Olympic Trials in 10.86, but then just a few days later was told that her standard post-competition drug test revealed that she tested positive for marijuana use (which is on the banned substance list of the World Anti-Doping Agency), resulting in a suspension that kept her out of the Tokyo Olympics. Now she’s back and better than ever.
Richardson won the 100 at last year’s world championships in Budapest in a career-best 10.65 seconds and entered the Olympic Trials ranked No. 2 in the U.S. and No. 3 with an 10.83 effort at the Prefontaine Classic. But eight other Americans have also broken 11 seconds, so Sunday’s semifinal (8:57 P.M. ET) and finals (10:50 P.M.) will be must-see TV.
RELATED: Grant Fisher Earns First U.S. 10,000 Title, Seals Paris Olympic Team Berth
Parker Valby, the top women’s distance runner in the NCAA this year during her junior season at the University of Florida, was intent on making her mark in the first semifinal of the 5,000-meter run on Friday night. Running in her first race above the collegiate level, the 21-year-old looked comfortable setting the early pace in the opening heat, slightly increasing the tempo as she led for the first 11 laps of the race. But with a lap to go, Elle St. Pierre, a 2020 Olympian in the 1500 meters and new mom, took charge and kicked hard over the final 400 meters, leaving Valby in her dust.
“I definitely didn’t want to do any more work than I had to and just kind of wanted to get behind the leader or a few people back and settle in, so it just kind of worked out that way,” St. Pierre said. “It was a little toasty out there, so my goal was just to stick in the top group and get the job done today.”
St. Pierre ran a 62.5-second final 400 and easily won the race in 15:13.82, followed in second by a resurgent Karissa Schweizer (15:15.42), Valby (15:17.56) and Whittini Morgan (15:18.67). The top six finishers in each heat, plus the runners with the next four fastest times qualified for Monday evening final.
“My coach reminded me that first and sixth are the same, so I just kept that in the back of my mind,” Valby said. “My goal was to run a good race and qualify for the final, and that’s what I did.”
St. Pierre is the top-ranked U.S. runner in both the 1500 and the 5,000, having run personal bests of 3:56.00 (the second-fastest time in U.S. history) and 14:34.12 (fifth-fastest on the U.S. list) earlier this year. Although she’s only 15 months postpartum after giving birth to son, Ivan, in March 2023, the 29-year-old St. Pierre is running better and faster than ever. In January, she broke the American indoor record in the mile (4:16.41) at the Millrose Games in New York City, then won the gold medal in the 3,000 meters at the indoor world championships in Glasgow in March.
RELATED: Grant Fisher Earns First U.S. 10,000 Title, Seals Paris Olympic Team Berth
In the second heat of the 5,000, the pace went out extremely slow—roughly 5:45 mile pace—until Elise Cranny took the lead and ratcheted things up a notch. The 2020 U.S. Olympic Trials 5,000 champion, who left the Bowerman track club last year and moved back home to Niwot, Colorado, won the heat in 16:02.33 over Ella Donaghu (16:05.84), Rachel Smith (16:06.92) and Katelyn Tuohy (16:09.22).
Cranny was the U.S. champion in the 5,000 and 10,000 last year, but finished what she considered a disappointing ninth place in the 5,000 at the world championships—the same place she finished in 2022—and decided to change things up. After four years with the Bowerman Track Club in Oregon, Cranny moved back home last year, and after a short stint with Team Boss, Cranny is training on her own and being coached remotely by Jarred Cornfield, the associate head coach for distance and mid-distance running at Northern Arizona University.
Cranny said she’s running less mileage—down to about 80 miles a week after running 90 to 95 miles under Jerry Schumacher in the Bowerman program—and doing more cross-training (swimming and aqua jogging) and double-threshold workouts, while also prioritizing recovery more under Cornfield.
“I’m just happy to be home, training on my home track again, and being around my family,” Cranny said. “I was not in a very good spot, just very burnt out from running, and my approach wasn’t very good being in a team dynamic. So I kind of felt that I needed to step away and make decisions about my training and racing schedule more. I’m really happy being back home. My parents and my sisters have really gotten me through the last eight months.”
The 16-runner women’s 5,000 final is set for Monday evening at 11:09 P.M. ET.
Related: What You Need to Know About the U.S. Olympic Trials
Athing Mu, the 2020 Olympic champion and 2023 world championships bronze medalist in the 800 meters, finally made her season debut on Friday night. The 22-year-old had been bothered by hamstring issues all spring, but she ran well enough in her preliminary heat on Friday. She placed third in the second heat of four heats in 2:01.73, behind Allie Wilson (2:01.57) and McKenna Keegan (2:01.71) to easily qualify for the Sunday’s semifinals.
Stanford sophomore Juliette Whittaker, the reigning NCAA champions in the event, won the first heat (2:01.70), LSU junior Michaela Rose, the 2023 NCAA champion who finished sixth at the U.S. championships last year, turned in the fastest time while winning the third heat in 1:59.57 over Ajee Wilson (2:00.96), a two-time world championships bronze medalist, while Nia Akins won the fourth heat (2:01.18).

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The Daily — Labour Force Survey, June 2025 – Statistique Canada

The Daily — Labour Force Survey, June 2025 – Statistique Canada

Released: 2025-07-11
21,061,000
June 2025

0.4% increase
(monthly change)
6.9%
June 2025

-0.1 pts decrease
(monthly change)
245,000
June 2025

-1.4% decrease
(monthly change)
9.9%
June 2025

0.2 pts increase
(monthly change)
92,000
June 2025

0.2% increase
(monthly change)
8.6%
June 2025

0.4 pts increase
(monthly change)
524,000
June 2025

-0.6% decrease
(monthly change)
6.7%
June 2025

0.2 pts increase
(monthly change)
407,000
June 2025

-0.3% decrease
(monthly change)
7.3%
June 2025

1.0 pts increase
(monthly change)
4,652,000
June 2025

0.5% increase
(monthly change)
6.3%
June 2025

0.5 pts increase
(monthly change)
8,220,000
June 2025

0.3% increase
(monthly change)
7.8%
June 2025

-0.1 pts decrease
(monthly change)
739,000
June 2025

1.2% increase
(monthly change)
5.5%
June 2025

-0.4 pts decrease
(monthly change)
620,000
June 2025

0.5% increase
(monthly change)
4.9%
June 2025

0.7 pts increase
(monthly change)
2,594,000
June 2025

1.2% increase
(monthly change)
6.8%
June 2025

-0.6 pts decrease
(monthly change)
2,969,000
June 2025

0.2% increase
(monthly change)
5.6%
June 2025

-0.8 pts decrease
(monthly change)
Employment increased by 83,000 (+0.4%) in June and the employment rate rose by 0.1 percentage points to 60.9%. The unemployment rate fell 0.1 percentage points to 6.9%.
Employment rose among core-aged (25 to 54 years old) men (+62,000; +0.8%) and core-aged women (+29,000; +0.4%). There was little employment change among youth and people aged 55 years and older.
There were employment increases in wholesale and retail trade (+34,000; +1.1%), as well as in health care and social assistance (+17,000; +0.6%). Employment declined in agriculture (-6,000; -2.6%) and was little changed in other industries.
Employment increased in Alberta (+30,000; +1.2%), Quebec (+23,000; +0.5%), Ontario (+21,000; +0.3%) and Manitoba (+8,500; +1.2%), while it declined in Newfoundland and Labrador (-3,500; -1.4%) and Nova Scotia (-3,400; -0.6%).
Total hours worked rose 0.5% in June and were up 1.6% compared with 12 months earlier.
Average hourly wages among employees increased 3.2% (+$1.10 to $36.01) on a year-over-year basis in June, following growth of 3.4% in May (not seasonally adjusted).
Employment rose by 83,000 (+0.4%) in June, the first increase since January. Employment growth was concentrated in part-time work (+70,000; +1.8%).
The employment rate—the proportion of the population aged 15 years and older who are employed—increased by 0.1 percentage points to 60.9% in June. The employment rate had previously recorded a cumulative decline of 0.3 percentage points in March and April and had held steady in May.
The number of employees increased in both the private (+47,000; +0.3%) and public (+23,000; +0.5%) sectors in June, while the number of self-employed workers was little changed.
Employment increases in June were concentrated among people in the core working age (25 to 54 years old). For core-aged men, employment increased by 62,000 (+0.8%), more than offsetting the decline in May (-31,000; -0.4%). The employment rate for men in this age group rose 0.6 percentage points to 86.6% in June.
Among core-aged women, employment rose by 29,000 (+0.4%), building on an increase of 42,000 (+0.6%) in May. The employment rate among core-aged women was up 0.2 percentage points to 80.3% in June.
Despite increases in the month, employment rates of both core-aged men and core-aged women were little changed on a year-over-year basis in June.
The unemployment rate fell 0.1 percentage points to 6.9% in June, the first decrease since January. Prior to this decline, the unemployment rate had increased for three consecutive months ending in May 2025, reaching its highest level (7.0%) since September 2016 (excluding 2020 and 2021, during the COVID-19 pandemic).
In June, the unemployment rate among core-aged women fell 0.3 percentage points to 5.4%. Among core-aged men, it was little changed at 6.1%, as the number of job searchers held steady despite the employment gains.
The youth unemployment rate held steady at 14.2% in June and was up 0.7 percentage points on a year-over-year basis. It remained significantly above its pre-pandemic average of 10.8% recorded from 2017 to 2019.
The unemployment rate among people aged 55 years and older was little changed at 5.4% in June and was up slightly (+0.3 percentage points) on a year-over-year basis.
There were 1.6 million unemployed people in June, little changed in the month but up 128,000 (+9.0%) on a year-over-year basis.
Compared with one year earlier, long-term unemployment was up in June 2025. Over one in five unemployed people (21.8%) had been searching for work for 27 weeks or more in June, an increase from 17.7% in June 2024.
At the same time, the layoff rate in June was virtually unchanged on a year-over-year basis and remained low relative to historical averages outside of recessionary periods. The proportion of people who were employed in May and became unemployed in June as a result of a layoff was 0.5%, similar to the rate observed over the corresponding months in 2024 (0.6%). In comparison, the corresponding layoff rate averaged 0.6% from 2017 to 2019, prior to the pandemic (not seasonally adjusted).
From May to August, the Labour Force Survey collects labour market information about students who attended school full time in March and who intend to return to school full time in the fall.
In June, the unemployment rate for returning students aged 15 to 24 years was 17.4%, up from 15.8% in June 2024 and up 7.2 percentage points from the record low observed in June 2022 (10.2%), during a tight labour market (not seasonally adjusted). This was the highest unemployment rate for the month of June since 2009 (excluding the pandemic period).
Prior to June, the summer job season had started slowly in May, when the unemployment rate of young returning students reached 20.1%, comparable with levels last observed in 2009.
Teenagers and older youth alike faced higher unemployment rates in June compared with 12 months earlier. For returning students aged 15 to 16 years, the unemployment rate was up 3.3 percentage points to 27.8%; for those aged 17 to 19 years, it was up 1.8 percentage points to 19.0%, while for those aged 20 to 24 years, it edged up 1.2 percentage points to 12.3%.
Employment in wholesale and retail trade increased by 34,000 (+1.1%) in June, the second consecutive monthly gain. The increase in June was concentrated in retail trade (+38,000; +1.7%). On a year-over-year basis, employment in wholesale and retail trade was up by 84,000 (+2.9%).
Employment also rose in health care and social assistance (+17,000; +0.6%) in June, the first notable change since December 2024. Compared with 12 months earlier, employment in the industry grew by 78,000 (+2.8%) in June 2025.
Agriculture was the only industry with a notable employment decline (-6,000; -2.6%) in June. On a year-over-year basis, employment in agriculture was little changed.
In Alberta, employment rose by 30,000 (+1.2%) in June, driven by full-time work. This marked the second increase in three months in the province. The unemployment rate in Alberta fell 0.6 percentage points to 6.8% in June.
Employment increased in Quebec (+23,000; +0.5%) in June, the second increase in three months. Wholesale and retail trade (+14,000; +2.1%) accounted for the majority of the increase in the month. Despite the employment gain, the unemployment rate in the province rose 0.5 percentage points to 6.3% in June, as more people searched for work.
Employment rose in Ontario (+21,000; +0.3%) in June, following declines totalling 62,000 (-0.8%) in March and April and little change in May. The unemployment rate in Ontario stood at 7.8% in June, little changed from May.
In the Windsor census metropolitan area (CMA), the unemployment rate has increased markedly in recent months amidst trade disruptions in automotive manufacturing industries. The unemployment rate in Windsor was 11.2% in June, the highest among the CMAs. Since January 2025, it has increased 2.1 percentage points (three-month moving averages).
Employment also increased in Manitoba (+8,500; +1.2%) in June, the second gain in three months. The unemployment rate in the province (5.5%) was down 0.4 percentage points in June but was little changed from 12 months earlier.
Meanwhile, employment fell in Newfoundland and Labrador (-3,500; -1.4%) and in Nova Scotia (-3,400; -0.6%). Despite the employment declines, the unemployment rates varied little in both provinces in June (at 9.9% in Newfoundland and Labrador and at 6.7% in Nova Scotia).
Comparisons between the labour market situation in Canada and in the United States can be made by adjusting Canadian data to US concepts. For more information, see “Measuring Employment and Unemployment in Canada and the United States – A comparison.”
Adjusted to US concepts, the Canadian unemployment rate for people aged 16 years and older declined 0.1 percentage points to 5.7% in June. In the United States, the unemployment rate also edged down 0.1 percentage points to 4.1%.
Compared with 12 months earlier, the unemployment rate in June was up 0.3 percentage points in Canada and unchanged in the United States. As a result, the gap between the unemployment rates of the two countries has increased slightly over the period.
Also adjusted to US concepts, the employment rate was 61.5% in Canada in June, compared with 59.7% in the United States. The employment rate has typically been higher in Canada than in the United States, reflecting in part the higher labour force participation rates of core-aged women. The employment rate in June of women aged 25 to 54 years (adjusted to US concepts) was 80.3% in Canada and 75.2% in the United States.
For more data and insights on areas touched by the socio-economic relationship between Canada and the United States, see the Focus on Canada and the United States webpage.
Download our mobile app and get timely access to data at your fingertips! The StatsCAN app is available for free on the App Store and on Google Play.
On July 16, Statistics Canada will launch an improved homepage to facilitate navigation and data access. Rest assured that the new design will not affect your bookmarks or access to The Daily, data tables, web scraping, or other key functionalities.
For more information, please visit the page on the upcoming changes to the Statistics Canada website.
On January 1, 2016, the world officially began implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development—the United Nations’ transformative plan of action that addresses urgent global challenges over the next 15 years. The plan is based on 17 specific sustainable development goals.
The Labour Force Survey is an example of how Statistics Canada supports the reporting on the Global Goals for Sustainable Development. This release will be used in helping to measure the following goals:
The Labour Force Survey (LFS) estimates for June reflect labour market conditions during the reference week of June 15 to 21, 2025.
The sample size of the LFS is approximately 65,000 households, representing over 100,000 respondents each month. For more information, see the Guide to the Labour Force Survey.
This analysis focuses on differences between estimates that are statistically significant at the 68% confidence level. Monthly estimates may show more sampling variability than trends observed over longer periods. For more information, see “Interpreting Monthly Changes in Employment from the Labour Force Survey.”
LFS estimates at the Canada level do not include the territories.
The LFS estimates are the first in a series of labour market indicators released by Statistics Canada, which includes indicators from programs such as the Survey of Employment, Payrolls and Hours (SEPH); Employment Insurance Statistics; and the Job Vacancy and Wage Survey. For more information on the conceptual differences between employment measures from the LFS and those from the SEPH, refer to section 8 of the Guide to the Labour Force Survey.
The employment rate is the number of employed people as a percentage of the population aged 15 years and older. The rate for a particular group (for example, youth aged 15 to 24 years) is the number employed in that group as a percentage of the population for that group.
The unemployment rate is the number of unemployed people as a percentage of the labour force (employed and unemployed).
The participation rate is the number of employed and unemployed people as a percentage of the population aged 15 years and older.
Full-time employment consists of persons who usually work 30 hours or more per week at their main or only job.
Part-time employment consists of persons who usually work less than 30 hours per week at their main or only job.
Total hours worked refers to the number of hours actually worked at the main job by the respondent during the reference week, including paid and unpaid hours. These hours reflect temporary decreases or increases in work hours (for example, hours lost due to illness, vacation, holidays or weather; or more hours worked due to overtime).
This release refers to the gender of a person. The category “men” includes men, as well as some non-binary persons. The category “women” includes women, as well as some non-binary persons. Given that the non-binary population is small, data aggregation to a two-category gender variable is necessary to protect the confidentiality of responses provided.
Unless otherwise stated, estimates presented in this release are seasonally adjusted, which facilitates comparisons by removing the effects of typical seasonal variations. For more information on seasonal adjustment, see Seasonally adjusted data – Frequently asked questions.
The LFS target population includes all persons aged 15 years and older whose usual place of residence is in Canada, with some exceptions (those living on reserves, full-time members of the regular Armed Forces and persons living in institutions). The target population includes temporary residents—that is, those with a valid work or study permit, their families, and refugee claimants—as well as permanent residents (landed immigrants) and the Canadian-born.
Information gathered from LFS respondents is weighted to represent the survey target population using population calibration totals. These totals are updated each month, using the most recently available information on population changes derived from Canada’s official population estimates, with minor adjustments being made to reflect the LFS target population.
While the LFS population totals are generally aligned with official demographic estimates, the official estimates should be considered the official measure of population change in Canada. More information on how population totals in the LFS are calculated can be found in the article “Interpreting population totals from the Labour Force Survey.”
As a result of a temporary measure in effect from April 6 to October 11, 2025, the unemployment rates are adjusted by one percentage point (to a maximum of 13.1%) in all Employment Insurance economic regions, ensuring that no region has an unemployment rate less than 7.1%. Regions with an unemployment rate of 13.1% or higher keep their actual rate. For more information, see Temporary Employment Insurance measures to respond to major changes in economic conditions.
Every 10 years, the LFS sample is redesigned to reflect changes in population characteristics and updated geographical boundaries. The updated sample design—based on the 2021 Census population characteristics and the 2021 Standard Geographical Classification—is being phased in from April to September 2025. For more information, see Section 4 of the Guide to the Labour Force Survey.
Data for the Labour Market Indicators program are now available for June 2025.
The next release of the LFS will be on August 8. July data will reflect labour market conditions during the week of July 13 to 19.
More information about the concepts and use of the Labour Force Survey is available online in the Guide to the Labour Force Survey (Catalogue number71-543-G).
The product “Labour Force Survey in brief: Interactive app” (Catalogue number14200001) is also available. This interactive visualization application provides seasonally adjusted estimates by province, gender, age group and industry.
The product “Labour Market Indicators, by province and census metropolitan area, seasonally adjusted” (Catalogue number71-607-X) is also available. This interactive dashboard provides customizable access to key labour market indicators.
The product “Labour Market Indicators, by province, territory and economic region, unadjusted for seasonality” (Catalogue number71-607-X) is also available. This dynamic web application provides access to labour market indicators for Canada, provinces, territories and economic regions.
The product “Labour market indicators, census metropolitan areas, census agglomerations and self-contained labour areas: Interactive dashboard” (Catalogue number71-607-X) is also available. This dashboard allows users to visually explore the estimates using an interactive map as well as time series charts and tables.
The product Labour Force Survey: Public Use Microdata File (Catalogue number71M0001X) is also available. This public use microdata file contains non-aggregated data for a wide variety of variables collected from the Labour Force Survey. The data have been modified to ensure that no individual or business is directly or indirectly identified. This product is for users who prefer to do their own analysis by focusing on specific subgroups in the population or by cross-classifying variables that are not in our catalogued products.
For more information, or to enquire about the concepts, methods or data quality of this release, contact us (toll-free 1-800-263-1136; 514-283-8300; infostats@statcan.gc.ca) or Media Relations (statcan.mediahotline-ligneinfomedias.statcan@statcan.gc.ca).

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‘So many people are going to lose coverage’ in Missouri and Kansas if ACA tax credits expire – thebeaconnews.org

‘So many people are going to lose coverage’ in Missouri and Kansas if ACA tax credits expire – thebeaconnews.org

Beacon: Kansas City

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by Suzanne King, Beacon: Kansas City
June 18, 2025
When Madison Thimmesch turned 26 and had to give up her parents’ health insurance coverage, she was finishing college at the University of Missouri-Kansas City. 
She didn’t have a full-time job and easy access to another insurance plan. So, like millions of other Americans, Thimmesch turned to the Affordable Care Act marketplace. There, she found the coverage she needed — including dental — for only about $12 a month.
“I had been really stressed about not having health insurance,” she said.
It worked out for Thimmesch thanks largely to the tax credits she could get, which offset the true cost of her insurance. Congress adopted enhanced tax credits in 2021 to help low- and middle-income Americans afford marketplace coverage.
But those tax credits are set to expire at the end of the year and Congress does not appear poised to renew them. If they go away, an insurance plan like the one Thimmesch relied on to get through college will become unaffordable for many people. 
The nonprofit Commonwealth Fund estimates that Missourians receiving tax credits for marketplace coverage would pay about $720 more on annual premiums if the enhanced credits expire. Kansans would see premiums go up about $590 a year.
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“It’s going to be a major sticker shock for a lot of people,” said Sara R. Collins, who studies health care access at the Commonwealth Fund.
The most likely outcome of skyrocketing premiums, many experts believe, will be millions of people dropping insurance altogether. The Commonwealth Fund report estimates that 51,000 Missourians will become uninsured if the tax credits expire, while 66,000 Kansans will become uninsured.
All told, 4 million Americans are expected to become uninsured if the tax credits expire. And other bureaucratic changes to the Affordable Care Act proposed in President Donald Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act could lead to an additional 4 million people losing marketplace coverage.
Meanwhile, the Trump administration’s proposed federal cuts to Medicaid, insurance that covers low-income and disabled Americans, are expected to cause an additional 8 million Americans to be left uninsured.
“Sixteen million people would be uninsured in a relatively short period of time,” Collins said. “It’s a catastrophic change to our insurance system.”
And it threatens to upend health care coverage gains that have been seen across the country in recent years. According to a state-by-state Health Scorecard that the Commonwealth Fund published June 18, uninsured rates fell in every state between 2013 and 2023.
According to the scorecard, the share of working-age adults without health insurance fell to 11% nationwide in 2023 from 20.4% a decade earlier. And only 11.7% of adults reported skipping care because of cost in 2023, compared with 15.9% in 2013.
In Missouri, 11% of 19-to-64 year olds were uninsured in 2023, compared with 14% in 2019. And 12% of Kansans in that age group were uninsured in 2023, compared with 13% in 2019.
Authors of the scorecard attributed the improvements in insurance coverage to added premium tax subsidies that boosted enrollment in the Affordable Care Act marketplace, and to Medicaid expansion, which helped more people qualify for Medicaid coverage.
The loss of insurance won’t be felt only by the patients left without coverage. Hospitals, doctors’ offices and community health centers that rely on revenue from insured patients to keep the doors open will all feel the decline in the number of people who have insurance.
“Those losses also trickle through the economy,” Collins said.
The American Hospital Association in a statement urged Congress to extend tax credits. Losing them, the group said, would lead to greater numbers of uninsured patients, placing “considerable financial stress” on hospitals and a potential loss of services. The organization cited research indicating that, over the course of a decade, the loss of the tax credits could result in a $28 billion reduction in hospital spending.
The ACA marketplace has become an increasingly important part of the health insurance system. The number of people enrolled in health insurance plans through ACA marketplaces has more than doubled in recent years, reaching 24.3 million in 2025, up from about 11.4 million five years earlier.
In Missouri, 417,000 individuals enrolled in the marketplace this year, up from 202,000 in 2020. And in Kansas, more than 200,000 individuals enrolled this year, compared with less than 86,000 in 2020.
Tim Becks, an insurance broker who owns Becks Benefits Design in Westwood, said he would be shocked if the tax credits go away entirely. But if Congress does let them expire at the end of the year, it will be devastating to the marketplace, he said.
“If you get rid of tax credits,” Becks said, “you’ll just see it bleed down.”
Healthy young people will drop out of coverage, leaving older and sicker patients behind. Coverage costs will go up, and insurance companies won’t want to participate.
Complicated formulas taking into account age, income and family size, among other factors, determine how much people pay for insurance through the marketplace in each state. 
Without tax credits, which basically provide a discount on the cost of coverage, higher-income people will see especially steep rate increases for marketplace plans. And people making more than four times the federal poverty level won’t get any help paying premiums at all. 
A state-by-state analysis by Charles Gaba of ACASignups.net ran the numbers for various household scenarios to determine how much the loss of tax credits would increase premiums.
Gaba predicts that, if subsidies expire, beginning next year in Missouri:
And in Kansas
Becks said he is telling his clients not to panic, and hoping lawmakers will realize how many people will be affected if they don’t act. 
In the meantime, he is keeping his eye on a more immediate problem: The imminent departure from the ACA marketplace of Aetna, an insurance company owned by CVS. Becks said 80% of his marketplace clients are enrolled through Aetna this year because “they have the best network on the ACA.”  
“We’re going to have to figure out alternative options,” Becks said. 
The budget reconciliation bill that the House passed, which is now making its way through the Senate, would add further obstacles for patients to navigate, even if the tax credits stay in place. The version of the bill that passed the House:
Yvette Carias Solis, a health navigator with El Centro, which provides services to Hispanic and Latino residents in Wyandotte and Johnson counties, said losing affordable marketplace coverage will leave many of her clients who have ongoing health problems without care and medicine.
“It’s just a snowball effect,” Carias Solis said. “It’s not just for the individual, but also for the community.” 
Families already are dealing with high costs of housing and rent, she said. Adding higher insurance costs on top of that will force them to make difficult decisions.
“Do I pay for food this week, or do I get my medication?” she said.
Molly Gotobed, executive director of the Community Health Council of Wyandotte County, said that for many of the people she knows who have coverage through the marketplace it won’t be a choice at all. 
“I’m guessing most people (facing higher premiums) just aren’t going to have health insurance,” she said. Or they will purchase policies with high out-of-pocket costs.
The result will be a step back to a time when people were sicker because they couldn’t afford health care, Gotobed said.
“I just think the whole thing is terrible. So many people are going to lose coverage.”
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Suzanne King is The Beacon’s health care reporter and has covered the beat since November of 2023. Previously she covered the telecommunications and technology industries for The Kansas City Star and… More by Suzanne King
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Cricket World Cup | History, Winners, & Facts – Britannica

Cricket World Cup | History, Winners, & Facts – Britannica

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Cricket World Cup, international cricket championship held at four-year intervals that is the premier contest in one-day cricket and one of the most-watched sporting events in the world.
In 1975 the first Cricket World Cup was contested in England as a series of one-day matches of 60 overs per side. It was held outside England, in India and Pakistan, for the first time in 1987. The 1987 contest also saw the number of overs per side reduced to 50. In 2007 Australia became the first team to win three consecutive World Cup tournaments.
Results of the Cricket World Cup are provided in the table.

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Editorial: Mind-body medicine and its impacts on psychological networks, quality of life, and health – Volume II – Frontiers

Editorial: Mind-body medicine and its impacts on psychological networks, quality of life, and health – Volume II – Frontiers

EDITORIAL article
Front. Integr. Neurosci.
Volume 19 – 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fnint.2025.1658381
This article is part of the Research TopicMind-body medicine and its impacts on psychological networks, quality of life, and health – Volume IIView all 41 articles
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Interventions for mental health and well-being. This category comprises studies that investigated diverse interventions or factors that significantly influence mental health, emotional states, stress, and overall well-being, frequently incorporating a mind-body component or emphasizing resilience. The following key issues were addressed by this category: physical exercise and emotional well-being; selfreflection and stress reduction; integrated physical-mental therapies; mindfulness and well-being in adolescents; mindful movement for mental health; Yoga for stress and emotional well-being; mindbody exercises and quality of life; creative arts and emotional regulation; patient consciousness in therapy; health and wellness coaching; and group meditation for public health.Specific conditions and symptoms: depression, anxiety, stress, and fatigue. This category encompasses studies that addressed specific mental health disorders or key symptoms, frequently exploring their prevalence, interconnections, risk factors, or targeted interventions. The following key issues were addressed by this category: The following studies have been conducted on the subject of cancer-related fatigue and stress: eurythmy therapy, activity-based stress release, psychosomatic health in students, depression in cancer patients, automated stress detection, sex differences in diabetes patients' symptom networks, anxiety, depression, sleep in university students, BMI and depressive symptoms, mental health literacy and psychological status, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and depression, adolescent suicide attempters, exercise for COVID-19 patients' mental health, and mindbody therapies for adolescent depression.The connection between physical health, pain and quality of life and mental health. This category includes studies that focused on physical well-being, pain management, and general quality of life, often exploring their connections to psychological factors, social support, or mind-body interventions.The following key issues were addressed by this category: sleep duration and chronic musculoskeletal pain, Tai Chi vs. water aerobics and brain connectivity, social support and quality of life in cancer patients, health-related quality of life assessment in alopecia areata, placebo effects and appetite/satiety, physiological markers for social and physical pain, social alienation and emotional intelligence, placebo in mindfulness-based interventions for pain, exercise enjoyment in overweight/obese individuals, breakfast consumption and handgrip strength, Qigong for COVID-19 rehabilitation, mind-body exercise for stroke patients, outdoor interventions for myopia, and interorgan regulation of affective states.The connection between physical and mental health in an educational context. This category specifically includes studies in which the study population is comprised of students, often addressing their unique challenges, academic expectations, or specific interventions relevant to their developmental stage. The following key issues were addressed by this category: doctoral students' expectations, physical exercise and emotional states in university students, mindful movement for kinesiology and sport students, psychosomatic health in TCM university students, Yoga for university students' well-being, mental health symptoms and health-promoting lifestyles in Chinese university students, and Qi states and depression in college students. Qian et al. (Qian et al., 2025) investigated the psychophysiological effects of NaiKan Therapy, a selfreflection method, on salivary oxytocin and cortisol release in sixty participants over a period of five days. A significant increase in oxytocin levels and a decrease in cortisol levels were observed posttherapy, suggesting that NaiKan Therapy enhances social bonding and reduces stress reactivity. These findings offer novel insights into the neuroendocrine mechanisms of this introspective practice and its potential for improving mental well-being. Singh et al. (Singh et al., 2024) introduced a Budo group therapy for psychiatric in-and outpatients, incorporating martial arts, mindfulness, and breath work to enhance physical and mental health. Over a 14-month period, 215 individuals participated, demonstrating good retention and high self-reported satisfaction, motivation, and improved physical and psychological well-being. The study concludes that Budo group therapy is a feasible, wellaccepted, and promising transdiagnostic treatment approach that combines physical activation with resilience enhancement for a broad spectrum of mental health needs. Ecker et al. (Ecker et al., 2024) investigated the immediate effects of a single mindfulness intervention on healthy adolescents aged 12-19, using both subjective and physiological measurements. Contrary to the prevailing expectations, no significant immediate improvements in well-being, state mindfulness, heart rate, or heart rate variability were observed in comparison to an active control group. However, the findings indicated that a generally mindful attitude (trait mindfulness) was positively correlated with better subjective well-being and reduced mental burden in this age group, suggesting its potential as a resilience factor. Spaccapanico Proietti et al. (Spaccapanico Proietti et al., 2024) evaluated the short-term impact of an 8-week mindful movement programme (Movimento Biologico) on 38 Kinesiology and Sport Sciences students. The programme led to a marked enhancement in the positive mental health of the participants, as well as in several interoceptive awareness subscales, including emotional awareness. Furthermore, the autonomy subscale of psychological well-being demonstrated a significant enhancement, indicating an improvement in body sensation recognition, emotional-physical links, and self-confidence. Castellote-Caballero et al. (Castellote-Caballero et al., 2024) analyzed, in a randomized controlled trial, the efficacy of a 12-week yoga intervention on stress, emotional wellbeing, and anxiety in 129 university students. The experimental group demonstrated significant enhancements in perceived stress, emotional well-being, and both state and trait anxiety, in comparison to the control group. Their finding indicated that yoga can play a substantial role in the reduction of stress and anxiety, and the enhancement of emotional well-being in university students. Yang et al. (Yang et al., 2024) investigated the impact of mind-body exercises on the quality of life in 1,087 older adults, exploring the chain mediating effects of perceived social support and psychological resilience. They found a significant and positive correlation between quality of life and mind-body exercises. Their findings indicated that perceived social support and psychological resilience exhibited a chain mediating effect, signifying that mind-body exercises enhance quality of life by fortifying these factors. Barnett and Vasiu (Barnett and Vasiu, 2024) investigated, in a hypothesis and theory paper, the neural mechanisms of creative arts' therapeutic effects on mental and physical health, with a specific focus on the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and amygdala. Preliminary findings indicate that both active and passive engagement with creative arts consistently activate neural circuits involved in adaptive emotional regulation. The study concludes that creative arts have the potential to function as a complementary therapeutic strategy by engaging shared neural mechanisms with emotional regulation, thereby enhancing understanding of their role in mental health. Shirbache et al. (Shirbache et al., 2024) introduced "Ultra-Overt Therapy" (UOT), a novel medical approach that emphasizes patient consciousness and awareness of medication's physiological processes to improve drug efficacy. Their non-systematic review explored evidence from the mind-body relationship, placebo response, neuroscience, and complementary medicine, suggesting theoretical promise for UOT. It is recommended that future research be conducted to ensure a comprehensive understanding of the global impact of this method on medical treatment and patient care. Wolever and Weinand (Wolever and Weinand, 2025) presented the Health and Wellness Coaching (HWC) as an evidence-based approach to address chronic disease, integrating mind-body science and autonomy-promoting lifestyle interventions. The Vanderbilt Health Coaching Program's process is detailed, highlighting the integration of mindfulness, the Wheel of Health, and guided visualization with motivational interviewing. Additionally, structural tools like the Vanderbilt Health Coaching Funnel and IVA Funnel are introduced to foster sustainable behavior change and clarify true coaching strategies. Schneider et al. (Schneider et al., 2024) underscored, in a perspective paper, the pressing need for novel public health strategies to avert collective stress, violence, and war, examining the role of evidence-based meditation from Ayurveda and Yoga in this context. The programme under scrutiny is that of Transcendental Meditation, which has been demonstrated to be effective in reducing collective stress and conflict while improving quality of life, as evidenced by empirical studies across cultures. The mechanisms by which group meditation mitigates collective violence are explored through the lenses of public health models, neuroscience, and quantum physics principles. This suggests that group meditation has the potential to enhance societal well-being and peace. Timm et al. (Timm et al., 2024b) investigated in a prospective observational study the online implementation of eurythmy therapy (ERYT), a mindful-movement therapy from anthroposophic medicine, for cancer-related fatigue (CRF), stress, and mindfulness. Study 1, which utilized a mixed sample, demonstrated enhancements in emotional and physical well-being, with a concomitant reduction in stress and an increase in mindfulness. However, the study did not reveal a significant effect on fatigue. Study 2, which focused on subjects diagnosed with cancer, revealed a substantial enhancement in CRF, stress, and mindfulness scores. These findings imply that online ERYT may offer benefits for these indicators in cancer patients and underscore the accessibility advantages of the online format. In another study (Timm et al., 2024a) they appraised the practicability and efficacy of an 8-week online Activity-Based Stress Release (ABSR) programme, a pioneering mindfulness-based intervention (MBI) derived from anthroposophic medicine, on perceived stress and mindfulness. A large-scale observational study with 830 participants was conducted, and the results demonstrated a significant decrease in self-reported stress and a substantial increase in mindfulness scores over the course of the intervention. These benefits were sustained at follow-up. They suggested that this AMbased intervention effectively cultivates mindfulness and is adaptable to an online format, offering a diverse approach within MBIs. Byun et al. (Byun et al., 2024) evaluated the feasibility of automated stress detection in patients diagnosed with major depressive disorder (MDD), panic disorder (PD), and healthy controls (HCs) using machine-learning algorithms based on heart rate variability (HRV) features. A total of 147 subjects participated in the study, during which HRV data was collected during stress and relaxation tasks. The highest classification accuracies were observed in healthy controls (HCs), however, personalized longitudinal scaling significantly improved accuracies across all groups to over 0.90. They suggested that HRV metrics have the potential to serve as biomarkers of stress; however, the altered autonomic responses observed in psychiatric patients necessitate the development of tailored approaches for stress monitoring. This emphasizes the value of longitudinal scaling for the development of personalized technologies. Wu et al. (Wu et al., 2024) investigated sex differences in the symptom network structure of depression, anxiety, and self-efficacy among 413 diabetes patients. The prevalence of depression and anxiety was found to be higher in female subjects than in male subjects. The strongest symptom connections exhibited variation by sex; nevertheless, "worry" and "nervousness" were found to be central to both groups. They found a strong negative association between "guilt" and self-efficacy in females, suggesting the need for targeted interventions to promote psychological well-being. Jafari et al. (Jafari et al., 2024) investigated, in a cross-sectional study, mental health literacy (MHL) and depression literacy (D-Lit) and their relationship with psychological status and quality of life in 400 Iranian patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). They revealed inadequate levels of MHL and D-Lit, with only 5.8% of respondents answering D-Lit questions correctly. Their findings indicated a robust correlation between low MHL and D-Lit with elevated symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress, as well as a diminished quality of life. This underscores the imperative for targeted mental health interventions. Tomaszek et al. (Tomaszek et al., 2024) examined, in a retrospective cohort study, the demographic and clinical profiles of 425 adolescent suicide attempters (aged 11-17 years) who were admitted to an emergency department during the period of the COVID-19 pandemic. The majority of participants were female, aged between 15 and 17, and resided in urban areas. The most prevalent method was self-poisoning, frequently involving antidepressants or paracetamol, followed by self-harm. It is noteworthy that approximately 70% of visits were linked to mental disorders, primarily depressive disorder, thereby underscoring the pandemic's enduring repercussions on youth mental health. Tang et al. (Tang et al., 2024) assessed, in a systematic review and meta-analysis, the impact of exercise therapy on anxiety and depression in patients with COVD-19. A meta-analysis of six studies involving 461 patients with confirmed cases of the disease found that those who engaged in regular exercise demonstrated significantly reduced anxiety levels, depression levels, PHQ-9 scores, and sleep quality when compared to non-exercising individuals. The research provides evidence that exercise therapy can effectively help patients with confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) to experience reduced symptoms of anxiety and depression, and to achieve better sleep quality. Luo et al. (Luo et al., 2024a) investigated, in a systematic review and network meta-analysis, the effectiveness of different mind-body therapies (MBTs) in alleviating depression among adolescents. A comprehensive review of the extant literature was conducted, encompassing nine randomized controlled trials with a total of 955 subjects. Their findings indicated that yoga, dance therapy and Tai Chi were more effective in reducing depressive symptoms. Specifically, yoga was identified as the optimal intervention, followed by dance therapy and Tai Chi, demonstrating positive effects on adolescent depression. Moshfeghinia et al. (Moshfeghinia et al., 2024) investigated, in a systematic review and meta-analysis, the association between depression and keratoconus (KC), a chronic corneal disease. A comprehensive analysis encompassing 83 KC patients and 3,186 controls yielded a conspicuously elevated depression score in the KC cohort. However, a meta-analysis of four studies comparing depression rates found no increased overall risk of depression among KC patients. Their findings suggest a complex relationship between KC and mental health, warranting further investigation. Li et al. (Li et al., 2024) investigated in a cross-sectional study the relationship between sleep duration and chronic musculoskeletal pain (CMP) in 3,904 US adults using NHANES data. The study revealed a U-shaped association, indicating that both short (<7 hours) and long (≥9 hours) sleep durations were associated with an increased prevalence of CMP, with 7 hours of sleep exhibiting the lowest odds ratio. These findings underscore the importance of maintaining optimal sleep duration for the promotion of musculoskeletal health. Port et al. (Port et al., 2024) made a comparison between the functional brain connectivity of older adults who practice Tai Chi and those who practice Water Aerobics in a casecontrol fMRI study. They demonstrated that practitioners of Tai Chi exhibited stronger connectivity in the Salience Network during periods of rest. Furthermore, increased correlations were observed in brain regions associated with memory, attention, and cognitive control during the performance of the N-Back and Stroop tasks. In contrast, the Water Aerobics group demonstrated enhanced connectivity in areas associated with motor actions and object mirroring during the Stroop task, suggesting the presence of distinct neural mechanisms for these activities. Mandato et al. (Mandato et al., 2024) conducted a longitudinal study with a view to evaluating the impact of medical history, perceived physician-patient communication, and perceived social support on quality of life (QoL) in 98 endometrial cancer (EC) patients during their first year following surgery. They found that elevated perceived social support was associated with enhanced emotional well-being (EWB) at one month and one year following surgery. Furthermore, support from a significant other was found to be associated with improved physical functioning, reduced pain, and diminished fatigue at one year. The study concludes that multifaceted social support is a pivotal factor in bolstering psychological well-being and enhancing overall QoL for EC patients, emphasizing its importance in comprehensive care. Muhetaer et al. (Muhetaer et al., 2023) utilized a network approach to explore the inter-relationship between depression and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) dimensions in 1735 Chinese cancer patients. The prevalence of depression, a central symptom that manifested alongside symptoms such as nausea/vomiting, pain, and physical function, was found to be nearly two-thirds of patients. The impact of depression on health-related quality of life (HRQOL) is predominantly through its effect on emotional function, pain, physical function and sleeplessness. This underscores the significance of timely treatment for depression in enhancing overall HRQOL. Caldarol et al. (Caldarola et al., 2024) conducted a multicentric study with the aim of evaluating the psychometric properties of the Italian Skindex-16AA in patients diagnosed with moderate-to-severe Alopecia Areata (AA). The analysis yielded a two-factor, eight-item structure, designated Skindex-8AA, which exhibited satisfactory psychometric properties, including internal consistency, convergent validity, and test-retest reliability. The Skindex-8AA was proposed as a suitable instrument for the assessment of HRQOL in AA patients. Cui et al. (Cui et al., 2024) analyzed, in a cross-sectional study, data from 10,686 Chinese adults in order to investigate the relationship between body mass index (BMI) and depressive symptoms. They demonstrated a substantial U-shaped correlation, suggesting that both underweight and obesity elevated the risk of depression. This association was particularly pronounced in younger, highly educated, single, and employed subgroups, suggesting that maintaining a normal body weight is a crucial strategy for preventing depression and promoting overall physical and mental health. Lanz et al. (Lanz et al., 2024) tested the hypothesis, in a double-blind study, if placebo-induced changes in appetite and satiety could influence attentional bias towards food cues in a group of 63 healthy participants. Participants received a placebo capsule with specific expectancy manipulations for enhanced appetite or satiety, followed by a visual probe task to measure attentional bias. The results demonstrated that placebo-induced satiety effectively hindered attention allocation towards food in healthy women, as evidenced by significantly elevated reaction times for food cues in comparison to non-food cues. This process may be mediated by a reduction in hunger and food craving. Lopes et al. (Lopes et al., 2024) examined the role of placebo effects and expectations in mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) for pain, given their established effectiveness but unclear mechanisms. A total of 19 studies were included in the review, but only a small number of these specifically focused on MBIrelated placebo effects. However, the studies indicated a clear role for placebo and expectations in MBI outcomes for both acute and chronic pain. They emphasized the necessity for these factors to be considered routinely in future experimental designs and further research to be conducted in order to achieve a comprehensive understanding of the connection between MBIs, placebo/expectations, and pain relief. Jang et al. (Jang et al., 2024) compared multimodal physiological responses to social and physical pain in a group of 73 healthy participants. The study found that social pain induced increased heart rate (HR) and skin conductance, and decreased blood volume pulse, pulse transit time, respiration rate (RR), and finger temperature (FT). The physical pain induced an increase in heart rate variability and skin conductance, as well as a decrease in blood volume pulse and pulse transit time. However, no change was observed in FT. The presence of these distinct patterns indicates that HR, HRV indices, RR, and FT can serve as markers to differentiate physiological responses to social and physical pain stimuli. Diao et al. (Diao et al., 2024) evaluated the levels of social alienation experienced by patients undergoing peritoneal dialysis. In addition, their investigation sought to ascertain the mediating factors that contribute to this phenomenon, namely personal mastery and perceived social support. The results indicated a mean social alienation score of 42.01 ± 3.15. Elevated emotional intelligence levels were found to be significantly correlated with reduced social alienation. The mediation model demonstrated that personal mastery and perceived social support fully mediated this effect, highlighting their importance for interventions. Luo et al. (Luo et al., 2024b) evaluated and compared, in a meta-analysis, the effects of High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) and Moderate-Intensity Continuous Training (MICT) on enjoyment and affective responses in overweight or obese individuals. Including 16 articles with 537 participants, the study analyzed enjoyment using the Physical Activity Enjoyment Scale and affective responses via the Feeling Scale and Felt Arousal Scale. The review concluded that HIIT generally yields a better pleasure response than MICT in this population, though no significant difference in emotional response was found. Ren et al. (Ren et al., 2024) elucidated, in a systematic review and meta-analysis, the conflicting evidence regarding the association between the frequency of breakfast consumption and handgrip strength, as well as standing long jump. The meta-analysis, which incorporated a total of six studies on grip strength and three on standing long jump, revealed a significant positive association between regular breakfast consumption and higher handgrip strength levels in women, though not in men. No significant differences were observed in standing long jump performance based on breakfast consumption frequency for either sex. Antonelli1 and Donelli (Antonelli and Donelli, 2024) investigated, in a systematic review, Qigong's potential as integrative support for COVID-19 and Long-COVID-19 rehabilitation. The review of pertinent clinical studies revealed beneficial effects of Qigong, an ancient Chinese practice combining movements, breathing, and meditation, on persistent respiratory issues, dizziness, sleep disturbances, and health-related quality of life. Further investigation is crucial to quantify and standardize Qigong's contribution, aiming to integrate this accessible practice into public health strategies and comprehensive treatment regimens. Dong et al. (Dong et al., 2024) systematically evaluated, in a systematic review and meta-analysis, the effects of mind-body exercise on physical ability, mental health, and quality of life in stroke patients. A total of 33 randomized controlled trials with 1985 participants were included, revealing significant improvements in balance, upper and lower limb motor ability, overall exercise capacity, depression, and quality of life. However, the impact of mind-body exercise on walking ability was not found to be statistically significant. Notably, Qigong (Baduanjin) with specific intervention parameters was found to be particularly effective in improving balance and quality of life. Mei et al. (Mei et al., 2024) evaluated, in a systematic review, and meta-analysis the overall efficacy of outdoor interventions for myopia in children and adolescents. Analyzing seven randomized controlled trials with 9,437 subjects, the meta-analysis demonstrated significant improvements in spherical equivalent refraction, axial length, and reduced myopia incidence following outdoor interventions. The study concludes that outdoor interventions effectively prevent and control myopia with low risk and high therapeutic benefits, making them a preferred or adjuvant approach to medication. Arinel and Abdelaal (https://doi.org/10.3389/fnint.2025.1479923) synthesized, in a mini-review, empirical finding on the rapidly developing field of inter-organ regulation of affective and internal states, focusing on the bidirectional communication between the brain, gut, and heart. These conserved mechanisms are crucial for aligning reward states with physiological needs, thereby optimizing survival behaviors such as resource acquisition and adaptation. The review under discussion emphasizes the significance of comprehending the mechanisms and circuits of both gut-and heart-mediated reward processes for the purpose of investigating unconscious and conscious reinforcement, affective disorders, and mind-body interventions. Stock-Schröer and Lange (Stock-Schroer and Lange, 2024) conducted a cross-sectional survey of doctoral students in medicine and health sciences in Germany online to ascertain their expectations for graduate school, with a particular focus on complementary and integrative medicine (CIM). The participants expressed a primary desire for individual personal support, networking opportunities, and mutual support. Medical students placed a higher value on scientific guidance, while non-medical students indicated a preference for personality development and networking. Doctoral students with CIM topics also expressed a desire for improved final grades, with these results being of crucial importance for curriculum development. Cao and Luo (Cao and Luo, 2024) explored in a longitudinal study the causal link between physical exercise and emotional states in 1,215 university students, mediated by Sense of Coherence (SOC). Results showed that SOC significantly predicted positive affect (PA), and PA, in turn, predicted physical exercise. Physical exercise also indirectly influenced PA through SOC, underscoring SOC's vital role in promoting emotional well-being and the reciprocal relationship between physical activity and positive emotions. Yi et al. (Yi et al., 2024) investigated the psychosomatic health of 665 TCM university students, revealing high prevalence of depression (41.65%) and anxiety (36.69%), alongside common somatic symptoms. Network analysis identified "worrying too much," "uncontrollable worries," and "weakness" as central symptoms within the comorbid network. The identification of "little interest or pleasure," "feeling down," "dyssomnia," and "sighing" as bridging symptoms suggests that these are crucial targets for intervention to prevent mutual symptom transmission. Sun et al. (Sun et al., 2024) employed network analysis to identify core and bridge symptoms within comorbid anxiety, depression, and sleep problems, and to explore their interconnections with health-promoting lifestyles (HPLs) among 3,896 Chinese university students. The study identified "low energy", "daytime dysfunction" and "trouble relaxing" as core symptoms, while "physical activity", "spiritual growth" and "stress management" emerged as key healthpromoting behaviors. Their findings indicated that the targeting of these core/bridge symptoms and the promotion of specific HPLs can significantly enhance the mental health of university students. Xinzhu and Yuanchun (Xinzhu and Yuanchun, 2024) ascertained the correlations between the following three variables: Qi stagnation, Qi deficiency and depression levels. The study population comprised 403 college students. Their findings indicated the presence of mild depressive symptoms, low levels of Qi stagnation and deficiency, and a strong positive correlation between the two Qi states. They found a moderate and positive correlation between both Qi stagnation and Qi deficiency with depression, thereby providing support for the traditional Chinese medicine theory and suggesting that physical therapy may be an effective intervention for alleviating symptoms.In summary, the thematic content and focus of the series was primarily on the following areas: the mind-body connection, mind-body networks and mindfulness-based approaches; mental health and well-being (in a general sense and with regard to symptoms); physical health and physiology; social aspects and support; methodology and diagnostics; neurobiological and psychophysiological mechanisms; and specific populations and contexts. The clinical questions focused on specific research questions or hypotheses, such as the effectiveness of interventions, prevalence, associations and correlations, mechanisms and biomarkers, development and validation of measurement tools, and feasibility and acceptability. The diseases/conditions under scrutiny encompassed a wide range of ailments, including, but not limited to, mental health and mood disorders, such as depression and anxiety, stress and panic disorders, suicide attempts, social alienation, affective disorders, and sleep problems. In addition to physical illnesses, the following conditions have been observed: chronic musculoskeletal pain, pain (general/specific), endometrial cancer, cancer (general/Chinese cancer patients), alopecia areata, diabetes (type 2), long-term effects of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS-CoV-2) infection, stroke, myopia, overweight/obesity and chronic diseases (general). The studies under review in this series make reference to a number of interventions, including but not limited to mind-body therapies such as Yoga, Tai Chi, Qigong, mindfulness-based interventions, eurythmy therapy, Budo group therapy, NaiKan therapy (self-reflection), dance therapy, transcendental meditation, creative arts, health and wellness coaching, and ultra-overt therapy; physical activity and exercise such as general physical exercise, water aerobics, high-intensity interval training, continuous moderate-intensity exercise, exercise therapy, and outdoor interventions. The following factors have been identified as playing a role in the provision of psychosocial support and lifestyle interventions: social support, maintaining normal body weight, maintaining optimal sleep duration, health-promoting lifestyles, targeted psychological interventions, physiotherapy, placebo effects and expectations (as intervention factors); and technological and personalized approaches, such as automated stress detection and personalized technologies (based on HRV).The second volume of the series "Mind-body medicine and its impacts on psychological networks, quality of life, and health", primarily focused on the mind-body connection and mindfulness-based approaches, examining mental and physical health, social aspects, and related mechanisms. Clinical inquiries addressed intervention effectiveness, prevalence, and underlying mechanisms. A wide array of conditions were investigated, including mental health disorders (e.g., depression, anxiety) and various physical ailments (e.g., chronic pain, cancer, diabetes, SARS-CoV-2 long-term effects). Interventions reviewed encompassed diverse mind-body therapies (e.g., Yoga, Tai Chi, mindfulness), physical activity (e.g., exercise, HIIT), psychosocial support (e.g., social support, lifestyle changes), and technological approaches (e.g., automated stress detection).
Keywords: mind-body medicine, health and chronic diseases, Emotions, lifestyle and behavior, evidence-based, Integrative Medicine, Network physiology, Psychology
Received: 02 Jul 2025; Accepted: 10 Jul 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Schulz, Cysarz, Musial and Seifert. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Steffen Schulz, Charité Competence Center for Traditional and Integrative Medicine (CCCTIM), Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, 07745, Germany

Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.
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Environmentally sustainable coffee production & profitability – Perfect Daily Grind

Environmentally sustainable coffee production & profitability – Perfect Daily Grind

In today’s coffee sector, the word “sustainable” is being used with increasing frequency. More than ever, brands and businesses are realising the social, economic, and environmental impact of coffee production.
Part of the reason that sustainability is becoming more of a focus is the growing discussion around climate change. In the coffee industry, we’ve already seen reports that climate change is threatening the amount of land used to grow coffee and forcing farmers to “climb higher” in search of optimal arabica growing temperatures.
For coffee producers, this is understandably a major concern. But the focus on sustainability often starts at origin, meaning that there is more pressure than ever on farmers to grow sustainable coffee. This also represents a cost in many cases – meaning it can affect farm profitability.
To learn more about environmentally sustainable coffee production and its relationship with profitability, I spoke with two people at Yara and a researcher from the University of Lavras (UFLA). Read on to find out what they told me.
You might also like our article on quality, profitability & crop nutrition for coffee farmers.
Dr Katharina Plassmann is a Senior Scientist at Yara. “The definition of sustainability covers its environmental, social, and economic aspects,” she says. “So, in order to achieve true sustainability, you need to address all of these holistically.
“However, fundamentally, our economy depends on nature,” she adds. “So, a healthy economy is not possible without a healthy environment – certainly not in the long run.”
In coffee production, we’ve seen this take shape in a number of ways. However, often, it starts with producers, farms, and other organisations calculating their carbon emissions using something called a carbon footprint.
A business or organisation’s carbon footprint is their total amount of CO2 emissions balanced against whatever CO2 they absorb through any number of means.
Thais Regina de Souza is a Senior Researcher focused on soil fertility, plant nutrition, and drainage at Yara. 
“Organisations need to act and contribute to balanced socioeconomic and environmental stability,” she says. “This means maintaining farmers’ quality of life, maximising social wellbeing, and improving environmental sustainability.”
So, now we know that it’s important to minimise the carbon footprint of coffee, how do we do so?
Firstly, it’s important to recognise that while the pressure is on coffee farmers around the world to be more sustainable, the rest of the industry has a responsibility to do so, as well. The coffee sector isn’t just about agriculture; the supply chain is complex and long, with actors who can all focus on being more sustainable.
With that in mind, there are certainly actions that coffee producers can take. Farmers use energy and emit CO2 when they plant, fertilise, harvest, and ship their coffee.
Fortunately, as coffee plants are perennial, they photosynthesise throughout the year, meaning that they absorb CO2 from the atmosphere and release oxygen. They also don’t need to be replanted after each harvest (such as other crops, like soy, corn, or rice). This helps to balance the footprint of coffee production; however, it isn’t always enough.
Some producers grow their coffee among shade trees in a system known as agroforestry, which has benefits both for coffee quality and the environmental impact of the farm. But what else can coffee farmers do?
Professor Douglas Guelfi is an agronomic researcher at UFLA. He tells me about the concept of a circular economy, which is where waste and byproducts are taken and reused in an effort to improve environmental sustainability.
“These byproducts mainly come from processing, such as coffee husk and wastewater,” he says. “Many farmers try to incorporate this into some other process within the farm, or use it externally.”
For example, coffee husk can be converted into a biofuel, while wastewater can be treated at a facility and reused.
“We think about having a production system and fertilisation strategy that doesn’t lose as many nutrients through the system,” Douglas says. “This is efficiency, and ultimately, being more efficient with resources improves sustainability.”
One of the first things farms can do to minimise their carbon footprint is look for circular ways to reuse their waste.
For example, let’s look at coffee wastewater – a byproduct of the production process. It is generated when cherries are washed and sorted, as well as during washed processing.
After this, the wastewater contains high levels of potassium, and can damage the environment if not properly disposed of. 
Douglas says: “There are two solutions for this that I’ve seen. The first is to use the residual water as a high-potassium fertiliser for crops around the wet mill.”
To do so, producers simply have to fertilise (or fertigate) with this water, being careful to use volumes that won’t damage their crop.
Another way, according to him, is using the wastewater to support compost production. In both cases, however, the water is reintroduced to the environment, which limits waste and helps the producer be more sustainable.
Although this might not seem like a major issue, fertiliser misuse actually has a huge economic and environmental impact, especially in the case of overapplication.
“The excess nutrients represent waste, as do all the greenhouse gas emissions related to production,” Katharina says. “You have to consider the emissions it takes to transport the fertiliser from the factory to the farm, which are not linked to any kind of yield or quality improvements if the fertiliser is misapplied.
“Cutting this excess should not reduce yields, but will improve the environmental performance of a farm.”
Katharina also notes the importance of soil health management. Healthy soil with an appropriate nutrition programme will be more sustainable in the long term, and improving fertiliser management in this regard can help a farm monitor and reduce its carbon footprint.
“Improving fertiliser application to achieve higher nutrient efficiency reduces the product’s carbon footprint because fewer nutrients are used per unit of harvested yield,” she explains. “If fertiliser application rates are reduced on a farm, this will reduce the total greenhouse gas emissions from that farm.”
This is why it is important to implement tools that support farmers to apply at the right rate and using the right source. Thais tells me how Yara has implemented several tools to support coffee producers in this area.
“Our technical teams provide nutritional recommendations based on scientific results from long-term trials,” she says. “In addition, our increasing focus on biostimulants, fertigation, integrated farming systems, and digital tools further expand our offering of regenerative solutions.”
Douglas also notes that using the right fertiliser is just as important as applying it correctly, especially when it comes to nitrogen fertilisers.
“The least efficient conventional fertiliser for coffee would be urea,” he says. “We also know that efficiency is closely linked to sustainability, because these fertilisers all have a carbon footprint.” 
If applied incorrectly, as much as 40% of the nitrogen applied to soil through urea can be volatised into gas and effectively “lost”. 
Choosing the right fertiliser is also important for coffee farmers. For example, nitrates are the most efficient form of nitrogen fertiliser, which means they represent the least loss, and therefore have the least environmental impact.
Alongside applying fertiliser correctly, Thais tells me that producers can also use fertilisers which simply have a lower carbon footprint. She says that Yara offers nitrate fertiliser solutions, which are far more efficient. By using these, producers minimise the carbon footprint of their fertiliser use, and therefore their farm.
She also notes that their factories are taking two specific actions to minimise the environmental footprint of their agricultural inputs.
The first is the use of catalysts in their factories’ chimneys. According to her, by 2023, they should be able to reduce the emission of nitrous oxide, a greenhouse gas, “by around 90% when compared to the traditional production process”.
Another example is the production of green ammonia. She tells me that, unlike the traditional process, which uses hydrogen from natural gas to produce ammonia, their new technology is different. 
“It stops using hydrogen from natural gas and instead start extracting it from water,” Thais explains. “The energy used to extract it through hydrolysis comes from natural sources, such as solar and wind energy.
“This new technology, in addition to using clean energy in the production process, no longer uses natural gas, which is a fossil fuel.”
While using sustainable agricultural inputs, applying them correctly, and disposing of byproducts are three examples of how coffee production can be more environmentally sustainable, there are plenty of techniques producers can use.
Focusing on carbon sequestration through agroforestry, working with agronomists to maximise soil health, and integrated landscape management are all examples of other techniques that producers can use to grow more sustainable coffee.
While environmentally-friendly production methods do often represent an additional effort (and generally an additional cost) for coffee producers, sustainable coffees are increasingly commanding a higher price. 
If producers sell environmentally-friendly and ethical coffee beans at a higher price, they may be able to counteract and exceed the higher cost of production, thereby improving profitability.
This is possible because of the rapid growth of sustainable consumption trends among consumers. In 2018 alone, consumers spent over US $128 billion on sustainable fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG), while more than 77% of consumers said in 2020 that sustainability and environmental responsibility were “moderately important” or “very important” to them.
Katharina says: “Coffee is one commodity where voluntary sustainability initiatives have got a significant market share.
“Major companies have commitments to source a certain percentage of their coffee from sustainable sources, and coffee compliant with voluntary sustainability standards is growing at a faster rate than commercial coffee.”
Thais also tells me about Yara’s Agoro Carbon Alliance initiative. This, she says, was designed with the aim of reducing the carbon footprint of agriculture on a global scale, and adding more value for farmers. 
She says: “By putting farmers at the centre of our strategy, we will continue encouraging and empowering producers to change their practices while connecting them to a growing number of companies looking for ways to meet their climate commitments. 
“By adopting climate-smart agricultural management practices, producers can create agricultural carbon credits, thereby helping to lower the carbon footprint of the food chain.”
The project aims to develop two main solutions for companies and consumers. Firstly, it seeks to create agricultural carbon credits for brands looking to reduce their carbon footprint. Secondly, it will certify low-carbon crops across the supply chain, facilitating better traceability and supporting producers to get a better price for them. 
“Imagine going to the supermarket and deciding to buy a product based on the food’s carbon footprint,” Thais says. “In this case, the consumer has the possibility to directly contribute to the development of a more sustainable world.”
Being sustainable is not simple and it is not easy. For consumers, it means changing buying habits and minimising waste; for coffee farmers, it can represent an inflated cost of production with no guarantee of higher returns. The reduction of emissions is a challenge for every actor in every food production value chain – including consumers.
However, by adopting greener practices on the farm, producers can improve their chances of appealing to the rapidly-growing segment of consumers who look to buy sustainable coffee. In turn, this can translate into a higher price for their crop, supporting them to invest in their farm and improve their quality of life.
Enjoyed this? Then try our article exploring yield, crop nutrition, and profitability for coffee farmers.
Photo credits: Yara, NKG Bloom
Please note: Yara is a sponsor of Perfect Daily Grind.
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Ivan is a Social Media content manager and staff writer at Perfect Daily Grind, based in Brazil
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Mayors sue over Trump’s efforts to restrict Obamacare signups – The Guardian

Mayors sue over Trump’s efforts to restrict Obamacare signups – The Guardian

Democratic mayors challenge new rules that give millions of people less time to enroll in coverage
New Trump administration rules that give millions of people a shorter timeframe to sign up for the Affordable Care Act’s healthcare coverage are facing a legal challenge from Democratic mayors around the country.
The rules, rolled out last month, reverse a Biden-era effort to expand access to the Affordable Care Act’s health insurance, commonly called “Obamacare” or the ACA. The previous Democratic administration expanded the enrollment window for the coverage, which led to record enrollment.
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) rolled out a series of new restrictions for Obamacare late last month, just as Congress was weighing a major bill that will decrease enrollment in the healthcare program that Donald Trump has scorned for years. As many as 2 million people – nearly 10% – are expected to lose coverage from the health department’s new rules.
The mayors of Baltimore, Chicago and Columbus, Ohio, sued the federal health department on Tuesday over the rules, saying they will result in more uninsured residents and overburden city services.
“Cloaked in the pretense of government efficiency and fraud prevention, the 2025 rule creates numerous barriers to affordable insurance coverage, negating the purpose of the ACA to extend affordable health coverage to all Americans, and instead increasing the population of underinsured and uninsured Americans,” the filing alleges.
Two liberal advocacy groups – Doctors for America and the Main Street Alliance – joined in on the complaint.
The federal health department announced a series of changes late last month to the ACA. It will shorten the enrollment period for the federal marketplace by a month, limiting it to 1 November to 15 December in 2026. Income verification checks will become more stringent and a $5 fee will be tacked on for some people who automatically re-enroll in a free plan.
Insurers will also be able to deny coverage to people who have not paid their premiums on past plans. The rules also bar roughly 100,000 immigrants who were brought to the US as children from signing up for the coverage.
The new rules “safeguard the future of the marketplace”, and will lower premiums for those who remain in the program, HHS spokesperson Andrew Nixon said in a statement.
“The rule closes loopholes, strengthens oversight and ensures taxpayer subsidies go to those who are truly eligible – that’s not controversial, it’s common sense,” Nixon said.
But the three mayors argue that the polices were introduced without an adequate public comment period on the policies.
“This unlawful rule will force families off their health insurance and raise costs on millions of Americans. This does nothing to help people and instead harms Americans’ health and safety across our country,” said Skye Perryman, the president of Democracy Forward, which is representing the coalition of plaintiffs in the lawsuit.
The lawsuit does not challenge the Trump administration’s restriction on immigrants signing up for the coverage.
The Biden administration saw gains in Obamacare enrollment as a major success of the Democratic president’s term, noting that a record 24 million people signed up for the coverage, thanks to generous tax breaks offered through the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act.
But the program has been a target of Trump, who has said it is riddled with problems that make the coverage unaffordable for many without large subsidies. Enrollment in the program dipped during his first term in office.

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How Python is Used in Finance and Fintech in 2025? – Netguru

How Python is Used in Finance and Fintech in 2025? – Netguru

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Common in applications that range from risk management to cryptocurrencies, Python has become one of the most popular programming languages for Fintech Companies.
Its simplicity and robust modeling capabilities make it an excellent financial analysis tool for researchers, analysts, and traders. Finance professionals, including financial analysts and data scientists, increasingly rely on Python skills to perform complex financial data analysis and modeling.
Python has been used with success by companies like Stripe, Robinhood or Zopa.
According to the HackerRank 2023 Developer Skills Report , the Python programming language was among the second most popular languages.
eFinancialCareers showed that during the last two years the number of finance-related jobs mentioning Python has almost tripled, growing from 270 to more than 800. Organisations like Citigroup now offer Python coding classes to banking analysts and traders as a part of their continuing education program. Mastering Python is becoming essential for finance professionals to stay competitive in the industry.
“We’re moving more quickly into this world” – Lee Waite, the CEO of Citigroup Holdings CEO, said in an interview. “At least an understanding of coding seems to be valuable ”.
Python continues to remain one of the most demanded programming languages in the bank industry – eFinancialCareers reports. Artificial intelligence, alongside machine learning, is becoming a fundamental technology in finance, and Python is a key language for implementing these innovations.
Read on to find out more about how finance organizations and fintechs are using Python to create cutting-edge solutions that impact the entire financial services sector.
Several features of Python make it a great pick for finance and fintech. Here are the most significant ones:
Python is easy to write and deploy, making it a perfect candidate for handling financial services applications that most of the time are incredibly complex.
Python’s syntax is simple and boosts the development speed, helping organizations to quickly build the software they need or bring new products to market.
Understanding different data types in Python, such as arrays and DataFrames, is crucial for efficiently handling and transforming financial data in these applications.
At the same time, it reduces the potential error rate which is critical when developing products for a heavily-regulated industry like finance.
How To Use Python in Finance and Fintech

The financial services sector needs to be more agile and responsive to customer demands, offering personalized experiences and extra services that add value. That’s why finance organizations and fintechs need a technology which is flexible and scalable – and that’s exactly what Python offers. Using Python in combination with frameworks such as Django, developers can quickly get an idea off the ground and create a solid MVP to enable finding a product/market fit quickly.
After validating the MVP, businesses can easily change parts of the code or add new ones to create a flawless product.
One example of successfully following the MVP approach could be the Clearminds platform which was developed using Python and Django. Now they offer financial advice and investment tools.
quote on financial sector agility Jakub Protasiewicz
Languages such as Matlab or R are less widespread among economists who most often use Python to make their calculations. That why’s Python rules the finance scene with its simplicity and practicality in creating algorithms and formulas – it’s just much easier to integrate the work of economists into Python-based platforms.
Tools like scipy, numpy or matplotlib allow one to perform sophisticated financial calculations and display the results in a very approachable manner.
The numpy package and pandas package are essential for handling and analyzing large financial data sets, which are often imported from csv files or Excel spreadsheets. Data scientists frequently need to combine files from multiple sources to prepare comprehensive financial data sets for analysis. Working with large data sets is common in financial data analysis, and Python’s data structures and packages are well-suited for this task.
In the dynamic landscape of the finance industry, Python emerges as a versatile ally, seamlessly integrating with cutting-edge technologies to streamline development processes and enhance overall efficiency. One of the key strengths of Python lies in its ability to eliminate the need for developers to build tools from the ground up, resulting in substantial time and cost savings for organizations.
Notably, Python plays a pivotal role in bridging the gap between finance and emerging technologies such as blockchain, cloud computing, and big data. The finance industry, with its complex data structures and intricate risk management systems, benefits immensely from Python’s adaptability and expansive ecosystem.
Python’’s prowess extends beyond its core capabilities, as it becomes a linchpin in data analysis within the finance sector. Writing efficient python code and leveraging optimized python packages can significantly improve the performance of financial applications, especially when processing large datasets.
Leveraging robust Python data analysis libraries, developers can process and interpret vast datasets, contributing to the creation of sophisticated risk management systems. The language’’s simplicity and flexibility make it an ideal choice for crafting intricate financial models and analytical tools. When comparing pure python implementations to specialized libraries like NumPy and pandas, pure python can sometimes be more memory-efficient, but libraries offer substantial performance benefits for complex computations.
Furthermore, as fintech products increasingly require seamless integrations with third-party services, Python serves as a facilitator. Its extensive set of libraries streamlines integration processes, allowing organizations to effortlessly connect with external services. A notable example is the straightforward integration with Truelayer, providing access to OpenBanking APIs, or with industry giants like Stripe.
The marriage of Python with finance extends beyond traditional realms, finding application in advanced risk management systems. By harnessing Python’s capabilities, organizations can develop robust systems that analyze intricate financial data, assess risks, and respond dynamically to market fluctuations.
Python’s integration capabilities play a pivotal role in fortifying the finance industry against the challenges of the modern era. From revolutionizing data analysis to seamlessly connecting with external services, Python stands as a cornerstone in the development of innovative solutions that empower financial organizations to adapt and thrive in an ever-evolving landscape.
How To Use Python in Finance and Fintech
Python is surrounded by a vibrant community of passionate developers who contribute to open-source projects, build practical tools, and organize countless events to share knowledge about the best practices of the Python application development. There is the Python Weekly newsletter or the PySlackers Slack channel. For official community information, one can visit the Python.org community section. Not to mention sites dedicated to learning Python and sharing Python knowledge like RealPython or DjangoGirls which also have their own communities.
If it comes to open-source projects, almost every Python framework is maintained by the open source community – it’s possible to help with the development of Django, Flask, OpenCV and many more.
Python is evolving as a programming language and gaining more popularity every year. All that makes it easier to source and hire talented Python developers who add value to fintech or finance projects. Organizations that invest in solutions made with Python can be sure that their technology is stable and not going to become obsolete anytime soon.
Python comes in handy for financial professionals in a broad range of applications. Here are the most popular uses of the language in the financial services industry.
Python is widely used in quantitative finance – solutions that process and analyze data from large datasets, big financial data. Libraries such as Pandas simplify the process of data visualization and allow carrying out sophisticated statistical calculations.
Python is also widely used for financial data analysis, helping analysts identify financial trends and visualize stock prices over time. Interactive visualizations and scatter plots created with Python libraries enable deeper exploration of relationships in financial data, such as risk versus return or stock price movements.
Thanks to libraries such as Scikit or PyBrain, Python-based solutions are equipped with powerful machine learning algorithms that enable predictive analytics which are very valuable to all financial services providers.
Examples of such products: Iwoca, Holvi.
How To Use Python in Finance and Fintech

Finance organizations build payment solutions and online banking platforms with Python as well. Venmo is an excellent example of a mobile banking platform that has grown into a full-fledged social network.
Thanks to its simplicity and flexibility, Python comes in handy for developing ATM software that enhances payment processing.

Examples of such products: Venmo, Stripe, Zopa, Affirm, Robinhood
quote about Python popularity for machine learning

Every business that sells cryptocurrency needs tools for carrying out cryptocurrency market data analysis to get insights and predictions.
The Python data science ecosystem called Anaconda helps developers to retrieve cryptocurrency pricing and analyze it or visualize financial data. That’s why most web applications that deal with cryptocurrency analysis take advantage of Python.
Examples of such products: Dash, enigma, ZeroNet, koinim, crypto-signal
Stock markets generate massive amounts of finance data that require a lot of data analysis tools. And that’’s where Python helps as well. Developers can use it to create solutions that identify the best stock trading strategies and offer actionable, predictive analytical insights into the condition of specific markets.
Python is also widely used to analyze the performance of various financial instruments within financial markets, supporting advanced financial modeling and strategy development. Use cases include algorithmic trading in fintech products.
Examples of such products: Quantopian, Quantconnect, Zipline, Backtrader, IBPy
How To Use Python in Finance and Fintech

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Jakub Protasiewicz
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Animal Crossing: New Horizons update for April brings Nature Day event, Redd, Leif – Digital Trends

Animal Crossing: New Horizons update for April brings Nature Day event, Redd, Leif – Digital Trends

The next free update to Animal Crossing: New Horizons adds several seasonal events and features previously spotted via data mining.
The April update for Animal Crossing: New Horizons will arrive on April 23. Headlining the patch is Nature Day, which, like the previous Bunny Day holiday, will transition from a daily event to one that lasts from April 23 through May 4. There will be a special promotion for Nook Miles+ members each day, with limited-time Nature Day tasks to complete, including planting shrubs.
[Announcement] More good times await in #AnimalCrossing: New Horizons, starting with the free April update landing on your island 4/23! Check out new seasonal events like Nature Day, two new merchants: Leif &amp; Redd, and the addition of an art gallery to the museum! #ACNH pic.twitter.com/aXQNZbzprF
&mdash; Isabelle (@animalcrossing) April 21, 2020
Several shopkeepers also make their way into New Horizons via the update, including the nature-loving sloth Leif, who will sell players flowers and bushes to plant. Arriving on a ship called the Treasure Trawler is Redd, the mysterious fox that has legit and forged art and rare furniture available for purchase.
The museum will be updated to support artwork by adding a new room for players to appreciate genuine paintings and sculptures the player donates. Fakes purchased from Redd are not welcome, of course. Museum owner Blathers will celebrate International Museum Day from May 16 through the end of the month with a stamp rally. Players can get rewards for exploring the museum and collecting stamps based on different types of displays, such as fish found on the coral reef.
Two other seasonal events are also on the way. May Day kicks off next month until May 7 and allows villagers to fly to a unique island where series mainstay Rover can be found. What will happen on the limited-time tour is unknown, but a video shows a maze littered with items to collect. Meanwhile, the entirety of June will see Wedding Season commence. Players can help arrange wedding anniversary photos on Harvey’s island. Reese and Cyrus, the llamas that owned the Re-Tail store in Animal Crossing: New Leaf, are shown off here, though there’s no word if Re-Tail makes a reappearance.
Many of the soon-to-be added features included in April’s update were initially revealed through analyzing code found in previous updates. While not officially confirmed, it appears that additional renovations to the museum, including Brewster’s Café, are in development, along with a farming system that will allow players to grow vegetables for the first time. It’s possible that these additions will arrive in a future update for New Horizons.
Just like the real world, your island in Animal Crossing: New Horizons will change with the seasons. With the change of seasons also come the major holidays, which the residents of your island are always excited to celebrate with new events, items, and special rewards that only come around during specific times of the year. With Halloween fast approaching in real life, special spooky and tasty additions are already arriving.
While this isn’t the first Halloween players will experience in Animal Crossing: New Horizons, it is the first since the 2.0 update added a ton of new features and items. This makes this year’s Halloween festivities the biggest yet. If you’re a fan of all things creepy and spooky but always in a fun and adorable way, here are all the events, costumes, and items you can look forward to picking up during the Halloween event in Animal Crossing: New Horizons.
Thanks to games like Stardew Valley and Animal Crossing: New Horizons, farming and life-simulation games are back in fashion. They’ve also dominated September, as Disney Dreamlight Valley launched earlier this month and games like Harvestella, Story of Seasons: A Wonderful Life, Fae Farm, Rune Factory 3 Special, and a brand new Rune Factory title all got segments in the latest Nintendo Direct. Harvestella even got a demo after the September 13 Nintendo Direct — one I immediately downloaded to get my farm on early.
Getting into it though, I found that Harvestella already has a problem I’ve noticed in many titles that are part of the genre boom, including Disney Dreamlight Valley: they don’t get to the farming fast enough, damnit!
While that might seem obvious, recent games in the genre have had long-winded opening before the player has any farming tools in hand. As players come to these games for the farming and simulation elements, developers looking to join in on the trend may want to take some pacing cues from games like Stardew Valley by trimming down their front-heavy lore drops and getting players to the fields sooner.
Let’s jump into it
Part of the beauty of Stardew Valley is how quickly it immerses the player in the game’s core concepts. The indie hit lets players loose to farm or build within 10 minutes before slowly expanding systems outwards and letting players get more invested in the game’s world and story. You’ll know whether or not you’ll like Stardew Valley within 10 minutes of playing, and will already have crops that give you a reason to stick around if you do like it. 
Disney Dreamlight Valley – Gameplay Overview Trailer
In both Harvestella and Disney Dreamlight Valley, it takes at least 30 minutes for any farming elements to be introduced, and even longer before players can get caught up in the gameplay loop of tending to their crops or customizing their home as the game intends. I was eager to try Disney Dreamlight Valley via Xbox Game Pass when it released earlier this month. After getting hit with an immediate exposition dump followed by slowly paced tutorials and a weapon-collecting quest, I got bored with it and dropped out just as it was opening up for me toward the end of the first hour. It didn’t entice me and I had other things to do and games to play. 
Shortly after, I checked Harvestella’s demo out after it dropped during the September 13 Nintendo Direct. I expect I’ll end up playing more when it launches, as I’m intrigued by its world and mix of action RPG and fantasy sim. That said, I found myself trudging through the demo as I had to deal with lots of exposition and simple “walk to” objective gameplay before I could actually get to any farming or RPG elements. While I’m glad I didn’t stop playing the demo, I almost did due to the glacial pacing.
I wish Harvestella had more quickly gotten me into its gameplay loop before then dumping its intriguing lore on me. That’s not to say the story isn’t important in these kinds of games. Some of the most memorable parts of Stardew Valley and Animal Crossing: New Horizons are getting to know the residents that you live alongside. The sim elements are what draws the most players in, as well as what will get them into a routine that they can get hooked on.
HARVESTELLA – 2nd Trailer
Devoting over 30 minutes to an hour of extra playtime in a game that can last dozens of hours may seem like arguing over semantics, but the first few moments of the game can make or break an experience. And when you’re in a genre with so much competition these days, players can easily move on to something equally as interesting if they aren’t immediately hooked. The best simulation experiences cut the fluff, get players right into the action, and save the deeper elements for later. Future farming and life simulations game should take note if they want to potentially take off as Stardew Valley did. 
Nintendo’s mobile games don’t get enough credit. While Nintendo had some undeniable hits like Pokémon Go and Fire Emblem Heroes, many consider the rest of its mobile efforts fairly underwhelming and even somewhat disappointing for a video game company of Nintendo’s stature. While nothing ever quite reached the high bar Pokémon Go set in 2016, Nintendo’s mobile games are a bit more influential than they get credit for.
Over the past few years, games like Pokémon: Let’s Go! Pikachu and Eevee, Animal Crossing: New Horizons, and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe have built upon their mobile counterparts. Then, during the September 13 Nintendo Direct, Fire Emblem Engage’s announcement and main gimmick cemented that Nintendo isn’t just viewing mobile games as a mostly failed side experiment. While they might not be the most successful games out there, their DNA is creeping into the Nintendo Switch’s bestselling titles.
Mediocre mobile returns
Nintendo’s mobile gaming efforts kicked off in the mid-2010s. Niantic created the AR game Pokemon Go, which quickly became a smashing success in 2016. In the six years since, the game has generated around 678 million installs and $6 billion in player spending, according to data from Sensor Tower.
While working with Niantic proved fruitful for The Pokemon Company, Nintendo partnered with DeNA for most of its initial mobile games. Unfortunately, none of these quite reached the heights analysts and Nintendo expected. Super Mario Run was a smash hit at launch but failed to sustain much interest and consistent revenue, so it’s considered a disappointment by Nintendo.
Meanwhile, other games like Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp, Mario Kart Tour, Dr. Mario World, and Dragalia Lost launched, and while they’ve still made lots of money for Nintendo, most haven’t matched the success of the most popular mobile titles. The biggest exception to this is Fire Emblem Heroes, a gacha game where players can summon classic Fire Emblem characters. It’s had over $1 billion in player spending alone as of June 2022 and is Nintendo’s “flagship title on the [mobile} platform,” according to Sensor Tower.
More recently, Nintendo tried to recapture the success of Pokemon Go with Niantic’s Pikmin Bloom, although that game has reportedly disappointed as well. Overall, it’s understandable why some people are surprised to see only a couple of surefire mobile hits from a company with the pedigree of Nintendo and consider it a side venture that never realized its full potential. If you look closely at the console games in these series that Nintendo put out since, though, it isn’t ignoring everything learned while making mobile games.
Mobile’s monumental impact
Nintendo has the masterful ability to find the strongest elements of an idea, draw those out, and then expand upon them to create something uniquely memorable. We’ve seen it do this time and time again with subsequent entries of its flagship series, but it’s a mindset it has applied to its mobile games upon closer inspection.
As far back as 2018, Pokemon: Let’s Go! Pikachu and Eevee recognized the charm of not needing to battle a Pokemon to capture it, and incorporated that into a traditional RPG experience. More recently, items and mechanics like gardening and cooking from Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp made their way into Animal Crossing: New Horizons and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe was able to revive its live service offerings by repurposing the best tracks and assets from Mario Kart Tour.
Fire Emblem Engage – Announcement Trailer – Nintendo Switch
The legacy of Nintendo’s mobile games could also be felt in the September 13 Nintendo Direct. The showcase’s first announcement was Fire Emblem Engage, which is turn-based strategy game where the main gimmick is being able to summon classic Fire Emblem characters with a ring. While it doesn’t look like Fire Emblem Engage goes full gacha, it’s clear that Nintendo recognized how people liked collecting and using classic Fire Emblem characters in a new adventure, so the developers drew and expanded upon that idea for Fire Emblem Engage.
Before the announcement of Pikmin 4, Shigeru Miyamoto also took a lot of time to highlight Pikmin Bloom. While we don’t know much about Pikmin 4’s gameplay, Nintendo could find some aspects of that game’s exploratory experience, weekly challenges, or something I’m not even thinking of to freshen up the next mainline game. The same could even happen with Super Mario Run the next time Nintendo decides to make a 2D Mario game.
While watching Fire Emblem Engage’s reveal during the latest Nintendo Direct, it became clear that Nintendo’s mobile games have quietly become influential forces in the company’s console games. Nintendo has slowly plucked the best ideas out of them and brought them into Switch games without extra monetization. While the future is cloudy for Nintendo’s seemingly stalled mobile push, I hope the company can still find a place for its games on mobile, using the platform as a space to experiment with its beloved series.
Upgrade your lifestyleDigital Trends helps readers keep tabs on the fast-paced world of tech with all the latest news, fun product reviews, insightful editorials, and one-of-a-kind sneak peeks.

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