Shelby Houlihan finished fourth in the 5,000 final at the World Athletics Championships

Shelby Houlihan didn't leave Tokyo with a medal, as she did after the World Athletics Indoor Championships in Nanjing, China, in March.

However, Houlihan sent a firm message in 2025: She remains one of the best distance runners in the world even after a four-year doping ban.

The former Sioux City East prep star finished fourth in the 5,000 final at the World Athletics Championships at Japan National Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 20. Houlihan ran 14 minutes, 57.42 seconds to fall just short of a gold, silver or bronze medal for the top three. The 16-time Iowa state champion and 2016 Olympian leads off this edition of the WEEKEND UPDATE of the best performances by Iowa-based collegiate and postcollegiat

See Full Page