This is Witness the Wonder, the Preview to the 2023 World Champs in Budapest for Day 21, May 8, 2023. Five Big Stories for the World Champs!
For the next 24 days, RunBlogRun will be posting a story a day on the buildup to the World Athletics Outdoor Championships, to be held in Budapest, Hungary, from August 19-August 27, 2023.
Here are Five Big Stories for the World Champs in Budapest!
The Women’s sprints get more complicated as the season opens. Never discount Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Elaine Thompson in the 100-meter, and Sha’Carrie Richardson is reminding us that she can also be a huge player in the sprints. SAFP opens this weekend in Kenya, and Sha’Carrie just demolished a tough field in Doha. The Women’s sprints are spectacular each World Champs, with surprises each and every year!
Sha’Carri RICHARDSON wins Doha DL 100 meters, photo by MARISE NASSOUR FOR DIAMOND LEAGUE AG.
The Men’s 400 meters just got more complicated. Wayde Van Niekerk ran 44.17 last month. Then, Rai Benjamin ran 44.21, and then, African Championships and Commonwealth Championships, Muzala Samukonga busted open a big PB at the Botswana GP. Who will challenge the WR holder?
Wayde Van Niekerk, London 2017, photo by Mike Deering, The Shoe Addicts
The Men’s Javelin is getting more complicated. Neeraj Chopra and Jacob Vajlech showed how close the javelin can be in Doha. Give it about six more weeks and some good weather, and watch the javelin throw get over 90 meters! Some big throws await us. The Doha throws were good, but the winds were not.
Neeraj Chopra, Doha DL, photo by MATTHEW QUINE FOR DIAMOND LEAGUE AG
Can anyone challenge Faith Kipyegon at the Women’s 1,500 meters? Faith Kipyegon won a fast but tactical 1,500 meters in Doha this past weekend. What will Budapest show us in the women’s 1,500 meters? Can anyone challenge Faith Kipyegon over the 1,500 meters? Faith Kipyegon can win off a fast or slow pace; who will challenge her?
Faith Kipyegon, 2022 Nike Pre Classic, photo by Kevin Morris
Will the Men’s shot put in Budapest will be a replay of Doha 2019? In 2019, Joe Kovacs, Ryan Crouser, and Tom Walsh made history with incredibly long throws. The Men’s shot put has some amazing global throwers. Who will be challenging Ryan Crouser, Joe Kovacs, and Tom Walsh in 2023?
The deadly duo in the Men’s shot put, Ryan Crouser and Joe Kovacs, USA, World Athletics Championships
Eugene, Oregon, USA
July15-26, 2022
shot put, photo by Kevin Morris
To read all of our earlier stories in Witness the Wonder, numbers 1-20: