World records? Triple golds? Shocks? Upsets? What will Budapest 23 bring us over the next week?
Keely Hodgkinson vs Athing Mu
After an exhilarating 800m race last year in Eugene, it is anyone’s guess who will come out on top at Budapest 23. Having finished just 8 hundredths of a second behind Mu in Eugene, Hodgkinson seems to be the favourite. Maintaining her European Indoor title and setting a new British record goes to show that she is in peak form entering the Championships. As for Mu, she took 11 months off from competing after her world title last summer. Since when, she has only raced one 800m before moving to focus on the 1500m. Furthermore, will she make it to the line in Budapest? Recently, questions have come from her camp over her participation?
Noah Lyles
Can the consecutive two-time world 200m champion make it a third this year? Will we be lucky enough to see a new World Record from the American? Breaking Usain Bolt’s 14 year old record of 19.19. Will he be able to keep Eriyon Knighton at bay, or will Knighton’s extra year of experience allow him to close the two hundredths of a second gap that they finished with last year?
Jakob Ingebrigsten
After a year which brought repeated successes and world records, Ingebrigsten is looking to avenge his loss to Jake Wightman at last year’s championships. Whilst he won’t be lining up with Wightman, Katir, Cheruiyot and Nuguse will be coming to the games with hopes of gold. Along with international competition, his countryman and training partner Narve Nordas will be on the hunt. Tune in to see if Ingebrigsten can claim the title and edge closer to the world record at Budapest 23.
Faith Kipyegon
The conqueror of world records this year, with 3 being smashed in 49 days earlier in the summer, is coming for double gold at Budapest 23. Now, the world record holder in the 1500 and 5000m will be hoping to take the win in a busy schedule. Going in to both as the favourite, the question has to be whether she can lower her recent world records any further?
Berihu Aregawi
The exciting Ethiopian is coming for the 5000m crown at Budapest 23 and maybe even the world record. With a tough, lead from the front style, an exciting race is always guaranteed. The current world record holder in the road 5km laid down a marker in Switzerland. Here, he beat current world record holder Joshuau Cheptegei in 12:40.45 which put him fifth on the all time list. At only 22 years of age, Aregawi has the world at his feet. He has already one world record to his name along with the Ethiopian 10,000m record. During his career. medals have come from the Youth Olympics and more recently the World Cross Country Championships in Bathurst Australia. Will we see a world championships medal added to that list in a few days?
The men’s 5000m is sure to be an outstanding race at Budapest 23. With Aregawi taking on Cheptegei along with Ingebrigsten, who will triumph in this clash of titans? Will the world record fall?
Karsten Warholm
With the exception of Eugene in 2022, Warholm has been unbeatable over the 400m hurdles. Having already twice lowered the world record time, he is looking to make it a hat trick of records at Budapest 23. However, it will not be plain sailing for the Norwegian. Alison Dos Santos, back from knee surgery at the start of the year is raring to defend the title he won in Eugene. Furthermore, Rai Benjamin and Kyron McMaster are also coming with gold in their sights. Whoever the eventual winner is, the race is sure to be rapid!
Femke Bol
Whether there are hurdles or it is over the flat, Femke Bol is fast! The European triple gold medalist and double world championships double silver medalist has had her quest for world gold eased somewhat by the withdrawal of Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone. Without the world record holder in the blocks next to her, Bol will have one less lane to worry about. When not taking on the hurdles, Bol will also be competing with training partner and friend Lieke Klaver in the 4 x 400 relay on the flat (where she is the indoor world record holder). The Netherlands team are looking to avenge a dropped baton from Eugene last year which prevented them from making it out of the heats. They will be taking on very strong teams from the USA, Jamaica and Great Britain.
Sifan Hassan
Whether it is breaking world records on the track or winning the London Marathon in unique style, Sifan Hassan creates fireworks when she runs. During the championships, Hassan will be going for triple gold. She will have a busy schedule if everything goes her way.
She will be racing on each of the first 4 days of the championships in the 1500, 10000 and 5000m. If those races go as planned, she will then have a couple of days of rest before her last race on the evening of the 26th.
The championships will see her going head to head with Faith Kipyegon who has been the athlete of the year in 2023 by some distance. Who will come out on top in this clash of generational talents?
Oh, and if that schedule isn’t hectic enough for an athlete, Hassan will also toe the line at the Chicago marathon just 42 days later. There, we will see if she can make it 2 wins from 2 starts in her marathon career.
Girma Vs El Bakkali
The men’s steeplechase world record stood for nearly 20 years before it was beaten by Lamecha Girma in an amazing night of athletics at the Diamond League in Paris. On that record breaking night, he lowered the mark by a second and a half. He will be lining up against Sofiane El Bakkali at Budapest 23. El Bakkali has been pushing for the record himself with a string of wins which have seen him become the reigning world and Olympic Champion. With these two on the line, the gold medal could also come with another world record in what is usually track’s most chaotic event.
The Women’s 100m
Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce has been dominating the field with the rest of the Jamaican team pushing alongside her for the past several years. But at the age of 36, nothing can last forever. There are many young, hungry sprinters nipping at her heels. Her countrywoman Shericka Jackson set the world lead earlier in the year. Sha’carri Richardson gave a statement of intent at the USATF trials in Eugene. Marie-Josee Ta Lou is coming into Budapest with a string of amazing form. Will the old guard remain in charge or will the young guns usurp the hierarchy? Whatever happens, don’t blink or you’ll miss it!
