4 min readAfter months of preparation to peak at the 2023 World Athletics Championships, the top track and field athletes are aiming for titles and breakthrough performances at the most important meet of the year. With a total of 13 world records already broken during the indoor and outdoor season, track fans are on high alert to see who will be the next athlete to make history at the nine-day event in Budapest. Here are four events that could feature world records.
Men’s 200 meters
Noah Lyles has already made his intentions known in regards to his signature event. After qualifying to represent Team USA in the 100 and 200 meters at the USATF Outdoor Track and Field Championships (after a bout of COVID), the three-time world champion told NBC Sports his “greatest aspiration” is winning three gold medals and breaking the world record in the 200 meters. Since 2009, that record has belonged to Usain Bolt, who ran 19.19.
Last year, the 26-year-old made significant progress by winning the world championship title in 19.31, breaking Michael Johnson’s American record in the event. The time stands as the third-fastest performance ever.
So far this season, Lyles’ results have shown great promise. Before breaking the American record in Eugene last year, he had run a season’s best of 19.61. He’s already run 19.47 this year, which stands as a world lead in the event. If the momentum continues, Lyles could meet his goal in Budapest.
The first round of the men’s 200 meters will take place on Wednesday, August 23. The semifinal is set for Thursday, August 24, and the final is scheduled for Friday, August 25 at 3:50 p.m. ET.
Women’s 5,000 meters
In June, Faith Kipyegon shattered the 5,000-meter world record one week after obliterating the world record in the 1500 meters. In July, she broke the world record in the mile. The Kenyan runner is scheduled to race the 1500 and 5,000 meters at the world championships, a tough double that includes a total of five rounds. But the stiff competition in the 5,000 meters could create ideal conditions for another historic performance.
The race includes six of the 10 fastest women of all time, including Kipyegon, the current world record-holder, and Letesenbet Gidey, the previous record-holder. Racing against Gidey at the London Diamond League meet in June, Kipyegon improved on her Ethiopian rival’s world record by winning in 14:05.20. Gidey wasn’t too far behind with a runner-up finish in 14:07.94.
No matter how fast they run, a showdown between Kipyegon and Gidey is always a must-see event. The first round of the women’s 5,000 meters is scheduled for Wednesday, August 23. The final is set for Saturday, August 26 at 2:50 p.m. ET.
Men’s 1500 meters
There’s a clear favorite in the men’s 1500 meters who has already come dangerously close to breaking the world record in the middle-distance event. In July, Jakob Ingebrigtsen of Norway ran a 3:27.14 personal best in Chorzow, Poland. The time is the fourth-fastest performance in history and just 1.14 seconds slower than the world record set by Hicham El Guerrouj in 1998.
While it will be incredibly tough to execute a record-breaking performance after racing multiple rounds at the World Championships, which are often tactical, the reigning Olympic champion is riding the momentum of a breakthrough season. And after losing to Jake Wightman of Great Britain in the final moments of the World Championship final last year, Ingebrigtsen likely won’t leave anything to chance in Budapest.
Watch the first round of the men’s 1500 meters on Saturday, August 19. The semifinal will take place on Sunday, August 20, and the final is scheduled for Wednesday, August 23 at 3:15 p.m. ET.
Men’s steeplechase
The men’s steeplechase is another world record that fell earlier this year and could be improved upon again at the World Championships. At the Paris Diamond League meet in June, Lamecha Girma of Ethiopia stunned the crowd with a 7:52.11 world record. As a result, he beat the previous 7:53.63 world record set by Saif Saaeed Shaheen of Qatar in 2004.
After earning two silver medals at the 2019 and 2022 editions of the World Championships, Girma will aim to defend his record by winning his first gold medal, which would also mark the first victory for an Ethiopian runner in the event. But a deep field won’t make it easy. Olympic and defending world champion Soufiane El Bakkali of Morocco will shoot for the top spot after running a season’s best of 7:56.68, the second-fastest time in the world so far this year.
Catch the first round of the men’s steeplechase on Saturday, August 19. The final will be contested on Tuesday, August 22 at 3:42 p.m. ET.
Taylor Dutch is a writer and editor living in Austin, Texas, and a former NCAA track athlete who specializes in fitness, wellness, and endurance sports coverage. Her work has appeared in Runner’s World, SELF, Bicycling, Outside, and Podium Runner.
