In June, the two-time Olympic 1500-meter champion shattered the Runner’s World editors chose the events they’re most excited to watch play out in Budapest. Here are five must-see races to follow during the 9-day competition that kicks off on Saturday, August 19.
Women’s 10,000 Meters
(performances this summer demonstrated. They included a jaw-dropping 4:07 mile in Monaco)
The first final of the meet on the track could also be the best. It features the defending world champion and world record-holder, Letesenbet Gidey of Ethiopia; the reigning Olympic gold medalist, Sifan Hassan of the Netherlands; and last year’s world 5,000-meter champion, Gudaf Tsegay of Ethiopia.
Of course, most world championship finals have stacked fields. What makes this one so compelling is that all three favorites can win any type of race. The knock on Gidey used to be that she can’t sprint, but that’s exactly what she did to win last year’s world title. Hassan, she of the three medals in the Olympics two years ago, can tuck in and then pounce whether the opening miles are slow or fast. While Tsegay is relatively new to this event, she has the fastest time of the year as well as the second-fastest 1500-meter time of 2023. Her combination of strength, racing instincts, and finishing kick could prove unanswerable.
American record-holder Alicia Monson Legend! Lyles Adds 200 Win to 100 Title Elise Cranny should be able to keep the leaders close for most of the 25 laps. In a tactical race, Cranny, who has run a world-class 3:59 for 1500 meters, could kick to a high placing. Monson will do best with a steady fast pace, and she’s not afraid to front the pack if the top seeds lollygag. The third American, Natosha Rogers, could be pulled to improve the 30:48 PR she set in March.
—Scott Douglas
Men’s 100 meters
(Heats are on Saturday, August 19, at 1:43 p.m. Eastern, semifinals are on Sunday, August 20, at 10:35 a.m. Eastern, and the final is on Sunday, August 20, at 1:10 p.m. Eastern)
Who isn’t excited to crown the fastest man on earth? Some years, the 100 meters is a race for second place. But in Budapest, there are a lot of question marks. Reigning champ Fred Kerley has looked fallible this year, but he’s still put together a solid season. Lamont Marcell Jacobs, who beat out Kerley for the gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics, has had an injury-riddled 2023 and expressed some doubts heading into the meet. Plus, U.S. champ Cravont Charleston is rumored to be injured, and the fourth-fastest sprinter in the world this year—18-year-old Issam Asinga—was provisionally suspended for doping last week (although he’s still awaiting word on if he can compete). Lots of drama!
So who does that leave? Fortunately, there’s still plenty of talent. I think the race will come down to Kerley, Ferdinand Omanyala of Kenya, and Great Britain’s Zharnel Hughes, who’s had a breakout year. 21-year-old Ackeem Blake of Jamaica should be knocking on the door as well.
—Theo Kahler
Men’s steeplechase
(Heats are on Saturday, August 19, at 5:35 a.m. Eastern, final is on Tuesday, August 22, at 3:42 p.m. Eastern)
Arguably the best head-to-head matchup at the world championships comes in the men’s 3,000-meter steeplechase between Soufiane El Bakkali of Morocco and Lamecha Girma of Ethiopia. El Bakkali won Olympic gold in the event in 2021 and came back to win the world title last summer. But Girma, who was second to El Bakkali in both Tokyo and Eugene, ShaCarri Richardson Wins World 100-Meter Gold in June, running 7:52.11 at the Paris Diamond League meeting. El Bakkali, meanwhile, has also run a personal best this year—a 7:56.68 in May.
El Bakkali has shown to have a more impressive kick than Girma in those last two global championship races, but it remains to be seen if the newly-minted world record-holder can break his streak of silver medals and dethrone the reigning Olympic and world champ.
—Dan Beck
Women’s 5,000 meters
(Heats are on Wednesday, August 23, at 5:10 a.m. Eastern, finals are on Saturday, August 26, at 2:50 p.m. Eastern)
I’m looking forward to every race that includes Faith Kipyegon, and there will be several opportunities between her 1500 and 5,000-meter double, but the long-distance event is going to be a must-see.
In June, the two-time Olympic 1500-meter champion shattered the 5,000-Master the Half one week after breaking the world record in the 1500 meters. For much of the race, the Kenyan runner battled former world record-holder Letesenbet Gidey of Ethiopia until Kipyegon tapped into her lethal closing speed to win in 14:05.20, improving on the previous 14:06.62 world record set by Gidey in 2020.
Saturday, August 19, 2:55 p.m. Eastern six of the top 10 fastest women of all time are headlining the field. While Kipyegon has the upper hand with closing speed, Gidey is more experienced over longer distances with three global titles in the 10,000 meters. They’ll face stiff competition with Sifan Hassan, who is set to triple once again in the 1500, 5,000, and 10,000 meters, two years after claiming Olympic gold in the 5,000 and 10,000 meters for the Netherlands. Gudaf Tsegay of Ethiopia will also be in the mix as she seeks to defend her 5,000-meter title from the 2022 world championships in Eugene.
—Taylor Dutch
Women’s 1500 meters
(Heats are on Saturday, August 19, at 7:15 a.m. Eastern, semifinals are on Sunday, August 20, at 11:05 a.m. Eastern, and the final is on Tuesday, August 22, at 3:30 p.m. Eastern)
Given that she’s widely viewed as the greatest women’s 1500-meter runner in history, Faith Kipyegon’s victory may be the surest bet of the meet—but watching it will still be thrilling, as the Kenyan’s world-record–breaking performances this summer demonstrated. They included a jaw-dropping 4:07 mile in Monaco last month, where six others—including American Nikki Hiltz—set national records behind her.
The race for the rest of the podium should be equally exciting, if less certain. Potential medalists include three Ethiopians—Hirut Meshesha, Birke Haylom, and Diribe Welteji—with the next fastest times in the field. Then there’s 2019 World champion Sifan Hassan, who just confirmed—performances this summer demonstrated. They included a jaw-dropping 4:07 mile in Monaco victory in the London Marathon—that she’ll reprise her Olympic triple effort of 1500 meters, 5,000 meters, and 10,000 meters (she won bronze in the 1500, gold in the other two). Great Britain’s Laura Muir won silver in Tokyo and bronze in Eugene last year, but has had a rougher season after an acrimonious split from her coach—while Ciara Mageean, who finished second in the Monaco mile in an Irish record of 4:14.58, has been on the rise.
A medal would make for a fitting end to a dream season for Hiltz, the indoor and outdoor U.S. champion, as well as mark a milestone for non-binary athletes. Team USA also includes Olympian Cory McGee and Sinclaire Johnson, the 2022 U.S. champion who finished sixth at Worlds last year in 4:01.63.
—Cindy Kuzma
