The 2023 World Athletics Championships were held in Budapest, Hungary from Aug. 19-27. At this event, two American sprinters, Sha’Carri Richardson and Noah Lyles, earned gold medals in the 100 meter sprints.
Furthermore, the United States team earned twelve gold medals, eight silver medals, and nine bronze medals, cementing its status as the overall winner at the event. Jamaica totaled twelve medals overall, Kenya and Great Britain had ten and Ethiopia trailed with nine.
Richardson ran both the 100 meter and 200 meter events, where she received gold and bronze respectively. She was also part of the 4×100 meter relay team, which secured a gold medal. Her time of 10.65 seconds for the 100 meter broke the world championship record. After winning the relay, Richardson told reporters that, “Dreams like this come true. I’m just glad that I was able to be here for my first world championship and to do the things I’ve been working on all season.”
For Richardson, this victory was even more momentous in the light of her absence from the 2021 Tokyo Olympics because of a positive test for marijuana use. However, her determination was unwavering, and she used this as an opportunity to come back to the international stage stronger than ever this year. Her successful competition in Budapest is tribute to her perseverance.
Noah Lyles clinched gold in the men’s 100 meter, 200 meter, and 4×100 meter events, with a 9.83 second, 19.52 second and 37.38 second finish respectively. Despite previous gold medals in his career, Lyles was not any more comfortable going into the race, saying on Reuters, “Today, I had to take the win. Just because I won it two years in a row, does not mean that it belongs to me.” His overall performance was a huge help for the U.S. team, as he won roughly 10% of their medals this championship.
Overall, the 2023 World Athletics Championships witnessed U.S. dominance across various events. Sha’Carri Richardson and Noah Lyles continually emerged as stars in the world of track and field, while the relay teams and other athletes across the board displayed the depth and talent of the American track team. In the field events, discus thrower Lagi Tausaga-Collins, pole vaulter Katie Moon,and shot putter Chase Healey all earned gold medals. Their triumphs in Budapest provide hope for the future of U.S. track and field.
