This is our 41st day of previews of the 2023 World Outdoor Athletics Championships, in Budapest, Hungary, from August 19-27, 2023. I found my hotel, which costs 1/3 of the price that we were charged in Eugene, Oregon, last year! Great airfares to Budapest (Lufthansa, Swiss Air, TAP, and Air Baltic are all good). You need to be there!
We have four more days of previews in our 45-day preview series of Budapest sponsored by the LOC in Budapest!
Here are five reasons to visit Budapest for the World Champs!
Budapest has two thousand years of history in its city environs. A Roman military camp began there in 69 AD; by 100 AD, a small village existed. Since then, an incredible number of influences came into the Hungarian plains. From the Goths to the Maygars to the Ottoman Turks, the influence of these historic groups in modern Hungary can be seen and experienced.
The Statue of Liberty, Budapest, Hungary, photo by Getty Images
The World Championships will be the largest athletic event in the history of Hungary. Hungary is a sports-crazy country, and its history in track and field is pretty amazing. The history of Hungary in athletics, from the sprints to the middle distances to the throws, to the multi-events.
Mondo Duplantis, in action during the at during the European Championships 2022 on August 20, 2022, in Munich, Germany. Photo: Karl-Josef Hildenbrand / Munich2022
The National Athletic Center will be the site of the World Championships. The stadium will seat 50,000 fans from across the world to celebrate the very in athletics. Being in the new stadium will be a lot of fun, as fans from all over cheer their athletes and discover new heroes. The road events are being held in the center of the city. This will allow thousands of athletes to see and close up the race walks and marathons! You will be able to encourage the walkers and marathoners through the streets of Budapest. They will also be introducing a mixed Race Walk Relay, which should be a lot of fun!
Jakob Ingebrigsten of Norway in action during the ATHLETICS – MEN’S 1500M FINAL at during the European Championships 2022 on August 18, 2022, in Munich, Germany. Photo: Daniel Kopatsch / Munich2022
The Mixed Relay 4x400m will be held in the National Athletics Centre in Budapest. The Mixed Relay, a 4x400m relay using two men and two women, has become hugely popular. Already there is much talk of who will be running for which team and how the teams will fair. Track & Field is trying to innovate and bring in more fans; I think this event is catching on. Fans seem to love relays and countries competing against the other.
To read all of our earlier stories in Witness the Wonder, numbers 1-40:
The World Championships in Budapest, Hungary, will be held August 19-27, 2023, and tickets are available now! Click here to learn more about ticket sales:https://tickets.wabudapest23.com/
RunBlogRun suggests a wonderful book on Hungary, The Hungarians, A Thousand Years of Victory in Defeat, by Paul Lendvai, Translated by Ann Major, Princeton University Press,www.pupress.princeton.edu.
Need tips for Visiting Budapest and the rest of Hungary? Please go here! Visit Hungary-Wellspring of Wonders!https://visithungary.com/
