This is our 45th 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 the final day of previews, our 45-day preview series of Budapest sponsored by the LOC in Budapest!
Today, we are speaking about five athletes who could shake it up in Budapest from the US.
Sam Kendricks. Pole Vault. Sam won the Olympic bronze medal in 2016 in Rio. In London 2017 and Doha 2019, Sam Kendricks won the pole vault gold. Sam caught COVID in Tokyo in 2021 and was injured prior to Eugene in 2022. At the recent LA Grand Prix, Sam Kendricks took second to Mondo Duplantis with a fine clearance of 5.91 meters. Sam told us that he knows he can get over six meters again, and we think he will play a big part in the medal run in Budapest.
Sam Kendricks, Olympic medalist, two-time world champion, photo by Wendy Shulik. Wendy City Photos.
Keni Harrison.100m hurdles. Keni had the WR at the 100m hurdles, broken last year by Tobi Amusan. Keni holds the AR in the 100m hurdles at 12.20 and the AR at the 60m hurdles at 7.70. Ken has taken gold at the 2018 World Indoors, silver at the 2019 Doha World Outdoors, and silver at the Tokyo 2021 Olympics. Now coached by Bobby Kersee, Keni Harrison is racing with new enthusiasm and focus. Watch her battle for the podium in Budapest.
Keni Harrison, adidas Atlanta City Games, photo by Kevin Morris.
Yared Nuguse. 1,500 meters. Yared broke the ARs indoors at the mile and 3000 meters. Last weekend, in Rabat, Yared battled Jakob Ingebrigtsen, taking second in a PB of 3:33.02. Yared has great leg speed at 800 meters and will be fighting for a medal in Budapest and Paris in 2023 and 2024!
Yared Nuguse sets AR in MIle, The Millrose Games at The Armory Track New York, NY 2023-02-11, photo by Kevin Morris
Jenna Prandini. 200 meters. Jenna moved to Bobby Kersee’s training group along with Keni Harrison. The 100m/200m star won the tough women’s 200 meters in LA Grand Prix last weekend, speaking and running with confidence. A relay specialist as well as tough over the furlong, Jenna Prandini looks focused on the WC in Budapest and making a run for the medal podium.
Jenna Prandini, USATF Los Angeles Grand Prix Gold Label track & field meet May 26, 2023, Los Angeles, USA, photo by Kevin Morris
Clayton Murphy. 800 meters. Clayton Murphy won the Olympic bronze medal in the 800 meters in Rio the old-fashioned way: he earned it. Last weekend, in LA, Clayton won the 800 meters going away. He looked fit, focused, and ready to race. His post-race interview showed a man renewed. Watch Clayton go for a run-on for the podium in Budapest. He has a few more medals to win before he calls it quits.
Clayton Murphy, USATF Los Angeles Grand Prix Gold Label track &; field meet May 26, 2023, Los Angeles, USA, photo by Kevin Morris
To read all of our earlier stories in Witness the Wonder, numbers 1-44:
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/
