The World Athletics Championships in Budapest guarantee nine days of unforgettable experiences
In less than three months, the highly anticipated 2023 World Athletics Championships will kick off in Budapest. Athletes from around the globe are already preparing for this years most significant event, where they will compete for medals and world records in 49 events spanning from August 19th to August 27th. Lets take a look at the highlights of the World Championships schedule.
At the end of the summer, all eyes will be on Budapest as it hosts the greatest sporting event of the year. The magnificent National Athletics Centre, purpose-built for the World Championships, will serve as the main venue, accommodating up to 35,000 spectators who will cheer on the athletic superheroes. On the opening day, three finals will take place, followed by at least four finals each day for the next eight days. Tickets and packages can be purchased at https://tickets.wabudapest23.com/.
Within the historic centre of Budapest, six events will unfold. On August 19th, the mens 20km race walking event will take place, followed by the womens 20km competition the following day. The 35km race is scheduled for the morning of August 24th. As the World Championships reach their conclusion, the marathoners will grace the streets of Budapest, a UNESCO World Heritage site, on the final weekend. The womens 42,195m race will be held on August 26th, followed by the mens race on August 27th.
Attending these street events is an absolute must to witness firsthand the breathtaking speed of the worlds top race walkers and runners. Admission is free, and the World Championships organisers have arranged a variety of accompanying activities at Heroes Square. Dont miss the chance to catch a glimpse of one of the biggest stars of the event, Kimberly García. The Peruvian athlete will be vying for victory in both the 20km and 35km races.
Ryan Crouser (Getty)
Inside the stadium, on the opening day of August 19th, iconic figures like Ryan Crouser, Nafissatou Thiam, Pawel Fajdek and Faith Kipyegon will dazzle the crowd at the National Athletics Centre. The four superheroes will be featured in the morning session, along with the other four morning sessions, at an affordable entrance fee of just HUF3,000 (~8 USD). With the mens shot put final taking place on the first evening, Budapest may witness the setting of a world record right from the start. The womens 10,000m final is also poised to be an exhilarating event, and medals will be awarded in the 4x400m mixed relay. Furthermore, the worlds fastest men will make their debuts, with Marcell Jacobs and Fred Kerley stepping onto the track for the mens 100m.
Marcell Jacobs and Fred Kerley (Getty)
One of the most thrilling events will take place on the evening of August 20th, featuring the semi-finals and final of the mens 100m. In the womens long jump final, Ivana Vuleta and Malaika Mihambo will once again face off, while Pawel Fajdek will strive for his sixth World Championship gold medal in the mens hammer throw final. Hungarys own Bence Halász will be aiming to secure his countrys first-ever World Championship title. Additionally, the womens heptathlon will reach its conclusion, where Nafi Thiam might face a strong challenge from two young competitors, Adrianna Sulek and Anna Hall. Jakob Ingebrigtsen, who is perhaps eyeing a triple victory, will face the 1500m semi-final and the 10,000m final in quick succession during this evening.
On Monday, August 21st, the worlds fastest women sprinters will take the stage. Based on her performances earlier in the season, ShaCarri Richardson seems poised to pose a significant challenge to Jamaican superstars Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Elaine Thompson-Herah, and Shericka Jackson in the 100m. Grant Holloway could also defend his title in the 110m hurdles on the same day. Furthermore, you can witness sensational athletes like Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, Femke Bol, Katie Moon, Karsten Warholm, Kristjan Ceh, and Pedro Pichardo for as low as 6,900 HUF (~17 USD) during the night.
Mutaz Essa Barshim and Gianmarco Tamberi (Getty)
On day 4 of the World Championships, Gianmarco Tamberi and Mutaz Essa Barshim will embark on another adventure together in the mens high jump final. Lamecha Girma might even surprise Soufiane El Bakkali in the final of the 3000m steeplechase. The battle between Valarie Allman and Sandra Perkovic will also be a thrilling event, and the womens 1500m final could showcase the talents of Laura Muir alongside Faith Kipyegon.
On Wednesday, August 23rd, the morning session will introduce the much-anticipated appearance of Mondo Duplantis, perhaps the biggest star in the sport today, with tickets available for just 3000 HUF (~8 USD). The 200m heats will once again feature the worlds best sprinters, including Noah Lyles and Erriyon Knighton. The rising stars of the womens 800m, Athing Mu, Keely Hodgkinson, and Mary Moraa, will also make their debut in Budapest, while last years standout young athlete Adriana Világos will participate in the womens javelin qualification.
Keely Hodgkinson, Athing Mu, Mary Moraa (Getty)
On Wednesday night, everything will be set for a Scandinavian fiesta: two Norwegian stars, Jakob Ingebrigtsen and Karsten Warholm, will be the favourites to compete on the Mondo surface, famously known as the red carpet of world records. In the womens pole vault final, Finlands Wilma Murto might provide a surprise. The womens 400m final should also be captivating, especially if both McLaughlin-Levrone and Bol decide to test their skills without hurdles in Budapest.
On the evening of August 24th, Miltiadis Tentoglou will fight for his last missing big title, while the semi-finals of the womens and mens 200m and mens 800m respectively promising nine thrilling races, where the biggest stars will face fierce competition. Anita Wlodarczyk may make a triumphant return to the top in the womens hammer throw final after last years injury. This is the day when Jasmine Camacho-Quinn can seek redemption against Tobi Amusan, who defeated her with a world record last year. It will also be intriguing to see if Wayde Van Niekerk can achieve something remarkable in the mens 400m final. If thats not enough, the evening could be capped off by the athletics new queen, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, in the 400m hurdles final.
Sydney McLaughlin (Getty)
On August 25th and 26th, the mens decathlon will take centre stage, with Damian Warner aiming to secure the elusive world title in Budapest after his dramatic injury in Oregon last year. On Friday evening, Yulimar Rojas will grace the show with her presence, and missing her jumps would be a mistake, just as the womens and mens 200m finals will provide an exciting narrative.
On Saturday evening, August 26th, the mens pole vault final will be held, and Mondo Duplantis is poised for another remarkable jump, explaining why tickets are already scarce! The mens decathlon will conclude, there will be finals in the 4x100m relay, preliminary races in the 4x400m relay, and Chase Ealeys performance in the womens shot put final will be worth watching. The womens 5000m final should also be a thrilling event, with Letesenbet Gidey, Sifan Hassan, Gudaf Tsegay, and other stars yet to be determined, but intense competition is guaranteed.
Mondo Duplantis (Getty)
On the final evening of the World Championships, August 27th, we will be Witness the Wonder of the variety of athletics. There will, of course, only be finals, precisely seven of them. Middle and long-distance running, throwing, jumping, hurdles, and relaysthis evening has something for everyone who enjoys more than just sprints in athletics. The most anticipated moments on the track will be the duels between Jakob Ingebrigtsen and Joshua Cheptegei (mens 5000m) and Athing Mu and Keely Hodgkinson (womens 800m). The finals of the mens javelin and womens high jump will also be fantastic, as well as the mens and womens 4x400m relay finals, which will bring the World Championships to a close, with the latter featuring Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone and an exceptional American relay team.
As mentioned earlier, the five morning programs are available for a flat fee of 3000 HUF (~8 USD). For the evening programs, ticket prices on weekdays range from 17 USD for the cheapest to 47 USD for the most expensive. On the weekend evenings, tickets range from 22 USD to 57 USD. Additionally, there are three different packages available: one for the two days of the opening weekend (Firestarter package), another for the last three days of the World Champs (Crown package), and a full World Champs package (Superhero package).
Price for individual ticket on weekdays:
Category 1: 47 USD
Category 2: 35 USD
Category 3: 22 USD
Category 4: 17 USD
Price for individual ticket on weekends:
Category 1: 57 USD
Category 2: 45 USD
Category 3: 32 USD
Category 4: 22 USD
Ticket packages:
Firestarter package 19-20 August, 2 days, first weekend
Category 1: 116 USD
Category 2: 94 USD
Category 3: 71 USD
Category 4: 53 USD
Crown package 25-26-27 August, 3 days, incl. last weekend
Category 1: 168 USD
Category 2: 134 USD
Category 3: 100 USD
Category 4: 73 USD
Superheroes package 19-27 August, every session of the WCH
Category 1: 410 USD
Category 2: 320 USD
Category 3: 230 USD
Category 4: 174 USD
Over 170,000 tickets have already been sold for the 2023 World Athletics Championships in Budapest. Its recommended to purchase your tickets or packages as soon as possible through https://tickets.wabudapest23.com/ to secure the best seats and Witness the Wonder!