By Athletics Podium crew
Hungarian capital Budapest delivers one of the best World Athletics Championships on 19-27 August. Starting with a thunderstorm in the opening day morning session, the championships were mainly contested in hot weather conditions, where heat peaked up to 36-37 degrees in eight days. The championships saw its sole world record in the Mixed 4x400 metres relay, but many great marks were recorded in the brand-new National Athletics Stadium which was located at the heart of the magnificent city of Budapest.
As Athletics Podium, we got our first full coverage on site (previously accredited under Atletizm Dünyası brand) and were delighted about one of the biggest athletics shows on the planet. Here, we just sum up Budapest 2023 for our readers.
ATTRACTION NUMBERS
MEDIA: 46 broadcasters, 1200 accredited TV personnel, 285 photographers, 565 press members.
SPECTATORS: Just about 400,000 spectators from more than 100 different countries were in the stands at National Stadium - peak was on first Sunday (20.08) and last Saturday (26.08) with about 35,000 - during the nine-day championships, plus thousands in the road events. More than 38,000 visitors attended to MOWA (Museum of World Athletics) exhibition in Etele Plaza.
PARTICIPATION: The number of registered athletes was 2187 from 202 countries as 2089 of them from 195 nations contested - an all-time record surpassing 1895 athletes in Berlin 2009.
WEB: According to WA sources, worldathletics.com website was requested by up to 14 million per hour in the peak, and billions flocked to the official website during the event which caused the system to occasionally slow-down.
MASCOT: Designed after the famous Racka sheep in Hungary, Youhuu was one of the stars of the championships. He was doing crazy things - also getting criticised sometimes for exaggerating - but did a good job of entertaining spectators.
HISTORIC FIRSTS & RECORDS
> For the first time in history, 46 different nations secured a medal, as half of them (23) celebrated a world title. India, Serbia, and Burkina Faso have welcomed their first world champions in athletics. Also, Pakistan and British Virgin Islands have their first-ever World Champs medals here in Budapest.
> Broken records:
1 World record (4x400 mixed, United States)
1 World U20 record (400m hurdles men, Roshawn Clarke, JAM)
6 Championships records (Ryan Crouser, 4x400 mix USA, ShaCarri Richardson, Maria Perez, Shericka Jackson, 4x100 women USA, Daniel Stahl)
22 World leading times
11 Area record (1 NACAC, 1 Oceania, 5 Asia, 2 South America, 1 Europe)
72 National records
> Multiple medallists (gold-silver-bronze)
Noah Lyles 3-0-0
Femke Bol 2-0-0
Maria Perez 2-0-0
Alvaro Martin 2-0-0
Faith Kipyegon 2-0-0
ShaCarri Richardson 2-0-1
Shericka Jackson 1-2-0
Jakob Ingebrigtsen 1-1-0
Gabrielle Thomas 1-1-0
Rai Benjamin 1-0-1
Quincy Hall 1-0-1
Letsile Tebogo 0-1-1
Sifan Hassan 0-1-1
BEST 10 WINNING MARKS BY WA PERFORMANCE POINTS CHART
1331 - Ryan Crouser, Shot put - 23.51m
1301 - Shericka Jackson, 200m - 21.41
1297 - Noah Lyles, 200m - 19.52
1294 - Armand Duplantis, PV - 6.10
1290 - Karsten Warholm, 400H - 46.89
1278 - Femke Bol, 400H, 51.70
1277 - Sha'Carri Richardson, 10.65
1275 - United States Men, 37.38
1271 - Daniel Stahl, DT, 71.46
1264 - United States Women, 4x100, 41.03
