World Athletics Championship is a biennial competition organised by the International Association of Athletics Federations, or the IAAF. The event was first held in 1983 and has since been one of the highest levels of senior track and field competition on the planet.
Originally hosted every four years, the event was switched to a biennial schedule in 1991. The move helped keep track and field in people’s minds, and it also allowed countries and their sport federations to hold their own national championships in between the big ones.
The 2023 edition lasted from August 19 to 27 and was a nine-day bonanza that featured 49 events: 24 men’s, 24 women’s, and a mixed team relay. In that time, there were 15 new world records.
In the sprints, it was the Americans who dominated, with the likes of US Olympic champion Noah Lyles and 2017 world champion Karissa Schweizer winning gold in the 200m and 400m, respectively. The long jump and triple jump showcased athletes’ ability to launch themselves through the air, with US duo Chris Nilsen and Ciara Mageean taking home medals in both events.
Middle and long distances tested the mettle of athletes, with the marathon a classic showdown of endurance and grit. The 3,000m steeplechase and 10,000m are longer contests that put the athlete’s capacity to maintain a pace over several laps to the test. Lastly, hurdles and throws tested the athlete’s speed and agility. Mondo Duplantis, for example, kept pushing the bar higher with his blazing speed and uncanny ability to jump over barriers.