The 2023 World Athletics Championships is just days away as we're set to witness the likes of Noah Lyles, Sydney McLaughlin, and Gabby Thomas in action. The 2023 World Athletics Championships is set to be held at the National Athletics Centre in Budapest, Hungary.
The competitions will be held from August 19 to 27 in which more than 2100 athletes are set to compete for titles in various events. Meanwhile, Team USA has named a strong contingent of athletes to compete in the 2023 World Athletics Championships. The USA has named a total of 139 athletes to compete in Budapest.
Let's take a look at five American athletes to watch out for at the 2023 World Athletics Championships.
#1) Noah Lyles
Noah Lyles is one of the most integral members of the USA team which is set to compete at the World Athletics Championships. There aren't enought words to describe the rise of Lyles over the past few years.
Despite being a 200m specialist, the American sprinter has put on consistent performances in the 100m event this year. He has earned podium finishes in most of the 100m events he has competed in this year. At the 2023 USA National Track and Field Outdoor Championships, Noah Lyles finished in third place.
Meanwhile in the 200m event, he is the reigning world champion. At the 2022 World Athletics Championships in Eugene, Noah Lyles won the gold medal with a national record and world leading time of 19.31. The American sprinter has finished in first place in all of his 200m events.
Most recently, he even revealed on his social media account that he will clock a time of 9.65 in the 100m and 19.10 in the 200m at the 2023 World Athletics Championships. Based on his consistent performances this season, there is a high possibility that Noah Lyles might win gold medal in both 100m and 200m events.
#2) Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone
Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone is currently one of the best ever in the 400m hurdles event. But the American athlete will be competing in the 400m race and not the hurdles. She is also named in the 4x400 metres relay team.
Despite not competing in her favorite event, Sydney McLaughlin has put on some best performances in the 400m this year. Competing in the Diamond League leg in Paris, the American athlete clocked a time of 49.71 to finish in second place.
Followed by that, she finished in first place in the 400m event at the 2023 USATF NYC Grand Prix and the 2023 USA National Track and Field Outdoor Championships. She clocked a world-leading and meet record time of 48.74 to win the 400m title at the 2023 USATF Championships.
So, we've to wait and see if Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone is able to replicate her recent performances at the World Athletics Championships as well.
#3) Gabby Thomas
Gabby Thomas will be competing in the women's 200m event at the 2023 World Athletics Championships on the back of a string of excellent performances in the 200m event.
She has been phenomenal in the 200m this year. Thomas hasn't finished in first place in the 200m only two times in 2023. At the 2023 USA National Track and Field Outdoor Championships, she clinched the 200m title with a world leading time of 21.60s.
Another special fact about Thomas' victory was that she surpassed the world lead time set just a few hours earlier by Jamaica's Shericka Jackson.
Even though the 200m line up looks stacked with the likes of Julien Alfred, Shericka Jackson, Sha'Carri Richardson, Dina Asher-Smith, and Twanisha Terry, Gabby Thomas has a high chance of clinching the gold medal due to her consistent performances in the 200m.
4) Ryan Crouser
Ryan Crouser can be named as one of the best shot putter ever. The American athlete has finished in first place in all the competitions in 2023. Being the current world record holder in shot put in both indoor and outdoor, we could definitely expect a similar kind of performance from him in Budapest.
At the 2023 USA National Track and Field Outdoor Championships, Crouser completed a throw of 22.86m to win the gold medal. He has also won two consecutive Olympic gold medals in shot put and is also the reigning world champion.
If Ryan Crouser succeeds in 2023 World Athletics Championships, he will win his second world championships gold medal. Hence we can count on Crouser to add a gold medal to Team USA's medal tally at 2023 World Athletics Championships.
#5) Sha'Carri Richardson
Sha'Carri Richardson has forged herself as one of the best sprinters in the 100m and 200m this year. She is a sure shot favorite to win the gold medal in the women's 100m despite facing tough competition from the likes of Shericka Jackson, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Julien Alfred, and Tamari Davis.
Richardson's claimed the women's 100m title at the 2023 USA National Track and Field Outdoor Championships with a time of 10.82.
She will be making her World Athletics Championships debut in Budapest. Hence Sha'Carri Richardson would want to make it remarkable with a gold medal in the 100m. Her legal personal best time in the 100m is 10.71 seconds.
We can't count her out in the women's 200m as well as she finished in second place behind Gabby Thomas in the 200m event at the 2023 USA National Track and Field Outdoor Championships. Sha'Carri Richardson has been named in the 4x100m relay team for the 2023 World Athletics Championships.
Let's wait and see if Team USA can surpass their medal tally of 33 medals from the 2022 World Athletics Championships.