The 2023 World Athletics Championships is less than 48 hours upon us as elite athletes gather at the National Athletics Centre in Budapest, Hungary to compete for glory.
African athletes are not left out in this and Afrosport takes a look at the top 10 athletes that have a strong shot at claiming medals.
1.) Tobi Amusan
Country: Nigeria
Discipline: 100 Metres Hurdles
World Ranking: 1
The reigning 100 Metres champion and world record holder had remained in the dark in defending her title after she was charged with anti-doping violations by the Athletics Integrity Unit for missing three whereabout tests.
The World Athletics has finally given a verdict and she is now clear to compete. Amusan can now focus on maintaining the good form she was in going into the Championships.
2.) Faith Kipyegon
Country: Kenya
Discipline: 1500 Metres, 5000 Metres
World Ranking: 1 (1500 Metres )
The 29-year-old is one of the top African favourites to win a gold medal in Budapest.
She is the 1500 Metres and 5000 Metres world record holder which were set this year. Kipyegon is also a two-time Olympic goal medalist, likewise a two-time World Championships gold medalist including from last year’s event in Eugene, Oregon.
3.) Mary Moraa
Country: Kenya
Discipline: 800 Metres
World Ranking: 1
Moraa is another Kenyan that is primed to win a medal in Budapest.
She is the 800 Metres champion from the 2022 Commonwealth Games and Diamond League. The 23-year-old claimed bronze at last year’s World Championships and will be aiming to go for gold this time around.
4.) Soufiane El Bakkali
Country: Morocco
Discipline: 3000 Metres Steeplechase
World Ranking: 1
The 27-year-old is the undisputed king of the 3000 Metres Steeplechase.
After winning gold at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, El Bakkali took gold at the World Championships and Diamond League last year, and nothing is standing in his way from defending his medal in Budapest.
5.) Wayde van Niekerk
Country: South Africa
Discipline: 400 Metres
World Ranking: 1
The 31-year-old South African has held his forte in the 400 Metres category stretching back to the 2015 World Championships in Beijing where he claimed gold.
This was followed by taking gold at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro and the 2017 World Championships in London.
Van Niekerk is also the 400 Metres world record holder and is favourite to win a third gold medal at the World Championships.
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6.) Ferdinand Omanyala
Country: Kenya
Discipline: 100 Metres
World Ranking: 1
Kenyans famed for being specialists in the long distance races but Omanyala is carving a niche for the country in the sprints.
The 27-year-old is 100 Metres champion from the 2022 Commonwealth Games and African Games and is the currently the fastest man in Africa with a time of 9.77 seconds set in 2021.
Though Omanyala will be up against the likes of Fred Kerley, Zharnel Hughes and Ackeem Blake, it will be interesting to see how far he finishes in Budapest as he has put in some good times heading into the competition.
7.) Freweyni Hailu
Country: Ethiopia
Discipline: 1500 Metres, 5000 Metres
World Ranking: 2 (1500 Metres)
The 22-year-old Ethiopian is a top prospect for a medal in the Women’s 1500 Metres after finishing fourth in Eugene last year.
She was also fourth at the 2020 Olympics. With such near misses, Hailu will be itching to get her first medal on the outdoor track.
8.) Marie-Josee Ta Lou
Country: Cote d’Ivoire
Discipline: 100 Metres, 200 Metres, 4×100 Metres Relay
World Ranking: 2 (100 Metres)
Ta Lou is the fastest female sprinter in Africa with lots of medals to her name.
The Ivorian is a three-time gold medalist at the African Championships and African Games. At the World Championships, she claimed silver in the 100 Metres and 200 Metres in 2017 in London and bronze in 100 Metres in Doha in 2019.
A gold medal in Budapest would be the crown of the jewel for Ta Lou but she has to come up against the likes of Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Shericka Jackson and Sha’Carri Richardson to make it happen.
9.) Akani Simbine
Country: South Africa
Discipline: 100 Metres, 4×100 Metres Relay
World Ranking: 2 (100 Metres)
Simbine is one of the African hopefuls for a medal in Budapest.
He is a three-time gold medalist at the African Championships and also a gold medalist at the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, Australia.
Simbine has never claimed a medal at the World Championships and a first in Budapest would be a really interesting prospect.
10.) Letsile Tebogo
Country: Botswana
Discipline: 100 Metres, 200 Metres
World Ranking: 3 (200 Metres)
The 20-year-old Motswana is one for the future having made headlines at the 2021 and 2022 World U20 Championships where won gold in the 100 Metres and silver in the 200 Metres.
He was also a 200 Metres gold medalist at the 2022 African Championship. He is the first man to break the 10 seconds barrier in his country and with improved times going to Budapest, Tebogo is one to look out for.
Watch the 2023 World Athletics Championship live on Afrosport TV across Nigeria, Channel 730 on Free TV or stream online via VIDIVU TV
