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The 2023 World Track and Field Championships will be held August 19-27 in Budapest, Hungary. It’s the most important meet of the year for most elite track and field athletes.
Below, you’ll find three key details for each day of the meet—TV and streaming info, the race schedule, and the three most enticing races of the day. We’ll update these categories every day of the meet so that you’re set to enjoy that day’s action. Of course, you’ll also want to follow our coverage, which will include flash results, analysis, and break-out stories on the most interesting athletes and developments of the meet.
Here’s what you need to know.
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What’s at Stake?
Oh, just the right to say, “I’m the best in the world in my event.” After an Olympic title, there is probably no better claim in track and field than that of world champion.
The meet is usually held every odd year (i.e., 2015, 2017, 2019). That schedule was scuttled by the COVID-19 pandemic, which pushed the 2020 Olympics to 2021, resulting in the planned 2021 world championships being held last year. As a result, 2023 is the second of four consecutive years (followed by the 2024 Olympics and 2025 worlds) with a global championship. While some athletes are downplaying this season to rest up for the Olympics, most are giving the world meet their full attention.
Prize money in Budapest runs from $70,000 for a gold medal down to $5,000 for eighth place. A high placing is also often lucrative in the form of bonuses from sponsors and an improved negotiating stance for appearance fees and subsequent sponsorships.
How to Watch the World Track and Field Championships (Day 1/August 19)
U.S. broadcast coverage will be split among NBC, CNBC, and Peacock. (You can purchase a Peacock subscription for $5.99 a month.) Most races will be streamed live on Peacock. Budapest is on Central European Time, which is six hours ahead of Eastern Time and nine hours ahead of Pacific Time.
Day 1 action is split between morning and evening sessions (morning and evening in Budapest, that is). The morning session will be shown starting at 2:50 a.m. Eastern on Peacock and 4:30 a.m. Eastern on CNBC. The evening session will start airing at 1 p.m. Eastern on Peacock and CNBC and 2:30 p.m. on NBC.
Full Race Schedule (Eastern Time)
5:05 a.m.—Mixed 4 x 400 meters relay, qualifying heats
5:35 a.m.—Men’s 3,000-meter steeplechase, qualifying heats
6:35 a.m.—Men’s 100 meters, preliminary rounds
7:15 a.m.—Women’s 1500 meters, qualifying heats
1:02 p.m.—Men’s 1500 meters, qualifying heats
1:43 p.m.—Men’s 100 meters, qualifying heats
2:55 p.m.—Women’s 10,000 meters final
3:47 p.m.—Mixed 4 x 400 meters relay final
Three Key Races Saturday
Women’s 1500 meters heats (7:15 a.m. ET)
These races will set the fields for Sunday’s semifinals. (The final is on Tuesday, August 22.) World record-holder and defending world and Olympic champion Faith Kipyegon is the overwhelming favorite; the big story would be if the Kenyan star doesn’t repeat as the gold medalist. Kipyegon will look to run as easily as possible to advance to the next round. The American squad of Nikki Hiltz, Cory McGee, and Sinclaire Johnson are solid bets to move on to the semis.
Men’s 1500 meters heats (1:02 p.m. ET)
The men’s 1500 meters follows the same schedule as the women’s, and also has a clear-cut favorite, in the form of Olympic champion Jakob Ingebrigtsen. Well, except the Norwegian was beaten in last year’s world championship by Great Britain’s Jake Wightman, who will miss this year’s meet owing to injury. American champion Yared Nuguse is one of the few men who has a legitimate shot of denying Ingebrigtsen the win in Tuesday’s final. First, of course, they must advance to Saturday’s semis. The other two Americans, Cole Hocker and Joe Waskom, should also get through the opening rounds.
Women’s 10,000 meters final (2:55 p.m. ET)
The first distance final of the meet on the track should be a doozy. Defending champ and world record-holder Letensebet Gidey of Ethiopia hasn’t raced much yet this year, but last month she finished a close second when Faith Kipyegon broke Gidey’s 5,000-meter world record. Defending Olympic champ Sifan Hassan of the Netherlands can win a fast race or a tactical one. Last year’s 5K world champ, Gudaf Tsegay of Ethiopia, is new to this event, but her combination of strength, racing instincts, and finishing kick could prove unanswerable. American record-holder Alicia Monson and U.S. champ Elise Cranny should be able to keep the leaders close for most of the 25 laps. In a tactical race, Cranny could kick to a high placing. Monson will do best with a steady fast pace.
Scott is a veteran running, fitness, and health journalist who has held senior editorial positions at Runner’s World and Running Times. Much of his writing translates sport science research and elite best practices into practical guidance for everyday athletes. He is the author or coauthor of several running books, including Running Is My Therapy, Advanced Marathoning, and Meb for Mortals. Scott has also written about running for Slate, The Atlantic, the Washington Post, and other members of the sedentary media. His lifetime running odometer is past 110,000 miles, but he’s as much in love as ever.
