The World Athletics Championships 2023 will be held in Budapest from August 19 to 27.
The men’s 400m event has opened up for remaining athletes since the reigning world champion, United States’ Michael Norman, has withdrawn from the tournament. Here are the top three contenders for the gold medal in the event in Budapest:
Steven Gardiner (Bahamas)
Steven Gardiner is one of the strong contenders for gold in the men’s 400m event in the upcoming World Championship.
The 27-year-old Bahamian sprinter is back in the circuit, setting a world-leading time of 43.74s at the Szekesfehervar meeting in Hungary on July 18.
The Olympic champion in Tokyo and 2019 World Championship gold medallist failed to defend his title in 2022 due to injury and is primed to be back in medal contention this time.
PB - 43.48 Khalifa International Stadium, Doha (QAT) 04 OCT 2019
SB - 43.74 Bregyo Athletic Center, Szekesfehervar (HUN) July 18, 2023
Wayde Van Niekerk (South Africa)
South Africa’s Wayde van Niekerk after winning the men’s 400m final in London Diamond League. | Photo Credit: Reuters
South Africa’s Wayde Van Niekerk, the World No. 1 and world record holder, is the dominant force to be reckoned with on the circuit.
Niekerk shattered Michael Johson’s 17-year mark with an incredible 43.03s clocked in the Rio Olympics in 2016.
The two-time world champion will be looking to reclaim a podium spot after 2017, as the 31-year-old is also racing against the clock, with age not on his side.
Niekerk is also one of only three men in history to have run a sub-10 100m, a sub-20 200m, and a sub-44 400m.
PB - 43.03 Estadio Olimpico, Rio de Janeiro (BRA) 14 AUG 2016
SB - 44.08 Stadion Śląski, Chorzów (POL) 16 JUL 2023
Muzala Samukonga (Zambia)
FILE PHOTO: Muzala Samukonga of Zambia in action. | Photo Credit: AP
Zambia’s Muzala Samukonga is the current world no. 2 and defending Commonwealth Champion.
The 20-year-old has a season and personal best timing of sub-44 (43.91) at the Continental Tour Gold 2023 in May 2023.
The young sprinter has all the potential to beat stalwarts of the game and secure a podium finish.
PB - 43.91s - National Stadium, Gaborone (BOT) 29 APR 2023
SB - 43.91s - National Stadium, Gaborone (BOT) 29 APR 2023
Rusheen McDonald (Jamaica) - Dark Horse
FILE PHOTO: Rusheen McDonald from Jamaica. | Photo Credit: AP
The dark horse of the event would be Rusheen McDonald of Jamaica.
The current world no. 12, McDonald, clocked 44.03 in the recently concluded Szekesfehervar meeting in Hungary in July to register his season best, which is not far from his personal best of 43.93, which he achieved in the 2015 China World Championships.
This year, the Jamaican stands third behind Gardiner and Samukonga in the world-leading charts.
The 31-year-old Jamaican is an Olympic silver-medalist and has never won a gold in both worlds and the Olympics but since Norman has pulled out of the event, his chances for a podium finish seem much brighter.
PB - 43.93s - National Stadium, Beijing (CHN) August 23, 2015
SB - 44.03s - Bregyo Athletic Center, Szekesfehervar (HUN) July 18, 2023
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