The World Athletics Championships 2023 will be held in Budapest from August 19 to 27.
Here are the top three contenders for the gold medal in Budapest:
Faith Kipyegon
Faith Kipyegon is the reigning world and olympic champion in the women’s 1500m event. Kipyegon won gold at Tokyo with a time of 3:53.11, while the gold at the World Championships in Eugene came with a time of 3:52.96.
She also won gold at the 2016 Olympic games in Rio and at the 2017 World Championships in London.
The Kenyan holds the season’s best time of 3:49.11 in 2023 which she achieved at Firenze, Italy in June 2023.
Birke Haylom
Birke Haylom won gold at the 2022 World Athletics U20 Championships in Cali, Colombia. Her time of 4:04.27 was a championship record in the event.
FILE PHOTO: Ethiopia’s Birke Haylom (left) in action during the women’s 1500m at the Silesia Diamond League. | Photo Credit: REUTERS
The 17-year-old ran a personal best of 3:54.93 at the Silesia Diamond League in Chorzow in July 2023, breaking her previous personal best of 3:57.66, which she managed at the Rabat Diamond League in May.
The Ethiopian’s personal best this season is also her season best and puts her in fourth place in the fastest times of the season.
Hirut Meshesha
Hirut Meshesha won bronze medal in the women’s 1500m at the 2022 World Indoor Championships in Belgrade.
The 22-year-old had a successful youth career and will be looking to target the senior medals at the World Championship in Budapest.
FILE PHOTO: Hirut Meshesha of Ethiopia crosses the finish line to win the Women’s 1500m during the Golden Gala Pietro Mennea 2022, part of the 2022 Diamond League series at Stadio Olimpico in Rome. | Photo Credit: Getty Images
The Ethiopian holds the third fastest 1500m time this year, a 3:54.87 achieved at Chorzów in July 2023.
Great Britain’s Laura Muir who secured silver at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and Sifan Hassan who won gold in Doha in 2019 are the dark horses in the event though neither have performed up to their best this season.
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