by Alfonz Juck
Top competitions 2023
MONACO (MON): One of the best years for Diamond League and other circuits, if not the best ever. In the WA Competition Performace Rankings, the DL Final with two full equal days and 99 156 is the best score ever for such a type of competition. Second Skolimowska Memorial Silesia DL and third Weltklasse Zurich. World Championships in Budapest of course, was the best Championships Type competition ahead of US Championships and NCAA Championships. In the indoor events, the French meeting of Lievin had a better score than the European Indoor Championships, third place for Millrose Games. The USATF Throws meet in Tucson was the best in Special competitions ahead of the Ethiopian 10,000 m trial and Mondo Classic Pole Vault meet. Combined events were as expected: World Championships ahead of Gotzis and European Indoor Championships. New number one in Race Walking was the Dudince event in Slovakia ahead of the European Team Championships in Podebrady and La Coruna in Spain. Chicago is the top marathon, followed by London and Berlin. In the Road Running section, World Championships in Riga with Valencia Half Marathon second and adizero Road to Records third.
TOP TEN TRACK MEMORIES 2023
1. Faith Kipyegon 3 great World Records – moving female distance running to new spheres.
2. What is happening in the marathon – World records and depth of results at unbelievable levels.
3. Fantastic World Championships – to commentate for Slovak TV, but also great organization and boat trips from hotel to stadium.
4. Duplantis and Crouser move the barriers on and on.
5. Sha´Carri in the outside lane, deja vu Jakob with British miler.
6. Budapest golf car accident and subsequent delay in timetable and 9 finalists in the 200 m.
7. Planned and achieved: Chepkoech’s all-time best 2000 m steeple in Zagreb.
8. Duplantis clearing meet record and WL 612 in Ostrava, which lasted until DL Final.
9. Agency note: Miltos is number one in the World, but also Camryn and Haruka.
10. Personal note: Volko wins and Forster breaks Slovak 100 m NR since 1968. All at PTS meet.
TOP TEN TRACK EXPECTATIONS 2023 – HOW DID IT END?
1. Sold out World Championships in Budapest. NEARLY YES
2. Mondo continues to move human limits in the pole vault. YES
3. Yulimar Rojas breaking 16 m in triple jump. NO
4. Sydney McLaughlin breaking 48 seconds in the 400 m. NO
5. Noah Lyles breaking 200 m World record 19.19. NO
6. Mahuchikh improving Stefka´s mark from 1987. Not sure whether indoor or outdoor. NO
7. Jakob Ingebrigtsen getting another indoor 1500 m WR, but also the outdoor one (sorry Hicham). NO
8. European Indoors producing new surprising winners. NOT THAT MANY (maybe Ceccarelli)
9. China will still not be able to stage international events. SO-SO
10. More track and field athletes will get followers over 1 million on social media. CLOSE TO TEN
TOP TEN EXPECTATIONS 2024
1. Great and safe Olympics.
2. Men’s marathon under 2 hours.
3. Netflix sprinters docu will bring a lot more attention to our sport worldwide (and more sponsors and higher prize money)
4. Mondo Duplantis comes close to 630, Ryan Crouser to 24 m.
5. Jacobs and Tamberi will please the Italian fans at Stadio Olimpico.
6. Noah Lyles for 4 medals at the Olympics.
7. Shericka Jackson breaking Flo-Jo 200 m mark.
8. Jakob Ingebrigtsen finally getting 1500 or Mile WR from Hicham El Guerrouj.
9. Full stadiums at one-day meetings.
10. How statisticians and historians will cope with the short track.
THANK YOU FOR READING EME NEWS IN 2023!
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