Last year, everything changed. I turned into a fan of track and field after following the 2022 World Athletic Championships in Eugene, Oregon. Partially it was because of all the buzz, but also it was a result of being held in the U.S, at Hayward Field. The athletes felt like superheroes, larger-than-life personalities with performances that lived so far from what any “normal” athlete could perform. The specificity! The chest-pumping celebrations! The finish line kick!
When I learned that the 2023 World Athletics Championships were taking place in Budapest, Hungary, on August 19-27, I wanted to learn everything I could about the event’s inner workings: why it exists, its special relationship to the Olympic Games, and how I might follow the action.
For those who are veterans to the wonderfully complicated world of track and field, I salute you. But those of us who don’t understand its allure, I see you. Here’s a primer to get you up to speed.
What Are the World Athletics Championships?
The whole enterprise of track and field has come a long way…
