Today, the champions will be crowned in four events: men's 1500m and 400m hurdles, women's 400m and pole vault.Continue reading
Four Hungarian athletes will compete on Thursday, the sixth day of the World Athletics Championships in Budapest, which will feature five finals.
In the morning program, after Sunday’s 20 kilometers, the 35 km walk will be contested by European bronze medalist Viktoria Madarász, Rita Récsei from the women, and Bence Venyercsán, competing in the men’s race from Heroes’ Square, the longest distance of the World Championships.
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In the evening program, Ferenc Soma Kovács will make his debut in the men’s 5000m.
Ferenc Soma Kovács. Photo: Facebook/Sportolj Velünk Sportegyesület – SVSE
More than 140 families are provided with the unique opportunity to root for the Hungarian athletes at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest, by the Regőczi Foundation.
As for Wednesday’s success,
middle-distance runner Bianka Kéri finished fourth in her heat on Wednesday morning in 800 m, with a time of 2:00.20, advancing to the semi-finals.
The SVSE middle-distance runner qualified for the World Championships with 1:59.80, the first time she has ever run within two minutes of the qualifying standard, which she achieved at the European Team Championships in Poland in June. It was expected that a result close to that time would be needed to qualify for the semi-finals.
Bianka Kéri (2ndR) in the fifth heat of the women’s 800m flat qualifying race at the World Athletics Championships at the National Athletics Center in Budapest, 23 August 2023. MTI/Silárd Kosticsák
Kéri got her place in the fifth of seven heats, in which she made a strong start, cutting into second, then third place after the first bend and holding her position steadily throughout the first lap. The pace was subdued, but from the start of the second bend, the pace gradually increased and Kéri managed to hold on well, moving into the lead at the last corner and even seeming to catch two of her rivals.
The American Nia Akins was the fastest at the finish line, with Britain’s Jemma Reekie behind her, with whom Kéri managed to keep pace, but failed to overtake, while behind her, Slovenia’s Anita Horvát was chasing superbly, catching and overtaking the Hungarian just before the finish.
The 29-year-old Hungarian would have had to finish in the top three to secure qualification, but
her time of 2:00.20 was the best of the non-qualifiers, thus she could continue based on the seven races.
In the next two races three athletes could not overtake her, and in the end no one could get ahead of her with a better time, so the Hungarian athlete can prepare for the semi-finals on Friday evening.
As for Wednesday’s world champions, Marileidy Paulino from the Dominican Republic won the women’s 400 m with a time of 48.76 sec. The women’s pole vault gold medal is shared between Nina Kennedy (Australia) and Katie Moon (USA) with a 4.90 m jump. In the men’s 400 m hurdles, Karsten Warholm from Norway finished first with 46.89 sec, becoming world champion. The men’s 1500 m world champion is Josh Kerr from Great Britain, with a time of 3:29.38.
Featured image: Photo: Facebook/Dr. Hoppál Péter