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BUDAPEST 2023 WORLDS TITBITS - TWO
L-R: Ivory Coast's Marie-Josee Ta Lou, USA's Sha'Carri Richardson, and Jamaica's Shericka Jackson react after crossing the finish line in the women's 100m semi-final during the World Athletics Championships. PHOTO/AFP
What you need to know:
Marie Josee Ta Lou was left speechless on Monday night. The 34-year-old from Ivory Coast left the National Athletics Centre track in disbelief after finishing fourth in the women’s 100m final.
Unusual heat
The temperatures in Budapest are extreme. Yesterday, they hit 36 degrees Celsius and perhaps, athletes, fans and everyone involved must have been delighted that there was no morning activity.
World Athletics announced that the conditions are turning out extreme with their recording system showing some very high Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT) values which increases the risk of Exertional Heat Stroke (EHS).
As a result, the global body yesterday announced that today’s women’s 5000m Heats which will have two Ugandans Prisca Chesang and Sarah Chelangat at 11am here will be under the Black Flag WBGT Code.
“This is not an acceptable level for our athletes so we will be moving the Heats to 7pm (8pm) on Wednesday (this) evening,” read part of World Athletics’ email.
As a result, the men’s and women’s 200m Heats where Tarsis Orogot is set to compete, were due 12:50pm (1:50pm) have now been moved earlier by 90 minutes to 11:20am (12:20pm).
Ta Lou in tears
Marie Josee Ta Lou was left speechless on Monday night. The 34-year-old from Ivory Coast left the National Athletics Centre track in disbelief after finishing fourth in the women’s 100m final.
She posted 10.81 seconds but her time was bettered by American Sha’Carri Richardson and Jamaican pair of Shericka Jackson and Shelly-Ann Fraser Pryce who won gold, silver and bronze in that order.
Ta Lou was heartbroken and went through the mixed zone in tears after winning eight races in a row before this final.
Yet, for all her work, she only has a 100m bronze medal from the Doha 2019 edition in Qatar and 100m and 200m silver medals from the London 2017 edition in England to show at the Worlds.
Easy transport
For any country to host a major sports championship, transport must be smooth. Hungary may not be one of the bigwigs but, this central European country is finely organized.
Their transport is like anywhere else on this part of the continent. For the first time in a while in World Athletics Championships history, some delegates and officials arrive by boat to the National Athletics Centre.
Then, from any part of Budapest, one can take a bus, a tram, a metro or cab to reach the stadium. If Uganda is to ever host a major championship of similar nature, transport should be smooth and streamlined.
Personally, I am nine stops by train away from the stadium along the Kelenföld Vasútállomás line which takes 13 minutes.
