Which athletes are people most excited about for 2023?

[Dave]

I’m pretty sure the AOY competitors are on everyone’s list. Personally, I’m looking for the first 23.5m mSP if not farther. Nah Lyles could take a serious shot at Bolt’s 200 record. I’m looking forward to seeing what Syd does this year. Jakob Ingebrigtsen will also be interesting. M400m hurdles should be fun. Mondo needs a competitor. Nilsen can keep him honest but isn’t a threat.

[Diara31]

I'm mostly excited for the 'underdogs' really.
Christain Coleman, Salwa eid naser, Elaine Thompson-Herah, Wayde van niekerk etc.
The aforementioned were not able to perform up to their best this year due to various issues, mostly injury-related. Of course, Salwa is still suspended til early next year while Coleman was still trying to regain some of that lost form from 2019.
2023 track and field is gonna be superb.
Mboma too, if she can recover fully from her injury is gonna be a big problem in the 200m.

[Atticus]

I expect Sasha Zhoya to bust a big one.

Britton Wilson seems ready.
How low can Erriyon go?
Flatt and Sumner
Kessler resumes march to top?
Will DA resume track after February?
The Squirrel flies again
JuV big LJ?
CT's cont'd comeback!
A SML-AM showdown in the 400
The young ladies in the 800.
TJones busting one in 100H
The Molls
Winger unretires !
Fahn learns to start
Wanyoni and Sedjati's climb to the top
The Diazes
Ceh or Alekna?
Rojas LJ

[steve]

Erriyon Knighton because I have this hope that he's going to have a bigger breakthrough sometime within the next 2 years. Could be this year!

Fred Kerley, because he seems to be able to will himself to do things that others can't.

Hobbs Kessler because of his basic talent and I live in Ann Arbor with kids in other sports at Skyline HS, for whom he competed. Go Hobbs!!!

If Marcel Jacobs does the LJ I'll be very interested because that event has been stagnant for many years.

What will Syd do next? Exciting!

All in all, much to be excited about in the upcoming season!

[TN1965]

w400mH was the most predictable even this year. If Wilson can challenge Bol and Muhammad, it could create an interesting three-way battle for 2nd to 4th places.

Mu-Hodgkinson should be exciting with Moraa in the mix.

Kipyegon will not be challenged in 1500, but it's interesting to see how Hassan can bounce back from a disappointing year. Another attempt at marathon by Gidey will also be interesting, so are the next races for Ayana and Genzebe.

I'd rather not think about 200 and Steeple until WA will make a decision in March.

Ingebrigtsen's rematch with Wightman is highly anticipated by almost anyone except Wightman (or his fanboys).

I am also interested in whether Ryuji Miura and Nozomi Tanaka could return to their 2021 form and beyond.

Evan Jager was the most inspiring story of 2021, and I hope his comeback continues next year.

If we want to throw in another comeback story, how about Christian Taylor?

[dupontred]

SML, but only if she runs a 400. Mu for sure. Anna Hall.

[Conor Dary]

Ingebrigtsen's rematch with Wightman is highly anticipated by almost anyone except Wightman (or his fanboys).

Everything since Eugene has, and will be, a complete bonus for Jake. He has already won the lottery. He could retire now and his legacy in Britain is set. Next year is going to be fun no matter how he does. If there is any pressure it will be on Ingebrigtsen not Jake.

[Atticus]

Everything since Eugene has, and will be, a complete bonus for Jake. He has already won the lottery. He could retire now and his legacy in Britain is set. Next year is going to be fun no matter how he does. If there is any pressure it will be on Ingebrigtsen not Jake.

Jake may as well retire now if that is true, or even if he thinks it is.

[Conor Dary]

Jake may as well retire now if that is true, or even if he thinks it is.

Jake is not going to retire now or anytime soon. He is having too much fun. As he said no matter what happens he will always be World Champion.

He isn't injured, makes good money and enjoying it all...so why would he retire....because he might lose? I don't think so.

His mother is definitely looking forward to next year.

[Conor Dary]

And 'fanboys' ..what is that nonsense all about? I've known Jake since he was 8 months old. And his mother for almost 40 years.

[Juicy News]

SML - in the 400m. And race more in general. You are not a marathoner.

Kipyegon if she tries a double at worlds. I think she has tremendous potential in the 5000m.

US men 1500m. Hocker, Teare, Nguse, Kessler, etc.

Women's marathoning.

Kipchoge in Boston and NY(?)

Can Steiner continue to improve and challenge for a medal?

US women 400m. Hope to see someone step up (not including SML and Mu for this one).

[Juicy News]

And 'fanboys' ..what is that nonsense all about? I've known Jake since he was 8 months old. And his mother for almost 40 years.

He's not talking about you, relax.

[clementina]

And 'fanboys' ..what is that nonsense all about? I've known Jake since he was 8 months old. And his mother for almost 40 years.

Correct. The word fanboy was probably used for track athletes by mildly retarded 15 year olds on Letsrun

[Awsi Dooger]

I always look forward to Kipyegon. But she doesn't need to be messing around with a double. The longer events belong to Niyonsaba, if she shows up. That will be one of the most interesting/frustrating aspects of 2023. If Niyonsaba and her camp realize the ruling bodies aren't going to change the eligibility rules for Paris based on anything that happens in 2023, then she can compete a full year and pick off one victory after another over the closing meters. It's actually to her benefit to do it that way, instead of saving everything for Paris, where there would be a major outcry if the public wrongly believed Hassan and Gidey and Tsegay are favorites, only for the DSD athlete to stumble ahead of all of them down the stretch.

Same thing with Mboma at 200. She was legitimately injured and it caused too many to forget about her, and how she walked down Shericka Jackson three straight times to close out 2021.

I seldom care about the marathon. The presence of Ayana and others changes that for me, at least on the women's side.

If Jakob wants to be remembered as best ever he needs to avoid lapses like last year at world indoors and Eugene. I think he fully realizes that, and will be more ruthless. Great job to continue to prioritize cross country. He doesn't want to be a cluck who pretends only the outdoor season matters.

Moraa is running indoors this year. She should become even more arrogant out there, separating from Hodgkinson and sensing that she could be right there with Mu. But Mu may have another level. She seemed ill and somewhat disinterested last year. One year ago she was touted here and elsewhere to break that world record.

Burgin and Brazier need to team up and revitalize the men's 800. Keep going and make the stiff closers wonder why the world is suddenly so unfair.

Welteji is the greenest among the elite Ethiopians. She needs to become stronger, more confident and develop a plan from race to race instead of winging it. If so, she could emerge as the greatest threat to Kipyegon.

If Bol tinkers with 14 steps it will be interesting how many hurdles she applies it to, and whether her overall consistency suffers while she gets the hang of it. Anna Hall also should continue to race this event and switch to 14.

Angelina Topic needs to reach or severely threaten the 2 meter threshold if she's going to be a factor in Paris a year later.

I wonder if Niels Laros will enter any of the big boy events this year, just after turning 18? He's got swagger.

I hope Shelly Ann doesn't follow through with her plans to race against Duplantis. That would flatter him and not be a good look for women's track.

[Juicy News]

Jakob is not running world cross.

Kipyegon ran 14:31 all the way back in 2015. I'm sure she can run at least 14:22 now. But I believe her main goal is to break the 1500m WR, so I don't think she is going to train for the 5000m. But one can always wish.