01 Sep USATF Foundation Grantees Deliver Medals in Budapest
BUDAPEST, HUNGARY – The 2023 World Track and Field Championships took place last week and once again, Team USA topped the medal table with an incredible 29 medals (25 individual, 4 relays). The medal haul included 12 gold, 8 silver and 9 bronze.
Team USA’s dominance is evidenced by the 2nd place country having only 12 medals. The USATF Foundation is proud to share that 19 of the individual medals were earned by 2023 Stephen A. Schwarzman grantees. 23 different Stephen A. Schwarzman grant award winners received 27 total medals (19 individual and 8 relays medals) when accounting for medals won in relays.
In the Men’s shot put, Ryan Crouser entered the competition with multiple blood clots in his calf but still was able to walk away with another world title. Crouser’s monumental throw of 23.51 meters not only secured him the gold medal but also set a new Championship Record. His display of power and mental fortitude showcased why he is considered one of the greatest shot putters of all time. Joe Kovacs continued his consistency on the world stage with a bronze medal to add to his collection.
On the women’s side Chase Ealey defended her shot put world title in stunning fashion. After a fourth-place finish at the U.S championships, Chase Ealey bounced back to become the 2023 world champion.
In the discus, Laulaga Tausaga threw a massive personal best to win the World Championships and become the first woman in Team USA history to win a world discus title. Fellow American Valarie Allman completed the US 1-2 finish to secure silver.
In the hammer throw, Janee Kassanavoid and DeAnna Price continued to exhibit their strength with silver and bronze medals respectively. The two medals are evidence of the US team’s remarkable improvement in the hammer throw over the past several years.
The American grantees exhibited dominance in the hurdles led by Grant Holloway’s performance, becoming the first U.S athlete in history to claim three world titles in the 110m hurdles. Daniel Roberts followed closely behind Holloway with a bronze medal.
On the women’s side, Kendra Harrison showed her consistency on the world stage with a bronze medal in the 100m hurdles and Shamier Little battled down to the wire to win a silver medal in the 400m hurdles.
Sha’Carri Richardson put on a phenomenal performance and led the women U.S sprinters by winning the 100m final with a new championship record. Richardson carried her momentum into the 200m by earning a bronze medal. Fellow American Gabby Thomas earned a silver medal in the 200m to cap off an outstanding year.
In the pole vault, Chris Nilsen’s remarkable clearance of 5.95 meters earned him a third-place position and a well-deserved spot on the podium. On the women’s side, Katie Moon, in a thrilling final, won back-to-back world titles by sharing the gold medal and jumping a world-leading mark in the process.
In the 400m, Quincy Hall in his first World Championship dropped a personal best to grab a bronze medal.
JuVaughn Harrison lost a close battle in the high jump, with Italy’s Gianmarco Tamberi to narrowly miss a world title but walked away with a silver medal.
In the relays, grantees helped secure gold in three of the four world championship teams. In the 4x400m, Quincy Hall, Trevor Bassitt and Vernon Norwood carried USA to a world title. In the mixed 4x400m relay, Ryan Willie and Elite Grant recipient Matthew Boling helped our team to gold. In the women’s 4x100m relay, the American team of Twanisha Terry, Tamara Clark, Sha’Carri Richardson, and Gabby Thomas led team USA to a championship record and a gold medal.