Featured image: Elijah Agurs (l-r Emmanuel Matadi, Eboni Morrison, Joseph Fahnbulleh at 2023 World Athletics Championships).

The 2023 World Athletics Championships was held in Budapest, Hungary from Saturday Aug. 19 to Sunday Aug. 27. However, Liberia wrapped its appearance on Friday Aug. 25.Three athletes represented the country at this year’s championship: sprinters Emmanuel Matadi and Joseph Fahnbulleh, and hurdler Ebony Morrison.

Emmanuel Matadi: Men’s 100m recap

Matadi currently holds the national record for the men’s 100m and has a personal best time of 9.97. He started things off for Liberia on day one of the championships and placed third in his heat completing his race in 10.13 and qualifying for the semifinals. On day two, Matadi placed fourth in his heat and ran 10.04, just missing a spot in the finals. He finished 11th overall at the event.

Noah Lyles from the US took the gold with a world leading time of 9.83. Botswana’s Letsile Tebogo made history for Africa placing second and becoming the first African to win a World Championship medal in the men’s 100m. He finished in 9.88 (.873) and set a new national record for his country. Finally Great Britain’s Charnel Hughes came in third, finishing in a fraction of a millisecond second behind Tebogo, 9.88 (.874).

Ebony Morrison: Women’s 100mH recap

Morrison ran in heat 5 lane 8, on day four of the championship. She finished sixth in her heat and missed out on the semifinals by a hundredth of a second, running a 12.93 race. Morrison, who holds the Liberia national record for the women’s 100mH with a personal best of 12.74, is expected to represent Liberia at the Paris 2024 Olympics

Jamaica’s Danielle Williams took the gold with a season’s best 12.42. Jasmine Camacho-Quinn from Puerto Rico took silver with a 12.44 second-race and Kendra Harrison from the US took bronze with 12.47.

Joseph Fahnbulleh: Men’s 200m recap

Fahnbulleh, who placed in the top four at the last World Championships in Oregon and holds Liberia’s men’s 200m record with a personal best of 19.83, joined the competition on day five. He placed second in his heat, during round one, and advanced to the semifinals with a 20.42 time. On day six, Fahnbulleh repeated his success, placing fourth in his heat and advancing with 20.21 — a fast enough time to make it to the finals.

At the finals, on day seven, the 21-year-old sprinter finished in last place running a 20.57, but ranking top 10 in the men’s 200m race. In an earlier interview, Fahnbulleh mentioned he was overcoming an achilles injury. His performance concluded Liberia’s performance at the 2023 World Athletics Championships. Noah Lyles from the US nabbed another gold, while Erriyon Knighton and Letsile Tebogo took silver and bronze respectively.

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