We have made it to the last day of competition at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest. We have had the opportunity to watch some great races and record marks have been run, thrown, jumped, and vaulted. But, before I tell you about the races that are going on today let me tell you about the individuals who have been voicing the entire competition.

The Voices of the World Championships

Over the course of the whole competition in Budapest, there have been seven voices that have told the stories of the competition.

Leigh Diffey

Leigh Diffey, from Brisbane, Australia started his career by commentating on Auto-racing, and he still does by commentating on races such as Formula One, IndyCar, and NASCAR. But, he obviously commentated in these World Championships and many more major races around the world including the Olympics.

Paul Swangard

Paul Swangard grew up in Eugene, Oregon and he is now “the voice of Hayward Field”. But, he hasn’t always been, Swangard said “Track was kind of like daycare for my parents, they just dropped us off and they knew the meet would last several hours… we would be contained by the confines of Hayward.” Swangard went to Oregon and eventually he made his way back and made it up the ranks and he became “the voice of Hayward Field” he made it to the top and this year’s World championships.

Sanya Richards-Ross

Sanya Richards-Ross has not always been a track analyst, She was a world-class athlete first. She was a 400m specialist winning the 2012 Olympics and the 2009 World Championships. In 2016, She got injured at the Olympic Trials and retired, like a lot of retired athletes she became an analyst and that’s what brought her to these World Championships.

Kara Goucher

Like Richards-Ross, Kara Goucher was a great athlete during her career. She was on Team USA at the 2008 and 2012 Olympics and she was also the silver medalist at the 2007 World championships in the 10000m. After unfortunately missing out on qualifying for the 2016 Olympics in the marathon, Goucher decided to retire from competitive running and since then she has been an analyst on NBC Sports.

Ato Bolden

Ato Bolden, from Trinidad and Tobago, was an amazing sprinter from the 1990s to the 2000s. He specialized in the 100m and the 200m distances and won multiple Olympic medals. Shortly after the 2004 Olympics Bolden retired from the sport. In 2007, Bolden joined NBC and started as an analyst.

Trey Hardee

Trey Hardee is a former Olympian who specialized in multiple event-events such as the decathlon. He has won an NCAA championship and has won a world title twice. He has represented team USA twice as well in 2008 and 2012 at the Olympics, in 2012 he placed second in the decathlon. Hardee retired from competing in 2017 and joined NBC shortly after.

Lewis Johnson

Lewis Johnson is the reporter out of this group and he has by far had the most experience in his field. He started working for NBC in 2000 for the Summer Olympics and has been working there ever since. But, alongside covering the Olympics he has covered March Madness, College Football, and many more events. Lewis is the one who interviews athletes after their race and the World Championships would be nothing without him.

The Schedule

RotD=Race of the Day

Morning Session

• Final: Men’s Marathon at 7:00 am (12:00 am CDT)

Evening Session

• Final: Women’s High Jump at 8:00 pm (1:00 pm CDT)

• Final: Men’s Javelin at 8:15 pm (1:15 pm CDT)

• RotD/Final: Men’s 5000m at 8:20 pm (1:20 pm CDT)

• Final: Women’s 800m at 8:45 pm (1:45 pm CDT)

• Final: Women’s 3000m Steeplechase at 9:05 pm (2:05 pm CDT)

• Final: Men’s 4x400m Relay at 9:37 pm (2:37 pm CDT)

• Final: Women’s 4x400m Relay at 9:50 pm CDT (2:50 pm CDT)

Big News in Budapest

USA sweeps the 4x100m

Yesterday, in the men’s and women’s 4x100m relay, America was dominant winning both races and sweeping the event. Both teams had the World champions in the event, Sha’Carri Richardson and Noah Lyles anchored their teams to victory, and it was the right decision. Both races were close up until the anchor leg and if those two athletes hadn’t been a part of the team, they might not have won. Next year in Paris, both teams will be strong contenders to defend their titles.

Kipyegon completes the double

Yesterday in the women’s 5000m, Faith Kipyegon completed the 1500m-5000m double. Kipyegon is the World record holder in the 5000m and the 1500m,she had also never won a 5000m World title before winning her first one yesterday. Kipyegon beat the reigning Olympic champion in the event, Sifan Hassan, and Kipyegon’s Kenyan teammate Beatrice Chebet, to win her title. Next year at the Paris Olympics, Faith Kipyegon will be the heavy favorite to defend her 1500m-5000m title.

Race of the Day

The race of the day is the men’s 5000m, this is going to be one you’re going to want to watch. The favorites such as Mohammed Katir, and Jakob Ingebrigsten are really going to make this race interesting and entertaining. Ingebrigsten who is the reigning champion, will be one everyone will look to, to make a move, so it will be interesting to see who makes the first move from the gun.

Athletes to Watch For Today

Abdihamid Nur

As I said a couple of weeks ago in my 3 Americans to watch for in Budapest article, Abdihamid Nur is an athlete to watch for. In his heat, he placed fifth and finished only a few seconds off the winner, Mohammed Katir. In the final, Nur could have a really good chance to make it onto the podium, if he keeps up with the leaders and at the end use his great kick at the end. Nur is an exciting athlete to watch and one you need to watch for.

Athing Mu

Reigning champion, Athing Mu is an athlete you need to watch for today. Today she will be racing in the women’s 800m final, in her semifinal she placed second to Mary Moraa, the athlete from Kenya. In the final, Athing will be running beside her fellow American teammates, Raevyn Rogers and Nia Akins. Mu will also have to run against Keely Hodgkinson, the reigning World silver medalist. This final will be one to watch, within that final you need to watch for Athing Mu.

How to Watch Day Nine

The final day of coverage will begin at 12:00 am CDT and will go onto until 2:30 am CDT on CNBC. Then coverage will resume at 12:00 pm CDT and will go on until 2:30 pm on NBC. Then the final coverage will begin at 1:30 pm CDT and will go on until 3:00 pm CDT on CNBC.