The Worlds on NBC – thoughts, interviews from TV on days 5–7!

The Worlds on NBC – thoughts, interviews from TV on days 5–7!

By Jeff Benjamin

Being the Budapest 2023 champs’ meet promoter is like being in charge of the circus. Putting everything interview into perspective as well as keeping the audience’s attention to the events when it counts, is no easy task.

Just as challenging is when you’re on a live television network, like NBC, broadcasting live to millions around the world, and you not only have to observe all of the so-called “Three-ring circuses of track and field,”  but you also have to spontaneously call certain events that can literally last seconds as well as attempt to keep the audience glued into it.

The NBC TV crew, so far, have “ surfed the waves” quite successfully. Yet with some of the shocking performances, it has never been easy for them or anyone to stay on target.

Here’s a summary of day 5

Day 5

1) Men’s 1500 Meter Final

When  the men toed the starting line of the 1500 meters, Leigh Diffey  mentioned how this event has garnered much attention to the young talent competing,
“with ferocious speed.”

Kara Goucher echoes the same thoughts. “This final has been building up all season,” said Goucher, “ and it’s the best 1500 field I can remember.”

It certainly would also be a 1500 race that one will forget! With favorite Jakob Ingebrigtsen taking the lead after 500 meters, the commentators discussed how smooth and deceiving American Yared Nuguse was running. But through 800, Diffey exclaimed, “Don’t count out Josh Kerr!”

With 500 to go in the race, Goucher commented on how Kerr had said he was saving his kick in the semi to be ready for the final, and with 200 to go, Kerr kicked ahead and stormed past the Norwegian with Diffey harkening back to last year‘s 1500 race where Brit Jake Wightman shockingly won the title in the same way.

“Last year it was another Brit!”, said Diffey. “And it looks like history has repeated itself!”

It sure did, as Kerr won an emotional victory (3:29.05). “During the past year, Kerr has toned down his statement and words and had become humble,” Seth Goucher. “And you know why? Because he was quietly planning tonight!”

Kerr echoed those thoughts in his post-interview with Lewis Johnson. “If I didn’t make that move,” said Kerr when he approached the last 200 meters, “ I would have regretted it for the rest of my…