Norman decides to conclude his season instead of pursuing repeat title in men’s 400 meters, joining McLaughlin-Levrone and several other international stars not competing in Hungary as a result of injuries or injury-related issues

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

Michael Norman, the reigning World Athletics Championships men’s 400-meter gold medalist, confirmed Tuesday on his social media that he has withdrawn from competition in Budapest, Hungary.

“Unfortunately, I will not be defending my title at the 2023 World champs,” said Norman, 25, a Nike professional athlete. “After an extremely frustrating season I’ve decided to step away from track for the remainder of the 2023 season in order to refocus for the 2024 Paris Olympics.”

Norman, who earned the automatic berth to compete in Budapest following his victory last year in 44.29 seconds in the World final at Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore., joins fellow American athlete Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, along with Belgium’s Nafissatou Thiam, Kazakhstan’s Norah Jeruto, Germany’s Malaika Mihambo and Great Britain’s Jake Wightman among last year’s World Athletics Championships gold medalists who are not scheduled to compete in Budapest as a result of injuries or injury-related issues.

McLaughlin-Levrone, the reigning World gold medalist and world record-holder in the women’s 400-meter hurdles, announced on her social media Aug. 11 that she was also withdrawing from competition in the women’s 400 meters in Budapest as a result of a “minor knee issue.”

Nigerian standout Tobi Amusan, the defending World gold medalist and world record-holder in the women’s 100-meter hurdles, will have an opportunity to defend her title in Budapest if she is cleared of her three whereabouts failures, World Athletics officials have stated.

Amusan was provisionally suspended in July by the AIU for three whereabouts failures and the Nigerian standout has decided to contest the charges. The AIU said a decision on Amusan’s appeal will be made before the start of the World Athletics Championships.

Norman, who has battled injuries this year in addition to making a coaching change from Quincy Watts to John Smith, was focused on qualifying for the U.S. national team roster in the 100-meter dash this season. Smith coached Watts to the 1992 Olympic gold medal in the men’s 400 in Barcelona.

Norman ran a wind-legal 10.31 on July 6 in the 100-meter prelims, placing eighth in his heat and 27th overall at the Toyota USATF Outdoor Championships at Hayward Field.

He was also entered in the 200-meter prelims at U.S. nationals, but did not compete.

Norman only raced four times this season, and had not run a 400 in competition since winning a Diamond League race in Poland in 44.11 last August, more than a year ago.

He was looking to compete at his fourth consecutive global meet, following appearances at the 2019 World Athletics Championships in Doha, the 2021 Tokyo Olympics and last year at Hayward Field.

Stevie Gardiner of the Bahamas, who won the 2021 Tokyo Olympics gold medal in the 400 along with being the 2019 World champion in Doha, boasts the fastest time globally this year ahead of the Aug. 20 opening round with his 43.74 performance July 18 in Székesfehérvár, Hungary. Gardiner missed last year’s World Athletics Championships sidelined with a tendon injury.

Kirani James of Grenada and Great Britain’s Matthew Hudson-Smith, who captured silver and bronze medals, respectively, last year in Eugene, are also scheduled to compete in Budapest.

South Africa’s Wayde van Niekerk, the 2016 Olympic gold medalist and 400 world record-holder at 43.03, is also expected to race in Hungary after finishing fifth last year in Eugene.

The U.S. is still expected to have Bryce Deadmon, Vernon Norwood and Quincy Hall competing Aug. 20 in the men’s 400-meter prelims in Budapest.