2023 World Athletics Championships – Women's 200 metres

The women's 200 metres at the 2023 World Athletics Championships was held at the National Athletics Centre in Budapest from 23 to 25 August 2022.

Summary
All the expected finalists qualified. The structure of the semis didn't make it easy. The third semi was loaded with the defending champion, Shericka Jackson, the newly crowned 100 metres champion, Sha'Carri Richardson, and perennial finalist, 2017 silver medalist Marie-Josée Ta Lou. With only two automatic qualifying spots, something had to give. Ta Lou had to get one of the time qualifying spots and was relegated to lane 2 in the final.

In the final, the staggers mostly held true halfway through the turn, then Jackson began to edge forward with Dina Asher-Smith and Gabrielle Thomas showing a slight advantage. As they reached the straightaway, Jackson had a clear 2 metre lead with Thomas just barely ahead of Richardson, Asher-Smith, Julien Alfred and Daryll Neita. Jackson continued to power away, the winner was not going to be in doubt. Thomas separated, with Richardson also moving forward. Jackson let off the gas a couple of steps before the finish line, her time of 21.41 improved her standing as #2 performer of all time, just .07 short of Florence Griffith-Joyner's 35 year old world record. Thomas followed 4 metres later, a step ahead of now double medalist at these championships, Richardson.

Records
Before the competition records were as follows:

Qualification standard
The standard to qualify automatically for entry was 22.60.

Schedule
The event schedule, in local time (UTC+2), was as follows:

Heats
The first 3 athletes in each heat (Q) and the next 6 fastest (q) qualify for the semi-finals.

Wind: Heat 1: -0.4 m/s, Heat 2: -0.7 m/s, Heat 3: -0.4 m/s, Heat 4: -0.4 m/s, Heat 5: -1.3 m/s, Heat 6: -0.3 m/s

Semi-finals
The first 2 athletes in each heat (Q) and the next 2 fastest (q) qualify for the final.

Final
The final started at 21:42 on 25 August. The results were as follows:

Wind: +0.1 m/s