5 Fastest Women in the World in 2023 As Ta Lou Looks to Break Jamaican Dominance

Marie-Josée Ta Lou is undoubtedly the best female sprinter Africa has ever produced. The Ivory Coast star has often graced the track with grit and determination, collecting a couple of World medals along the way.

Her only mistake was competing in the same era as the all-conquering Jamaican duo of Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Elaine Thompson-Herah. Shericka Jackson has also immersed herself in the debate of late.

Ta Lou has never won a major title, with her closest finish coming in the 2017 World Championships Games, where she finished second behind the late Tori Bowie in the 100m. She has also missed podium places by a whisker in the 2016 and 2021 Olympic Games.

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In Eugene last year, she had a rare bad day at the office as she finished seventh in 10.93 seconds. Fraser-Pryce romped to her fifth world title with a time of 10.67 seconds.

Ahead of the World Athletics Championships later this year in Budapest, Ta Lou looks to be in fine shape. Fraser-Pryce and Thompson-Herah are, however, yet to compete and thus, their form going into the games remains unknown.

Fastest women in 2023

The 34-year-old Ta Lou is the fastest woman this year, but who else joins her at the top? All figures are courtesy of World Athletics.

5. Aleia Hobbs (America) - 10.86 seconds

The 27-year-old Olympic relay silver medalist clocked 10.86 seconds at the Bernie Moore Stadium on April 22, 2023.

4. Julien Alfred (Saint Lucia) - 10.83 seconds

Alfred ran her second-fastest time ever at the Hornets Stadium in Sacramento on May 27. The 2022 Commonwealth Silver medalist produced a time of 10.83 seconds, just 0.02 seconds shy of her personal best.

3. Shericka Jackson (Jamaica) - 10.78 seconds

The 200m World Champion is a specialist in the longer version of sprints, but that hasn't stopped her from recording big results in the 100m.

She produced 10.78 seconds at the Racers Grand Prix in Kingston on June 3. She finished third in the Oregon championships behind you know who.

2. Sha'Carri Richardson (America) - 10.76 seconds

Richardson's renaissance this year has made for brilliant viewing as she seeks to admonish ghosts of her past. The American has obliterated her opponents in both the 100m and 200m this season.

Her best time in the 100m came at the Doha Diamond League, where she produced 10.76 seconds on May 5, beating, among others, Shericka Jackson.

1. Marie-Josée Ta Lou (Ivory Coast) - 10.75 seconds

The star of the moment. If there is a year Ta Lou should clinch a world title, then this is it. She will face stiff competition from the aforementioned Richardson, but her experience and near misses should fuel her to glory in Budapest.

She is the fastest woman this year, having produced 10.75 seconds at the Bislett Games in Oslo on June 15. Of course, there are still some unknowns like Fraser-Pryce's and Thompson-Herah's forms when they get back, but as it stands, the world title is Ta Lou's for the taking.

Men's 100m times this year

Sports Brief has also reported that the 2023 World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Hungary, are less than two months away, with preparations hitting top gear ahead of the highly anticipated event.

The showdown will come hot on the heels of the rescheduled Oregon meeting last year and athletes like Ferdinand Omanyala will be seeking to make amends - he has promised to fall in the 100m medal bracket.

This would be a feat no African, let alone a Kenyan, has ever achieved in the World Championships and despite failing to win in Diamond League meets recently, Omanyala is still the world's fastest.