The country’s best track and field athletes convened at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon, the past four days for the USATF Championships. All the athletes were competing for a chance to advance to the world championships in Budapest, Hungary, on Aug. 19-27.
Eleven athletes earned a bye into the world championships because they are reigning champions, but the competition to earn a trip to Hungary was fierce throughout the four-day showcase. There was a surprising champion in the men’s 100 meters, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone dazzled in a new event and Sha’Carri Richardson is running in top form.
USA TODAY Sports recaps the winners and losers for the 2023 USATF Championships.
WINNERS
Sha’Carri Richardson
Sha’Carri Richardson went undefeated through the rounds in the women’s 100 meters, including running a personal-best 10.71 to start the competition. In the 100-meter final, Richardson took off her wig as she was introduced. Then proceeded to show why she’s the fastest woman in the country this year.
After a subpar start, Richardson ran by all the runners and ran through the line at 10.82 to win the women’s 100.
Richardson is vying for her first ever world title. She’s currently ranked No. 2 in the world this year behind Jamaica’s Shericka Jackson (10.65).
“As long as she continues on the path that she’s been on in 2023, I think she is one of the favorites for worlds,” NBC Sports track and field analyst Ato Boldon said to USA TODAY Sports.
Richardson also placed second in the 200 meters.
‘I’m not back, I’m better’: Sha’Carri Richardson puts world on notice with 100 meter title
Cravont Charleston
Cravont Charleston pulled off a huge upset to win his first ever US title in the men’s 100 meters. The 25-year-old sprinter crossed the line with a time of 9.94 to narrowly defeat Christian Coleman who posted a 9.95.
Charleston, Coleman and Noah Lyles will join Fred Kerley, who had a bye into the world championships, to form a formidable American 100-meter group headed to the world championships.
Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone
New event, no problem for Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone.
The 400-meter hurdle Olympic champion, world champion and world-record holder the ditched the hurdles and decided to run the 400 this year. Thus far it’s been a seamless transition.
McLaughlin-Levrone dominated the 400-meter final. She led the entire race and crossed the line with a personal-best and world-leading time of 48.74. McLaughlin-Levrone’s 48.74 also set a meet record.
Noah Lyles
American 200-meter record-holder Noah Lyles was rewarded a bye in his primary event because he’s the reigning 200 world champion. In Budapest, Lyles has an opportunity to pull off the prestigious sprint double.
Lyles qualified in the men’s 100 meters after finishing third with a time of 10.00.
“The male track and field star in this country is Noah Lyles,” Boldon said. “He’s a world champion and he’s broken the American record (in the 200 meters) on home soil. Noah has earned his place.”
Vashti Cunningham
Vashti Cunningham won her sixth consecutive outdoor title in the women’s high jump. She leaped 6 feet, 3 ¼ inches to win the event.
Ryan Crouser
The men’s shot put was a competition for second place because Ryan Crouser was competing with himself for gold. Crouser tossed 75 feet even to win the event. He won by nearly two in a half feet.
Gabby Thomas
Gabby Thomas made amends for placing eighth in the 200 meters at the 2022 national championships.
Running on the same track, Thomas blazed around the turn and accelerated down the home stretch to win the women’s 200 by a wide margin. Thomas’ winning time of 21.60 broke the meet record and it’s the top time in the world this year. It’s also a personal-best for the Harvard product.
“It felt really good to reclaim my title … I was really ready this year. I was hungry and wanted it,” Thomas, who won the 200 at the 2021 Olympic trials, said, per the CNBC broadcast.
Kenneth Rooks
Kenneth Rooks fell to the track during the final of the men’s 3,000-meter steeplechase and dropped all the way to last place. But Rooks showed remarkable poise and perseverance as he got back into contention and eventually surged down the stretch to take first place in the distance race with a personal-best time of 8:16.78.
LOSERS
Women’s 800 meters
Athing Mu opted to run the 1,500 meters because she earned a bye into the world championships in the 800 meters. Mu placed second in the 1,500 meters over the weekend to qualify in the event, but the Olympic champion plans to focus on the 800 meters in Budapest. That’s bad news for all the other competitors.
Devon Allen
The hurdler and Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver scratched from the semifinals in the 110-meter hurdlers due to a calf injury. Devon Allen will now turn his focus to Eagles training camp in a few weeks.
Casual track and field fans
If fans didn’t have CNBC or USATF.TV, they were unable to watch the USA track and field championships. Day 1 of the four-day event was exclusively on USATF.TV.
Follow USA TODAY Sports’ Tyler Dragon on Twitter @TheTylerDragon.
