★ The Sports Examiner: Chronicling the key competitive, economic and political forces shaping elite sport and the Olympic Movement.★
★ To get the daily Sports Examiner Recap by e-mail: sign up here! ★
≡ USATF CHAMPIONSHIPS ≡
The USA Track & Field national championships started at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon in warm conditions with temperatures in the high 80s on Thursday, great for the sprinters and jumpers, but a challenge for the 10,000 m finalists.
The women’s race went off at 7 p.m., in 86 F conditions and 34% humidity, with two-time 5,000 Olympian Elise Cranny towing the field through the half in 16:21.52, ahead of Keira D’Amato and 2024 Trials 10,000 m winner Weini Kelati.
Taylor Roe, already a winner of three USATF road titles in 2025, took over after 7,000 m and led with two laps to go over three others still in contention: Cranny, Kelati and Rio 2016 Olympian Emily Infeld. Kelati surged to the front with 500 m left, then Cranny and Infeld ran by with 200 m to go and Infeld had the most speed and got to the line first in 31:43.56. Cranny was next at 31:44.24, then Roe (31:45.41) and Kelati in fourth (31:46.37).
None have the Worlds qualifying standard of 30:20.00, but Infeld and Cranny are projected to qualify via the World Athletics Rankings. Roe, or if not, Kelati (ranked no. 7), might make it in as well but it will be up to the math and the other entrants.
The men got going at 8:06 p.m. with the temps down to 80 F with 40% humidity, still quite warm for a 10,000 m and the pace was at 70 seconds a lap through 2,000 m (5:49.60), then slowed a bit to 11:51.62 at 4,000 m. It was 14:54.58 at the half, slow but steady, with all 17 entrants still in contact.
Northern Arizona’s Drew Bosley had the lead at 8,000 m as the pace increased with a 68.27 lap, and then a 65.39, which got the attention of Olympic bronze medalist Grant Fisher, who moved up to second from ninth. Fisher took over and ran 60.18 from 8,400 to 8,800 m, with Graham Blanks and Nico Young following.
Fisher’s next lap was 59.39 and Blanks and Young were still on his tail, with the rest dropping off. At the bell, Fisher completed a 60.94 lap with only Blanks and Young for company. But Young pushed hardest, got to the lead with 200 m to go and won in 29:02.12 to 29:02.37 for Fisher and 29:03.66 for Blanks. All three already have the World Champs standard and are on the plane for Tokyo.
But the women’s long jump had to be the event of the day. Olympic bronze winner Jasmine Moore got out to 6.82 m (22-4 1/2) in round two, chased by World Indoor winner Claire Bryant at 6.77 m (22-2 1/2). After two fouls, Olympic champ Tara Davis-Woodhall got untracked, taking the lead at 6.92 m (22-8 1/2).
Bryant took the lead in round three, riding a 2.1 m/s wind to 6.97 mw (22-10 1/2w), but that only fired up Davis-Woodhall, who struck back in round four with a wind-legal 7.11 m (23-4), best in the world this year. But she wasn’t done, extending to 7.12 m (23-4 1/2) in round five, giving her the three-longest jumps in the world in 2025.
Meanwhile, Tokyo Olympian Quanesha Burks jumped past Moore into third at 6.90 m (22-7 3/4) in round five, followed by Alyssa Jones of Stanford also jumping 6.90 m, in round six, but fourth on Burks’ better second jump. Moore could not respond and will not be on the U.S. team for Tokyo.
In the four other Thursday finals:
Men/Hammer: World leader Rudy Winkler put the men’s hammer to bed with his second throw of 81.47 m (267-3); five of his six throws would have won the event. Trey Knight moved up to second and got the Worlds standard with his 78.76 m (258-5) toss, and Daniel Haugh – who also has the standard – was third at 77.28 m (253-6) in round four.
Men/Javelin: World no. 3 Curtis Thompson won his third straight national title and fifth career, reaching 83.89 m (265-2) in the fourth round. He’s the only American with the Worlds standard; unheralded Dash Sirmon – 14th at the NCAAs this year – was second at 77.28 m (253-6) and Marc Minichello was third at 76.81 m (252-0).
Women/Hammer: The U.S. came into this event ranked 1-3-4-9-10 and 2019 World Champion DeAnna Price got her sixth American title, taking the lead in round one at 78.33 m (257-0) and then improving in the final round to 78.53 m (257-7), maintaining her world no. 4 position. She’s off to her fifth Worlds.
World leader Brooke Andersen, the 2022 World Champion, was a clear second, throwing 75.14 m (246-6) on the best of her two fair throws. World no. 3 Rachel Richeson reached 74.57 m (244-8) in round one and that was good enough to hold off 2023 Worlds runner-up and 2025 world no. 9 Janee Kassanavoid, whose best of 75.55 m (244-7) also came in round one.
Women/Javelin: Bucknell’s Evie Bliss, 12th at the NCAA, won at 57.77 m (189-6), ahead of Madison Wiltrout (56.46 m/185-3). Both are well short of the World Championships qualifying standard of 64.00 m (210-0), but Wiltrout is 30th in the world rankings and in position to be selected for Tokyo.
In the decathlon, Kyle Garland, who has made two U.S. Worlds teams, was hot on Thursday, placing second in the 100 m (10.44), then won the long jump (7.89 m/25-10 3/4)) and the shot (16.95 m/55-7 1/2) and was second in the high jump at 2.14 m (7-0 1/4). His 49.29 in the 400 m ranked eighth and gave him 4,714 points on day one, ahead of Hakim McMorris (4,378) and Heath Baldwin (4,377).
Anna Hall, the world leader at 7,032 in the heptathlon, was third in the 100 m hurdles (13.12), then won the high jump at 1.90 m (6-2 3/4) and the shot at 15.02 m (49-3 1/2) and finished with a 23.56 in the 200 m – fastest of the day – to score 4.097 points and enjoy a commanding lead over Taliyah Brooks (3,898) and Allie Jones (3,662). Hall scored 4,191 first-day points in her Gotzis win where she broke the 7,000-point barrier.
The qualifying rounds were, in most of the events, ridiculously hot:
The men’s 100 m heat winners were T’Mars McCallum (10.01: wind -0.7 m/s) ahead of Trayvon Bromell (10.04); Grand Slam star Kenny Bednarek (9.95 +0.6), World Champion Noah Lyles (10.05 +0.1), ahead of Ronnie Baker (10.07) and NCAA champ Jordan Anthony (10.14) and Courtney Lindsey in heat four (10.05 -1.0), beating Christian Coleman (10.08).
Lyles confirmed afterwards he will concentrate on the 200 for the rest of the meet, as he already is automatically entered in the Worlds as defending champion.
No surprises in the men’s 800 m, with the stars winning the four heats: American Record man Bryce Hoppel (1:45.69), Brandon Miller (1:46.16), World Indoor winner Josh Hoey (1:47.14) and 2019 World Champion Donavan Brazier (1:48.23).
The men’s 1,500 m heats were insanely fast, with ex-North Carolina star Ethan Strand winning the first race in 3:34.12, over Hobbs Kessler (3:34.44). But the Olympic champ Cole Hocker ran a 55.00 last lap to win heat two in 3:32.57, ahead of Eric Holt (3:32.95) and Sam Prakel (3:33.08).
Not to be outdone, Olympic bronzer Yared Nuguse blasted a 54.26 final lap to take heat three from Gary Martin, 3:32.66 to 3:33.01! The top seven qualifiers all ran under 3:34!
American leader Matthew Wilkinson won the first heat of the men’s Steeple in 8:22.42, just ahead of Isaac Updike (8:22.45); American Record holder Evan Jager was eighth in 8:28.21 and did not advance. Olympic silver winner Kenneth Rooks took heat two in 8:21.35, just ahead of Daniel Michalski (8:21.39).
The women’s 100 m was spicy from the start, with Kayla White getting a lifetime best of 10.89 in heat one (+1.3), with defending champ Sha’Carri Richardson second in a seasonal best of 11.07. Fellow Olympian Twanisha Terry won heat two in 10.89 (+1.8) ahead of Aleia Hobbs (10.94) and 200 m Paris champ Gabby Thomas (11.00). World leader Melissa Jefferson-Wooden breezed to a 10.86 win into a 1.5 m/s headwind in heat three and Jacious Sears steamed to a 10.85w win in heat four (+3.2), ahead of Jenna Prandini (10.95w). Woah!
The women’s 800 m went to form, with Addy Wiley winning heat one in 2:01.63 (Raevyn Rogers second), comebacking Athing Mu-Nikolayev getting a seasonal best of 2:00.06 to win heat two (Ajee Wilson second), Sage Hurta-Klecker taking heat three (1:59.28) and 2024 Olympic Trials winner Nia Akins winning heat four over NCAA champ Roisin Willis, 201.22 to 2:01.43.
Olympic Trials winner Nikki Hiltz took heat one of the women’s 1,500 m in 4:05.99, ahead of Taryn Rawlings (4:06.53). Sinclaire Johnson, the 2022 national champion, led heat two after 400 m and continued right to the line in 4:07.54, with Gracie Morris second in 4:07.68. Emily Mackay, the no. 3 American in 2025, won heat three in 4:04.23 from Margot Appleton (4:04.72).
NCAA runner-up Lexy Halladay-Lowry of BYU won the first heat of the women’s Steeple in 9:37.53, ahead of 2024 Trials winner Val Constien (9:37.56), while NCAA third-placer Angelina Napoleon of N.C. State took heat two in 9:30.44, making a late charge past Gabi Jennings (9:30.48), Olivia Markezich (9:30.49) and 2024 Trials runner-up Courtney Wayment (9:30.70).
Friday’s meet has the final day of the decathlon and heptathlon in the morning, then Olympic-event action picks up at 2:30 p.m. with more qualifying; the men’s and women’s 100 m will close out the night. Broadcast coverage is only on USATF.tv on Friday.
¶
★ Receive our exclusive, weekday TSX Recap by e-mail by clicking here.
★ Sign up a friend to receive the TSX Recap by clicking here.
★ Please consider a donation here to keep this site going.
For our updated, 699-event International Sports Calendar for 2025, 2026 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!
