Natalie Baltierra 2/28/24 Natalie Baltierra 2/28/24

Q&A with Mercedes Oliver, track and field photographer and member of Black Women Photographers organization

For the third consecutive year, TrackTown USA and Black Women Photographers are working together to provide paid opportunities for Black women and non-binary creatives to cover select track & field events this summer at Hayward Field. This will be the first year that will include videographers in addition to photographers.

Apply today to be a part of the Black Women Photographers and TrackTown USA 2024 cohort at BlackWomenPhotographers.com/TrackTown-USA. Application deadline is Friday, March 8, 2024.

We sat down with Mercedes Oliver, a talented photographer and a member of the Black Women Photographers organization. She has been documenting the sport of track and field for many years, including The Prefontaine Classic and the World Athletics Championships Oregon22.

What sparked your journey into photography, especially within sports?

My passion for sports has been ingrained in me since childhood. I immersed myself in various sports activities and was captivated by the dedication and enthusiasm they demanded. Sports became an integral part of my identity, shaping who I am today. Alongside my love for sports, I have been bestowed with a gift of creativity, that my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ has given to me and I don't take this gift lightly.

Coming from a family of creatives, where each member has their own artistic background, I was surrounded by a diverse array of artistic styles from an early age. Recognizing this innate talent, I naturally gravitated towards creative pursuits. Initially I was a videographer, I soon realized it wasn't the right fit for me. Despite the initial detour, I remained committed to exploring my creative abilities. I found myself thriving in photography, a medium that resonated with me on a deeper level than videography. The photography process became a source of joy and fulfillment for me, leading me to pursue it wholeheartedly.

Today, I find myself embracing both my passion for sports and my creative talents, seamlessly blending the two into my professional journey. It's a path that feels authentic and fulfilling, allowing me to express myself creatively while staying connected to my love for sports.

Elaine Thompson-Herrah at the World Athletics Championships Oregon22. Photo by Mercedes Oliver

What is your favorite memory while taking photos at Hayward Field?

One of my most cherished experiences at Hayward Field was my inaugural participation in the Prefontaine Classic alongside the talented photographers of Black Woman Photographers. Collaborating with these amazing women not only enriched my professional skills but also forged lasting friendships. Our bond has remained strong over time, and we continue to support and inspire each other. As a former college track athlete, track and field holds a special place in my heart. Being able to document this sport, while also forming meaningful connections with fellow enthusiasts who have become integral parts of my life, has been truly rewarding.

Ayden Owens-Delerme at the World Athletics Championships Oregon22. Photo by Mercedes Oliver

What is a key piece of advice for black women aspiring to work in sports photography?

An essential piece of advice for Black women aspiring to pursue sports photography is to cultivate strength and confidence. Unfortunately, the realm of sports creativity often presents challenges for women and Black creatives in particular. Despite these obstacles, it's crucial not to let them deter you from pursuing your passion as a career. Remember, there's room for everyone in this field. I firmly believe in advocating for oneself and maintaining a strong stance against disrespect. This strength doesn't equate to allowing others to mistreat you simply because you're a Black woman. Embrace your uniqueness and stand boldly in your identity. You don't need to conform or diminish yourself to fit into predefined norms. Confidence in your abilities, your representation, and your artistic vision is key, and it's needed! Embrace your distinct style, even if it diverges from traditional norms.

Personally, I celebrate my individuality through my unique artistic approach and personal style, such as my ombre white box braids. In essence, my advice is to confront adversity with unwavering boldness and resilience. Let criticism and attempts to tear you down serve as indicators of your impactful presence in the field. Keep shining brightly as your authentic self, and never allow anyone to diminish your spirit.

Shelly-Ann Fraser-Price at the World Athletics Championships Oregon22. Photo by Mercedes Oliver

Follow Mercedes on Instagram: @mercedesoliver.jpg

Natalie Baltierra 8/25/23 Natalie Baltierra 8/25/23

Budapest 23 x Throws Preview: Women's Shot Put

By Kara Winger

Four-time Olympian, nine-time U.S. national champion, and 2022 Diamond League Final winner Kara Winger provides us with her insight ahead of the throwing competition at the 2023 World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Hungary. Who will be crowned this year’s world champions? Follow along all week for Kara’s previews before tuning in to watch the meet on NBC and Peacock (which will also have some additional streams of field event finals).

Women’s Shot Put

From left to right: Lijiao Gong (silver) of China, Chase Ealey (gold) of the United States, and Jessica Schilder (bronze) of the Netherlands at the 2023 World Athletics Championships at Hayward Field in Oregon. Photo by Jake Willard

Qualification Round: Saturday, 8/26 | 1:25am PT

Final Round: Saturday, 8/26 | 11:15am PT

I know the shot putters have enjoyed a rest day, or at least a rest session, for the last few global championships, but both the men and women in Budapest qualify in the morning, and have their final at night. On the penultimate day of the entire World Championships, it’s finally the women’s turn!

World leader Maggie Ewen of the USA, Diamond League Final Champion in 2021, Worlds fourth-placer in 2019, had a big PB this season of 20.45m to win the USATF LA Grand Prix, but has been pretty consistent at 19.50m and above since that breakthrough as well. She put on a show at the U.S. national championships, reaching 19.92m, and was top three in both Paris and Oslo, leaving her in good position to head to The Prefontaine Classic next month. The most talented all-around U.S. thrower of this generation, it’s very neat to see Maggie excel in the shot put in the season she decided to also focus on the hammer again, and recorded a personal best there too (a world class 75.10m). She’s someone who has always been a fantastic talent but has had some bad luck at key moments, so it would be very fun to see her collect a first global medal here.

Tied for second on the world list with 20.06m are defending World Champion (the first ever American to collect that title) Chase Ealey, and China’s veteran Lijao Gong.

Chase’s PB of 20.51m, set last year in winning the U.S. title, is just 12 centimeters shy of Michelle Carter’s national record, and her 2022 season overall saw her go undefeated outdoors, collecting the Diamond League trophy at the end. She has struggled a bit this outdoor season, but now has the experience at the international level to put it together when it counts. Gong’s resume is astounding: She has been in the final of every World Championships and every Olympic Games since 2007, missing each version of the podium just once. She owns three bronze, two silver, and two gold World Championship medals, and a complete set of Olympic medals, her bronze from Beijing 2008, silver from London 2012, and gold from Tokyo 2020. In Rio in 2016, she was fourth. Her overall PB though, achieved in her Olympic victory, is not out of reach for Chase and Maggie, at 20.58m. Budapest will be Gong’s first competition outside of China in 2023, not unusual for Chinese athletes and typically a sign that their training has been solid, and they’re ready to face tough competition.

Canadian Sarah Mitton, Jamaican Danniel Thomas-Dodd, and Portugal’s Auriol Dongmo are strong contenders for podium positions this season. Sarah finished a very close fourth (on count-backs) in Eugene, and ended her 2022 season strong with NACAC victory via her second meet over 20m of the year (she’s the Canadian record holder at 20.33m). Danniel’s national record effort in Tucson this year of 19.77m and consistency in the mid-19m range has her in good shape to collect another outdoor world medal to join her Doha silver. Auriol has competed very well on the Diamond League circuit, and boasts a PB of 20.43m, Portugal’s national record. The indoor World Champion in 2022, she’ll be looking to climb onto an outdoor podium after finishing fourth in the Olympic Games in Tokyo.

There are other players in this game! Jessica Schilder of the Netherlands had a breakout season in 2022 at the age of 23 to grab bronze in Eugene and go beyond the elite 20m mark. American Adelaide Aquilla has proven repeatedly that it only takes on throw to make a competition good, and has been on the last three global championship teams for the USA despite coaching changes and collegiate graduation. She’ll be looking to break into her first global final after finding her form in the middle of this first professional season. Swedes Axelina Johansson and Fanny Roos can be expected to make the final, drawing on new talent and years of experience, respectively.

A story line I’m personally cheering hard for is for Jorinde van Klinken of the Netherlands to at least grab a top 12 spot in the shot put. The recent University of Oregon graduate finished fourth in the discus for the second year in a row at the World Championships on Tuesday, and while two global finals aren’t the same as a medal in her favorite event, seeing her excel in both at the world level would be so fun.

This one, again, is anyone’s game who shows up on the day! Maggie looks very strong based on the rest of her season, but she has also seen defeat even with pretty big efforts. The only seasoned veteran in this crowd really is Gong, but Chase came out on top last year, so anything can happen again! The auto qualifying mark of 19.10m is not a distance that most of these women have consistently hit this year, so the first round could take some victims. Top 12 compete Saturday afternoon for medals!

Natalie Baltierra 8/24/23 Natalie Baltierra 8/24/23

Budapest 23 x Throws Preview: Men's Javelin

By Kara Winger

Men’s Javelin

Tokyo Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra earned silver at the 2022 World Athletics Championships in Oregon at Hayward Field. Photo by Jake Willard

Qualification Round: Friday, 8/25 | Group A – 1:10am PT, Group B – 2:45am PT

Final Round: Sunday, 8/27 | 11:15am PT

Like the women’s javelin, it’s wide open. I’ve said it about a lot of throws so far in Budapest but it’s so true here as well: There might be favorites, but it’s anyone’s game!

Jakub Vadlejch of the Czech Republic - trained by javelin greatest of all time, Jan Zelezny - has been showing great form all season. The world leader at 89.51m is the Tokyo silver medalist, and has reached the podium twice at Worlds: Silver in London in 2017 and bronze in Eugene in 2022. The two-time Diamond League Final winner (2016 and 2017) leads the standings in the 2023 edition of the series, and has been more consistent in the regular season this year than past showings. Jakub’s global championship success and longevity speak for themselves, but I’m excited that his bottom level seems to have gotten higher this year, and will be watching closely to see if that means he can set a new PB (currently 90.88m from Doha last year) and finally reach the top of the podium.

The man chasing close behind Jakub on the Diamond League standings is Germany’s Julian Weber, second on the world list with 88.72m. The 2022 European champion has been German champion three years in a row, an impressive feat when you know he contends with the likes of Andreas Hoffman, Johannes Vetter, and Thomas Rohler for that title. Julian has finished fourth on the global stage for the last two years (Tokyo and Eugene), so I can’t wait to see what the chip on his shoulder will mean here in Budapest. He also finished sixth in Doha in 2019. His longevity, development in a country rife with javelin talent, and international and continental career success so far mean he is absolutely one to watch.

Tokyo Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra of India has only competed twice this year, but both efforts were beyond 87.50m, and he sits third on the world list with his SB of 88.67m to win the Doha Diamond League meeting. In earning silver in Eugene, Neeraj suffered an injury, but returned to claim Diamond League Final victory in Zurich at the end of the 2022 season anyway. His PB, the Indian national record of 89.94m, is agonizingly close to the prestigious 90m mark, and I believe that his experience (he’s also the youth world record holder…been around a while even though he’s merely 25), excellent record at major championships, and resilience (he’s had many major injuries like me!) all might mean that mark finally gets surpassed here in Budapest.

Just like on the women’s side, the Doha World Champion repeated in Eugene last year: Anderson Peters of Grenada sits fifth on the World all-time list with his PB of 93.07m, set in 2022. His season’s best of 85.88m is well behind what his consistent 2022 results were, but he’s comfortable on a World Championship runway, and throws in the 85m range will always be dangerous in the men’s javelin.

Other former global stage champions in the field are Trinidad & Tobago’s first ever Olympic gold medalist (London 2012), Keshorn Walcott, and Beijing 2015 World Champion from Kenya, Julius Yego. Still only 30 (he won the Olympics at 19), Walcott’s SB of 85.85m and competitive marks against good fields on the year give me good feelings for his Budapest showing.

Timothy Herman of Belgium and Finland’s Oliver Helander have season’s best marks that could put them in excellent position in this competition. Herman, at 32, has thrown a massive seven meters further this season than he ever had before, and while he hasn’t been close since that 87.35m mark in May, championship pressure could bring it out of him. Helander has been an 88m thrower since 2018, impressive at only 26. Look for him to remain consistent on this stage.

I’ve been in the stadium most days here in Budapest, and the way this Hungarian crowd LOVES their athletes is so fun to watch. I am excited to see them cheer for their number 8 on the start list, Gyorgy Herczeg. He’s only 19, won European under 20 Championships earlier this month with 79.45m, and could be lifted to his 84.98m PB and beyond by not only the great season he’s having, but his very engaged home crowd.

Americans Curtis Thompson, Capers Williamson, and Ethan Dabbs have their work cut out for them to make the final. But the 83.00m auto qualifying mark and/or top 12 from qualifying is not out of reach for any of them, and Curtis especially put the work in in 2022 to be ready for this specific pressure. Capers makes his Team USATF debut, and Ethan finished up his NCAA career this spring to then nab a spot on his second straight World team!

Fun fact about Hungary and the men’s javelin: Miklos Nemeth, who was born in Budapest, is the 1976 Olympic Champion with a then-world record with the old rules implement of 94.58m. (The old rules javelin didn’t turn over as quickly as the new one: The balance point/center of gravity of the implement was four centimeters further back, letting it soar further (and typically land flatter.) Nemeth’s world record fell to another Hungarian in 1980: Ferenc Paragi with 96.72m. Miklos founded Javel-Inn Ltd. in 1987, and has been manufacturing (in my humble opinion) the world’s best javelins ever since. Look for many of them in the cart by the runway during what is sure to be a close and ever-changing men’s javelin competition!

Natalie Baltierra 8/22/23 Natalie Baltierra 8/22/23

Budapest 23 x Throws Preview: Women's Hammer

By Kara Winger

Women’s Hammer

From left to right: DeAnna Price, Brooke Andersen, and Janee Kassanavoid. Photo by Howard Lao

Qualification Round: Wednesday, 8/23 | Group A – 10:00am PT, Group B – 11:35am PT

Final Round: Thursday, 8/24 | 11:26am PT

Defending World Champion Brooke Andersen of the USA leads the world with her 80.17m mark from May: Her first career toss over 80m came after a very strong start already to the 2023 season, and is just 24 centimeters back from the American Record. She has four other marks this year - a season in which she has traveled significantly more than in the past and racked up excellent results overseas - just at or beyond the Oregon22 silver medalist, Camryn Rogers of Canada, with an SB and PB of 78.62m. Camryn, the NCAA Record holder and Tokyo finalist, has thrown beyond 76m in all ten of her 2023 outings, and must be bolstered not only by her own impressive international career resume so far, but her countryman Ethan Katzberg’s World Title on the men’s side on Sunday.

Eugene bronze medalist, American and proud member of the Comanche Tribe Janee Kassanavoid only has one outing under 73m on the season, and has shown up when it mattered, just like she did in 2022. Her SB of 76.60m came when teammate Brooke threw 80m in Tucson in May, and she reached 76.44m against the extremely competitive field at 2023 U.S. National Championships to secure her place in Budapest and finish third. Janee’s bronze medal performance in Eugene really got the competition going, as she hit the mark early and held on to reach the podium for the first ever North American sweep of the event on the world level.

Two women absent from Oregon in 2022 who will come roaring back into the fray in Budapest are 2019 World Champion Deanna Price (U.S. Record holder, 2nd all-time with 80.31m), and 3x Olympic, 4x World, and 4x European Champion Anita Wlodarczyk of Poland (the World Record holder at 82.98m). They have both had their fair share of injuries and unfortunate circumstances since Tokyo, but experience will serve them both well here. Anita’s SB of 74.81m is far below her standard (she owns a silly 18 of the top 25 marks in world history), but at 38 and with so very many global titles, many eyes will be on her.

The woman with the second-most marks on that list (5 of the top 25 ever, and she holds spots 26 and 27), is returning champ Brooke. Eugene was her third straight U.S. team (she finished 10th in her Olympic debut), and the poise she showed in winning not only her first global title last year, but again at the 2023 edition of the USATF Outdoor Championships, responding to Deanna’s onslaught round after round, impressed me so much.

I’ve only mentioned five women. There are twelve spots in the final (auto mark is 73.00m). That’s just how stacked the top of this field is, and the really wild thing is that there are plenty more American women who would be competitive on the world level. The U.S. has four athletes on this team thanks to the extra spot Brooke earned with her victory last year, and Jillian Shippee’s performance at Nationals to grab the fourth roster spot tells me she’s ready to be in that top 12 as well. Her PB at the beginning of July of 74.93m puts her in fifth on the start list by distance, ahead of Anita and not out of reach of the podium, either!

I really can’t wait. And I hope someone else in the field also has a big PB to mix things up: We love to see that at a major championship, no matter where the athlete is from. Watching someone perform the best they ever have at the moment it counts the most is just the best. Sometimes when there’s such stiff competition at the top, all those athletes get tight, and the door opens a bit more for someone else. There is no telling what will happen!

Natalie Baltierra 8/22/23 Natalie Baltierra 8/22/23

Budapest 23 x Throws Preview: Women's Javelin

By Kara Winger

Women’s Javelin

American javelin thrower Ariana Ince at the 2023 Toyota USATF Outdoor Championships at Hayward Field. Photo by Howard Lao

Qualification Round: Wednesday, 8/23 | Group A – 1:20am PT, Group B – 2:55am PT

Final Round: Friday, 8/25 | 11:20am PT

Ah, my favorite event. I do miss it. But being here in Budapest, wandering around the venues, seeing familiar faces from a new vantage point, I’m even more okay than I already was. I am a rabid throws fan, and I truly love just watching. Knowing how it feels to be where the athletes are, for sure, and letting that emotion that I can personally draw on inform my viewership, but not being the one to perform anymore…is wonderful. I got much more out of my career than I could have ever dreamed at the beginning (🥹).

Okay but this isn’t about me!

Similar to last season, 2023 started out a bit slow, but the saturation of talent at the top of the women’s game this year is exciting, and makes this competition truly anyone’s for the taking. Like any event there are some strong favorites, but I cannot begin to predict with true confidence what will happen.

Two-time World Champion and Tokyo bronze medalist Kelsey-Lee Barber of Australia’s 66.91m in Eugene in round two last year blew the field away, as my eventual silver was a distant 64.05m. Prior to both Tokyo and Eugene, she performed moderately, finishing middle of the pack in multiple Diamond League meets and not showing her true hand until it came to the big show, and then finishing each season strong. The same is true this year (she’s ninth on the list at 62.54m), and Kels has proven over and over that she is not to be counted out. A medal in Budapest would be her fourth straight global championship podium, consistency the likes of which has only been replicated by true greats in the event, a category she already belongs to as the first ever back-to-back World Champion.

Two other top five finishers from Eugene have been performing strongly this summer: Diamond League standings leaders Haruka Kitaguchi of Japan (world leader at 67.04m) and 2023 Australian Champion Mackenzie Little (third in the world this year with a Paris DL victory PB of 65.70m). Haruka, bronze medalist from Eugene and truly the one who made that sixth round magical, has been the most consistent women’s javelin thrower in the world in the past two seasons, competes a lot, and throws far at all points in any season. Mackenzie, who threw a PB in Tokyo qualifying to make the final and went on to finish 8th at her first Olympic Games, has built on her prior seasons so well since then. At 25 and 26 years old, respectively, both of them are 0% intimidated by any competitors, and have performed well repeatedly at major championships.

Yet another Oceania force to be reckoned with is New Zealand’s national record holder, Tori Peeters. She made her senior Worlds debut in 2022 and has really come into her own this year, going beyond 60m at all four of her northern hemisphere competitions this summer, including her PB of 63.26m in Japan in May.

Lina Muze-Sirma, Sigrid Borge, and Kathryn Mitchell also have my heart! Lina, my Latvian friend, has been consistently over ~63m since 2018, after recovering from a catastrophic knee injury in 2016. Sixth in Eugene, her SB 64.78m to win Latvian Nationals this year gives me good vibes for Budapest. It’s her time to break through. Sigrid, Norwegian champion times four, led the world early with a 3m PB at the Hallesche Werfertage of 66.50m. After years of injury struggles (she hadn’t been over 56m since 2019), I shed a tear for her then, and can’t wait to see her here. Kathryn Mitchell, an absolute inspiration of mine, the Australian Record holder at 68.92m (when she won Commonwealth gold in 2018), will compete at the age of 41. She’s been 6th in three straight Olympic finals.

Younger phenoms Adriana Vilagos of Serbia and European Champion Elina Tzengko of Greece are also contenders, and Austria’s Victoria Hudson is in her fourth 61m+ season in a row. My American teammates Ariana Ince and Maggie Malone led me in Tucson in 2021 in the first ever competition in which three U.S. women were over 200’ in the same meet. They are fourth and second, respectively, on the U.S. all-time list, and both more than capable of capturing a top 12 spot from qualifying. As I’ve said a few times (and lived), anything can happen when you put yourself in a final.

The big Q mark for women’s javelin is 61.50m, when it’s been much further in recent years! I would love to see 15 women hit that standard. There are 20 on the world list who have thrown further this year. But if they don’t, top 12 overall to finals per usual! And I can’t wait to watch my friends back at Hayward Field in September: Haruka, Mackenzie, and Kelsey are virtual locks for the Diamond League Final, with one more regular season meet to go before the Pre Classic. I’ll be cheering my lungs out in the stands in less than a month!

Natalie Baltierra 8/19/23 Natalie Baltierra 8/19/23

Budapest 23 x Throws Preview: Women's Discus

By Kara Winger

Women’s Discus

Olympic Champion, World bronze medalist, and American record holder Valarie Allman won the U.S. national title with a throw of 222’ 0” (67.66m) at the 2023 Toyota USATF Outdoor Championships at Hayward Field. Photo by Howard Lao

Qualification Round: Sunday, 8/20 | Group A – 12:00am PT, Group B – 1:30am PT

Final Round: Tuesday, 8/22 | 11:20am PT

I really think the women’s discus, despite having its very clear favorites, is one of the most up for grabs throws podiums at this year’s world championships. If Oregon22 taught us anything, it’s that favorites are still human and anything can happen if you show up on the big day (Bin Feng of China earning gold with her early 69.12m PB was the upset of last year’s throws at Worlds)!

Feng comes in ranked fourth with a SB of 66.81m, but her consistency at high 65m and above this year, and only one loss (to Valarie Allman at the Firenze Diamond League meeting) are impressive after such a breakthrough moment a year ago.

There are three Germans over 66m and in the top 6 in the world in one season. Claudine Vita (66.36m SB/66.64m PB), Shanice Craft (66.73m SB/PB), and Kristen Pudenz (66.84m SB/67.87m PB) are all real contenders here, as they were last year (all finalists). European bronze medalist Vita has been a 64m thrower since 2017 and is due for a breakthrough on the global stage. Craft is a 3x European bronze medalist and her PB this season was her first since 2014 – I relate massively to that gap in personal bests and know exactly how the confidence it brings will lead her into an important meet like Worlds. Tokyo silver medalist Pudenz knows how to perform on big stages: Her PB came when she won European silver last year.

Laulaga Tausaga-Collins’s personal best of 65.46m to come in second and secure her place on this Budapest team for the USA was my favorite moment of USATF Outdoor Championships this year. Lagi has made the last two straight World Championships finals (and navigated COVID as a collegian at Iowa in-between), and thrown PBs at Hayward in both of the last two U.S. national championships despite fouling out of the same ring at Olympic Trials in 2021. Such a fun force in recent American discus throwing that I can’t wait to watch in Hungary.

Olympic Champion, World bronze medalist, and American Record holder Valarie Allman is everyone’s favorite to win. She has led the world from her second outing, a 70.25m result in San Diego in April, and her dominance and competitiveness are incredible: She’s been known to take Diamond League victories in tennis shoes in the rain, and dealt best with those conditions when she won Olympic gold and in this year’s Firenze Diamond League victory. Despite fouling out of the Bauhaus Stockholm DL, she leads the road to the Final with 23 points. She is very hungry for World gold after her surprise bronze (casually the first-ever American women’s Worlds medal) last year, but has been beaten one other time this season…

Jorinde Van Klinken of the Netherlands just graduated from the University of Oregon, where she finished an undefeated NCAA discus career on June 10, then flew to Oslo to beat Allman and legendary Croatian Sandra Perkovic at the Bislett Games five days later. Her SB 67.05m somewhat pales in comparison to her PB and national record of 70.22m from 2021, but one can understand that class load and elite discus throwing sometimes aren’t conducive, and I am so excited to see what more she’ll do out from under the weight of graduate school. Jorinde finished in a distant fourth at Oregon22, but she seems to me to have been thinking about that close-to-the-podium finish every day since.

While the discus queen Perkovic hasn’t been in her best form this year (SB 65.26m), she absolutely knows how to get the job done at major championships. Two-time Olympic champion, two-time World champion, SEVEN-time Diamond League Final winner. Two-time World silver medalist. She has only competed three times so far in 2023 but her national record PB of 71.41m and extensive experience winning at the biggest meets each season mean you cannot count her out, ever. She has been a 71m discus thrower since 2014, and she’s only 33 this year.

Speaking of experience, French competitor Melina Robert-Michon is 44 years old. The Rio silver medalist became the oldest women’s discus finalist in history when she made the top 12 in Eugene last year. If she makes this final, it will be her ninth Worlds final (out of ten total appearances). She won Worlds silver in Moscow ten years ago, and bronze in London in 2017. Her longevity combined with performance at big meets is something to behold.

Notably absent from this year’s World Championships is Yaime Perez, whose best mark on the year of 67.44m has her ranked decidedly second overall. But after she competed in Eugene in 2022, she defected from Cuba, and is therefore not representing a country at this Worlds. She trains (obviously well) at Garage Strength in the Northeast.

One of the cooler moments in my career was officiating Val’s first American Record and first career 70m throw in 2020: I had torn my ACL for the second time in my career earlier that day, and while I didn’t know quite how bad my injury was at the time, being part of that monumental moment in her career replaced all my personal worry for a minute. It has been a joy to watch her go much further from there!

This got super long (omg!) – but there’s so much talent and opportunity, I couldn’t help myself. Watch and be amazed!

Natalie Baltierra 8/18/23 Natalie Baltierra 8/18/23

Budapest 23 x Throws Preview: Men's Discus

By Kara Winger

Men’s Discus

From left to right: Brian Williams (Tracksmith), Sam Mattis (New York Athletic Club), and Turner Washington (Arizona State) at the 2023 Toyota USATF Outdoor Championships at Hayward Field. Photo by Howard Lao

Qualification Round: Saturday, 8/19 | Group A – 10:09am PT, Group B – 11:43am PT

Final Round: Monday, 8/21 | 11:30am PT

Men’s discus has been absolutely astounding on a global level for the past two seasons. One of the coolest stories IMO of this World Championships is that Turner Washington (USA) and two Alekna brothers, Mykolas and Martynas of Lithuania, will compete against each other 14 years after their dads clashed in 1999 at Sevilla’s iteration of World Championships (Anthony Washington won and Virgilijus Alekna had much more winning to do from there after finishing fourth).

The Alekna brothers have the upper hand in this generation’s head to head…to head. Mykolas, a rising junior at Cal Berkeley, Eugene silver medalist, and European 2022 Champion, became the youngest athlete to surpass 70m in history earlier this season when he tossed 71.00m. Martynas, the slightly older of the two (at 22), has thrown personal bests multiple times in 2023 to end up at his seed mark of 67.23m, which has him in a wild eleventh on the start list based on season’s best. Turner, who finished his Arizona State University career with an NCAA Championship this year on his final attempt and then made his first senior World team in convincing fashion at the USA National Championships, has a season’s best further down the list of 66.22m. That mark is just off his PB from 2021 of 66.26m, and for a guy whose prep career had him in the spotlight from a young age, I am pumped to see him climb his way back after an up and down collegiate career and believe wholeheartedly in his success on this stage.

There are FIVE men this season over 70 meters, three of whom have gone beyond 71m. Defending World Champion and 2022 Diamond League Final winner Kristjan Ceh of Slovenia leads the world at a massive 71.86m, but Tokyo Olympic Champion and Doha gold medalist Swede Daniel Stahl is nipping at his heels with 71.45m and more consistency than he showed in 2022. Ceh’s most recent result of 69.99m on August 10 in Estonia (where his legendary coach Gerd Kanter is from) makes me believe he’ll defend his crown, but not without a fight.

Doha and Tokyo bronze medalist, Austrian Lukas Weisshaidinger, is out to 70.68m on the season, and Alex Rose of Samoa not only had massive PBs in the course of a week in April to reach 70.39m and sit fifth in the world, but also has been collecting points toward the Diamond League Final throughout the year, finishing middle of the pack with pretty strong results at multiple DL stops. Travel from the U.S. (where Alex trains) can be tough mid-season, but in-stadium experience against the best in the world will serve him well in Budapest.

Jamaicans are a force in this field!! All three of them - Roje Stona (who Turner beat at NCAAs this year), Fedrick Dacres, and Traves Smikle - have 68m season’s bests, and are only separated from each other by 70cm. Traves and Fedrick were both in the top 12 last year, so watch for the final this year to be 1/4 Jamaican I bet!

Tokyo and Eugene finalist American Sam Mattis ended 2022 in Zagreb with a 67m toss to meet the Budapest standard, and started 2023 with his SB 67.49m, despite being diagnosed with testicular cancer and undergoing a very invasive surgery in the fall. I can’t understand why more people aren’t talking about this incredible feat. I’ve been in awe all year. He got out to 65.93m to win his second career U.S. title in July.

There are so many other super talents in this field, it’s amazing. Lithuanian Andrius Gudzius won bronze last year. Aussie Matty Denny has been a finalist years on end and was fourth in the very deep Tokyo competition. Brit Lawrence Okoye could drop huge distances at any moment. Rio Olympic champion Cristoph Harting of Germany is only 33. The automatic qualifying distance from the first round on Saturday afternoon is 66.50m, and top 12 overall go to finals per usual. Truly anything can happen when you put yourself in that top 12, and I like to think of it like this: One quarter of the finalists get a medal. 25%. Three out of twelve. Pretty cool, just gotta give yourself a chance, and then your odds get better!

I have tickets for the final on Monday, and I cannot wait to watch these fireworks! I married a discus thrower, and I’m really looking forward to simply spectating in the nosebleeds in Budapest with him. What a beautiful event.

Natalie Baltierra 8/18/23 Natalie Baltierra 8/18/23

Budapest 23 x Throws Preview: Men's Hammer Throw

By Kara Winger

Men’s Hammer

American record holder Rudy Winkler won the U.S. national title with a throw of 259’ 4” (79.04-meters) at the 2023 Toyota USATF Outdoor Championships at Hayward Field. Photo by Logan Hannigan-Downs

Qualification Round: Saturday, 8/19 | Group A – 3am PT, Group B – 4:45am PT

Final Round: Sunday, 8/20 | 8:49am PT | Official Startlist

This event contains an athlete who has a chance to match Sergey Bubka’s World Championships individual event gold medal tally: If Pawel Fajdek wins, he will collect his sixth world title in the hammer throw. I was going to clarify – sixth straight – but Father Time kind of dictates that that would be the case with Worlds contested typically every other year, no? Just…five world golds in a row so far. Wild.

Pawel (of Poland) sits at only sixth overall of Budapest entrants with his season’s best of 78.10m, but that has not stopped him in the past: He threw a full meter and a half further than he had all season in his Eugene 2022 victory, and his wealth of experience tells his competitors to always be wary. Countryman Wojciech Nowicki (the Tokyo Olympic Champion) leads the world this year at 81.92m, and earned the Polish 2023 national title over Pawel at the end of July. When two of the best hammer throwers in the world face each other often (World Athletics states that they’ve competed a total of 123 times 😂), they likely end up on podiums together, which has happened many times for these teammates. I have a gut feeling that Nowicki might end Fajdek’s streak, but it would be so cool to see a thrower match that win record at Worlds!

American record holder Rudy Winkler is the only other athlete this season to throw beyond 80m (80.88m in May to win the USATF Throws Festival), and one of two men to take down Nowicki in competition on the year (on Polish soil, no less). His seventh place finish in Tokyo and sixth in Eugene have him on an excellent trajectory to nab a podium spot in Budapest. Rudy’s 78.99m to earn that sixth place at 2022 Worlds is an indication of how stiff the competition always is in this event, but his consistency and intentional travel to European meets this season tell me that he’s mentally prepared for the challenge.

The other thrower to beat Nowicki this year is merely 22 years old. Ukrainian Mykhaylo Kokhan won this year’s U23 European Championship, then bested the senior world leader in his next outing with 79.37m. That seed mark is his furthest mark since breaking the 80m barrier in 2021, and has him sitting third on the world list, seeking his first senior global medal.

Home crowd favorite, Hungarian Bence Halasz, finished fifth in Eugene and earned bronze in Doha in 2019, and steadily improved his season’s best throughout July, gearing up at the right time. Ethan Katzberg of Canada, Diego del Real of Mexico, and Denzel Comenentia of the Netherlands are all over 78m on the season, and there are plenty of other 78m throwers in the bunch. Watch especially for Daniel Haugh, who started his season quietly but came on strong with 77.24m at the USA National Championships, followed it up with a 77m effort in Finland, and has made the last two global finals, surpassing 80m for the first time in 2022. Fellow American and Tokyo Olympian Alex Young pulled the same veteran trick, picking up the pace of his season at nationals in Eugene to keep the momentum of his career going. I would not be surprised if he made it to the medal round.

One of my favorite things about a global championship is seeing who performs in qualifying that surprises everybody; there is no telling who from the rest of the list (or who, overall) will make it to the top 12. The automatic qualifying mark (if they hit it, they’re done for the morning) for Saturday is 77.00m, which is one meter less than the World Championships qualifying standard this season. Top 12 from qualifying, regardless of distance, will compete in the final on Sunday evening!

Rudy is ready for a (historic) medal. I can feel it. Let’s go. But also he’s just so wonderful that whatever happens is fine with me. Proud friend no matter what.

Natalie Baltierra 8/18/23 Natalie Baltierra 8/18/23

Budapest 23 x Throws Preview: Men's Shot Put

By Kara Winger

Men’s Shot Put

Qualification Round: Saturday, 8/19 | 1:30am PT

Final Round: Saturday, 8/19 | 11:37am PT

Starting off with an absolute bang – the men’s shot put is going to be WILD.

The U.S. men have four entrants: Not only has he been in world record form all of 2023 but Ryan Crouser’s status as defending world champion got him a wild card to this year’s meet. If that hadn’t happened, returning silver medalist Joe Kovacs’ first career 23m toss (23.23m) to win the Diamond League Final at Zurich 2022 would have also earned a bye. Josh Awotunde, Eugene 2022 world bronze medalist (the U.S. men swept the event for the first time ever last year,) made his way onto this team again with 22.10m at the 2023 Toyota USATF Outdoor Championships. Payton Otterdahl broke the 22m barrier for the first time with his third place finish of 22.09m at the same meet to punch his ticket to Budapest.

Ryan is in a mind-blowing class of his own and he continues to make his dominance FUN to watch. He owns eight of the ten farthest results in the world this year, broke his own world record by nearly 20cm, and has made it clear that he has not yet reached his potential. But a man who has one more outdoor world title than Crouser is Kovacs. The second best shot-putter of all-time has not finished lower than second at a global championship since his outdoor Worlds debut in 2015. Awotunde earned bronze last year in his first-ever outdoor World Championships with a PB of 22.29m after throwing a 22.00m in 2021. Otterdahl’s 22.09m toss at the 2023 U.S. national championship meet did not remain his PB for long as a successful European stint in July got him out to 22.11m. Additionally, the Tokyo Olympian has experience on the global stage like the rest of his compatriots.

To say this U.S quartet is formidable would be an absurd understatement.

Tom Walsh will be mad I started with the Americans, though. The guy who started the fireworks of the best shot put competition (yes, still!) of all-time at the Doha World Championships in 2019 is almost as consistent on the global stage as Kovacs. His second place mark at the London Diamond League this year of 22.58m has him sitting third on the world list, and as his most recent outing, must be good vibes heading into the World Championships. Fellow New Zealander Jacko Gill has made the finals of the last six global championships, and after a long road from prep phenom to now, his 22.12m PB in March places him firmly in that very elite class of men’s shot-putters.

There are seven more men on the Budapest start list with personal bests beyond 22-meters, and two of them first achieved the feat this season: Italian Zane Weir, fifth place finisher in Tokyo, and Rajindra Campbell, who has broken the Jamaican national record three times and counting in 2023, improving his lifetime best by (so far) well over 1.5m on the year.

Notable championship performers and staples on the international scene are Czech athlete Tomas Stanek, consistent finalist and Nigerian national record holder Chuk Enekwechi, Brazilian giant and indoor World Champion Darlan Romani, and Croatian Filip Mihaljevic. Leonardo Fabbri, another Italian, is also in great form. He won the Firenze Diamond League in front of a home crowd and started off a consistent season that has him in great shape to not only make the Worlds final, but The Prefontaine Classic, too.

What happens when the two (okay, three) best athletes (Crouser, Kovacs, and Walsh) of all-time in an event have competed against each other for years at the top of their game? The rest of the field rises to meet them, and while American men’s shot put has always been a force in track and field, the world has really shown up this season in the circle with the toe board, and I can’t wait to see how global pressure elevate their performances even more.

What a way to start the throws action at the World Athletics Championships! Top 12 from the morning qualification round make the final – and those qualifying round pressures sure make diamonds out of some athletes.

If you’re home in the U.S., check out the qualifying results when you wake up, then catch the final over a leisurely lunch: Start time in Budapest is 8:35pm Saturday, which is 11:35am PT / 2:35pm ET. Ryan might be a force, but he’s not unbeatable, and there is plenty of talent hot on his heels!

Natalie Baltierra 7/10/23 Natalie Baltierra 7/10/23

Even without his best technique, Ryan Crouser wins his third straight U.S. shot put title

Ryan Crouser threw 22.86 meters Sunday night at Hayward Field to claim his fifth national title in the men’s shot put at the 2023 Toyota USATF Outdoor National Championships. Photo. by Logan Hannigan-Downs

By Israel La Rue

The world record holder, two-time Olympic champion and defending world champion in the men’s shot put, Ryan Crouser, threw 22.86 meters Sunday night at Hayward Field at the 2023 Toyota USATF Outdoor National Championships.

Crouser’s last throw was his farthest – 75 feet, in U.S. measurements – but it wasn’t as technically sound as he would’ve liked.

“It was a little bit funny how poorly technical that throw was to go 75 feet,” Crouser said. “It definitely was my worst technical throw to go 75, so I guess that’s good.”

This is Crouser’s fifth overall national title and third in a row.

“It’s an honor,” he said. “I mean, the US is so deep in the shot put, it’s one of the toughest events to make the team in. So to be able to win my third straight is something that I’m very proud of.”

Runner-up Josh Awotunde, bronze medalist in last year’s world championships, threw a season best of 22.10m. Third-place finisher Payton Otterdahl, the 2019 NCAA indoor champion and Tokyo Olympian, threw a personal best of 22.09m.

From left to right: Josh Awotunde, Ryan Crouser, and Payton Otterdahl. Photo by Howard Lao

“It was great to see Tunde bounce back after an elbow injury and Payton his first meet over 22,” Crouser said. “With how hard everyone in this sport works, it’s awesome to see those guys having success.”

Awotunde said he has been dealing with an elbow injury since January, and it kept him from competing during all of the indoor and most of the outdoor season. He said he had overworked his elbow during rehab and had to seek further medical opinion.

“I went up to Chula Vista, talked to some doctors up there,” Awotunde said. “They said my tendon is attached, but they can see a lot of blood in my tendon. So I had to really slow down … and honestly, I just found a way to manage it.”

Awotunde said the pain in his elbow during the competition felt like a two compared to the eight he was feeling in January.

Crouser hasn’t thrown over 23m since May, when he set the world record of 23.56 at the LA Grand Prix, breaking his previous world record of 23.37 from the 2021 Olympic Trials.

On Sunday, Crouser’s first throw of 22.82m gave him an early lead, but he fouled on his following two attempts. He then talked to his coach before his fourth throw.

His next two throws were good, 22.38m and 22.02m, but he wasn’t happy with either of them.

“The middle rounds were a little bit rough,” Crouser said. “Just not executing technically.”

Awotunde secured his second-place finish after Otterdahl fouled on his last attempt. Crouser spoke to Awotunde before his final throw.

Crouser said he was talking to Awotunde about his elbow felt. “We were just giving him a hard time, saying that he’s been faking it the whole season,” he said.

Crouser now shifts his sight to defend his world title in Budapest this August.

“The biggest goal is to win,” Crouser said. “Anytime you’re in a major championship, you’re always trying to win a gold medal. So winning is number one, but for me throwing a PR would be great. So I would want to win and throw a PR.”

Crouser added, “That’s the fun thing about being a world record holder – if you throw a PR, it’s a world record.”

Natalie Baltierra 7/10/23 Natalie Baltierra 7/10/23

Nia Akins outkicks a field of strong kickers to win 800-meter championship

On Sunday night, Nia Akins (middle) used patience and a perfectly timed kick for an upset win in the 800 meters at the 2023 Toyota USATF Outdoor Championships at Hayward Field with a time of 1:59.50. Photo by Logan Hannigan-Downs

By Maddie Lang

Five months ago, after winning her first indoor national title in the 800 meters, Nia Akins sat down and, for the first time ever, wrote down the words, “I want to win outdoor nationals.”

“At the time, it just seemed so crazy,” said Akins, who runs for Brooks Beasts.

In 2021, Akins had fallen at the final 200-meter mark at the outdoor championships. In 2022, she hadn’t made it out of the semifinals.

On Sunday night, Akins used patience and a perfectly timed kick for an upset win in the 800 meters at the 2023 Toyota USATF Outdoor Championships at Hayward Field with a time of 1:59.50.

“I turned 25 this week, too,” she said, “and I just can’t believe that this is happening so late in my career.”

Right behind Akins was Tokyo bronze medalist Raevyn Rogers, a former Oregon star running for Union Athletic Club, in 1:59.83 and Kaela Edwards in 2:00.52.

Coming out of the tunnel, the athletes walked through the cloud of smoke onto the track. The crowd cheered through the athlete introductions, and then it was time for the fun to happen.

The gun went off and after the first-curve stagger, 2023 NCAA champion Michaela Rose of LSU took the lead.

At the sound of the bell lap, Sage Hurta-Klecker and Rogers positioned themselves behind Rose. Akins was still in the middle of the pack.

With 200 meters to go, Rogers took the lead. Akins was still only in fifth place, but that’s when her kick kicked in.

By the start of the final 100 meters, she was on the shoulder of Rogers, who is known for her strong kick, and by the final 50 meters, Akins had passed her.

“I had to be very patient and very intentional with the last 50,” Akins said.

Akins came across the line first, winning her first outdoor national title. Rogers took second .33 seconds behind her. Rounding out the field for the U.S. national team was Edwards, who was .69 seconds behind Rogers. Ajee Wilson, one of the pre-race favorites, finished last and said after the race that she was dealing with something she wanted to keep “in house.”

Rogers’ time was .03 slower than the qualifying standard for the World Athletics Championships, but it should place her high enough in the rankings to be able to compete.

“I was happy about the time,” Rogers said. “I didn’t care about the place. I was like, ‘I’m going to have the standard.’”

Rogers previously competed at the outdoor worlds in 2019, finishing second, and in 2021, finishing sixth.

This season she has emphasized focusing on herself and not on the expectations of others. She stays off social media during and around big meets. She is already on her fifth Instagram break of the year.

“With this sport it’s hard because you want to grow it, but when you get excited about it you’re also taking on other people’s expectations instead of focusing on yourself,” she said. “I went into this week by doing what makes me happy and taking it day-by-day, round-by-round.”

Both Akins and Edwards are headed to their first World Athletics Championships in Budapest on August 19-27.

“It’s like up and down emotion for sure,” Edwards said. “I have moments of wanting to cry and moments where it just feels like a blur. It’s crazy.”

Joining the three will be reigning 800-meter world champion Athing Mu, who has a bye in the event. Mu also qualified for the 1,500 meters Saturday night. She has yet to decide if she will compete in both events, but she said the “800 meters is a go.”

Akins has been taking the season one step at a time and trying to be present in every moment.

“I wanted to give it my all here and not get distracted by things I can’t control down the line,” she said. “We’re going to take a nice mental break and then get back into it and train and try to get to the final in Budapest.”

Natalie Baltierra 7/9/23 Natalie Baltierra 7/9/23

Throws Preview, Sunday: 2023 Toyota USATF Outdoor Championships

By Kara Winger

Hey, I’m Kara. Still number one in World Athletics Rankings in the women’s javelin after a 2022 season that saw me become the first ever American javelin thrower to medal at Worlds (in Eugene!!) for the women (I moved from 5th to 2nd in the final round, it was amazing), break the American Record for the second time in my career after not throwing a personal best for twelve full years when I tossed 68.11m in Brussels September 2nd, and then win the Zurich Diamond League Final. I stuck to my guns and retired like I said I was going to, and I have no regrets. And now I get to play fun new roles in the throws universe that I love, and come to the 2023 Toyota USATF Outdoor Championships and The Prefontaine Classic to celebrate my friends, former teammates and competitors, with fellow fans who also love these events.

Here are my takes on the competition in the Sunday throwing events of the 2023 Toyota USATF Outdoor Championships!

___

Women’s Hammer

Two former World Champions and another medalist from the same country. One guaranteed team member in the defending World Champ, but four other total superpowers in the event vying for the three other available spots. Wild.

Brooke Anderson is the defending World Champion, showing her maturity and growth on the world stage in a competition in Eugene 2022 Worlds that saw the first North American sweep of the event (US - Canada - US) in history. This Tokyo Olympic finalist and multiple World Championships team member won her first U.S. title last year, and is in great form in 2023, breaking the 80m barrier for the first time in Tucson at the end of May. She is ranked number 1 in World Rankings, and is the distance world leader with that 80.17m PB, plus has put together great results in multiple countries this season. Her Wild Card for Budapest takes the pressure off of this competition,

Janee’ Kassanavoid, Eugene World Championships bronze medalist, has gotten out to 76.60m this season, a very respectable mark in the context of her entire career, and an indication of the shape she’s in and her ability to make this team. She’s been traveling, gathering continued international experience, and I’m excited to see how she follows 2022 up (her second place 76.04m at this meet last year was so fun to see after struggles at 2021 Olympic Trials, and she capitalized on that momentum in a big way).

Returning from significant injury recovery and missing World Championships last year due to illness, American Record Holder Deanna Price made a statement with a 77.25m result in mid-June, and all 5 of her competitions this season are over 74m. This is the venue at which she set the 80.31m AR, and I fully expect that she and Brooke, our only two ever World Champions in this event, could go round for round in trying to further that mark.

Maggie Ewen, Annette Echikunwoke, and Rachel Tanczos all have the 73.80m World standard, and while we can expect both Maggie and Annette to show up spectacularly (Maggie has a 75.10m PB on the season and Annette threw 75.00m in Tucson to approach her overall 75.49m PB from 2021), Rachel could also surprise people. Her Budapest standard and PB of 73.87m happened just a few weeks ago; keeping that momentum could serve her well at this meet!

In an event that has absolutely skyrocketed in the U.S. in the last ten years thanks to trailblazers in this field, there is still some space for a few surprises at the venue just outside Hayward’s main stadium.

Women’s Discus

One familiar, superstar face, with some huge opportunity for new talent.

American Record holder Valarie Allman has thrown 70m out of this ring before (Olympic Trials qualifying two years ago), and she leads the Diamond League standings after three of four regular-season events: She looks to defend her two consecutive Diamond trophies at the Prefontaine Classic in the fall. Val recorded a world-leading mark of 70.25m in San Diego at the beginning of April, has been fairly consistent over 68m on the year, and will look to add a fifth consecutive national title to her very impressive resume. I keep thinking, looking at her early season marks and then the comparatively conservative ones since (I mean, on the scale of Val), that something enormous is coming. At Eugene World Championships, she fouled twice in qualifying before unleashing a 68m, field-leading toss, and then becoming the first ever American women’s world medalist in the event with her bronze in the final. So even when she struggles in this ring, she knows how to turn it around! The Tokyo Olympic Gold medalist also earned a Wild Card to Budapest with her 2022 DL Final victory, so three more World spots are up for grabs…

Two-time World Championships finalist Laulauga Tausaga threw a PB of 64.49m at this meet last year for silver. Starting her 2023 season with a great series - four of six attempts over 63m - tells me that her mixed results since are simply preparation for an excellent rest of the season. While she doesn’t yet have the Budapest standard of 64.20m, her 2022 NACAC Championship (a standard equivalent according to the rules) has her in good shape to make a third career world team at just 25.

Veronica Fraley threw a PB of 63.51m at the USATF NYC Grand Prix June 24, nicely timed after a long collegiate season at Vanderbilt to tell me she’s ready for that 64.20m standard, too! Elena Bruckner has had a bunch of 60m meets this year, and looks to be coming into her own at Cal Berkeley where she trains post-Texas college career. Micaela Hazlewood has my heart: After a personal-best performance at 2021 Olympic Trials to earn silver and an admirable run at World Rankings points to earn a Tokyo spot just to come up a bit short, she then tore her pec in her 2022 season opener and had to have surgery. The season after a big injury is so tough, and I’ve loved her honesty in the journey. Returning to the venue she had that 2021 breakthrough in after all that resilience has me feeling good vibes.

Shelby Frank and Faith Bender have outside shots at moving up the World Rankings and nabbing Budapest team positions!

Notably absent is Tokyo Olympian and Eugene World team member Rachel Dincoff, who is recovering from achilles surgery.

It’s very cool how young this field is (all under 28). Whoever steps up to claim World Championships spots with Val will claim an important building block in her career!

Men’s Shot Put

The two literal best shot-putters in world history are chased by more of the best to have ever done it. The absolute most competitive event in the United States throws, for years, and especially right now. Only 33 men in the whole world have ever thrown 22m, and 5 of them are on this start list.

The story here for me about Ryan Crouser is not just the typical one (that he’s literally the best there has ever been in the event, indoor and out, for years, etc.), but that he chooses to return home to Oregon, to hang out with his family, to be part of the event and represent at national championships, even when he doesn’t have to. USATF decided this year that Wild Card recipients for Budapest World Championships (Ryan, as defending World Champion, has one) do not have to compete at national championships to secure their spots on the team. In an outdoor season where he has already broken his own World Record in spectacular fashion once, my question is how far he might throw at Hayward Field when all the pressure is off: Qualified for Worlds, throwing in the same place he broke the WR for the first time and secured his first outdoor World title? Good thing there isn’t a wall at the end of this sector.

Joe Kovacs’ season opener of 22.69m impressed me - and likely all Dads who pay attention - so much. He has been quoted in his international travel and not-as-far performances as being thrown off by all the rest he gets on the road! Wife and coach Ashley had their twins this winter, and the season opener becomes all the more impressive when you know that Joe accomplished it at Vanderbilt (their home turf), in the first half of the first year of those kiddos’ lives. Clear physical preparation combined with a few months of figuring out how his nervous system responds to the extra rest he gets on the road indicate to me that not only will the defending Diamond League champion make this World team (and look for his 5th career World Championship medal), but he might be better than he has ever been. I was PUMPED to be in the audience when he broke the 23m barrier for the first time in Zurich last year, and like everyone else (including, I’m sure, him), can’t wait to see it again.

I feel super lucky to have been Roger Steen’s teammate when he won NACAC Championships last year and then had a successful run in Europe. Seeing the best shotputter that NCAA DIII universities have ever produced be grateful for each step he has taken when the journey finally brought him a USATF uniform and some international opportunities, then taking full advantage of them, is my absolute favorite part of the sport. Fast forward to this season and he just keeps shining: 22.08m in Tucson at the end of May made him one of 33 men in world history to throw 22 meters, and a handful of other results on the year would have bettered his previous PB as well. Sometimes with a jump in performance comes a different learning curve to get back to it, but Roger’s breakthroughs have happened in Eugene for the past two consecutive seasons, so I’d love to see him grab a spot on his first global championship team.

Personal serious connection to the storylines of Payton Otterdahl and Darrell Hill: These two guys had surgery (hip and pec, respectively) between last season and this one, and are both dropping mid-21m throws and above already, Payton (21.99m PB in LA in May) wanting to join the 22m club that Darrell already belongs to (22.44m PB to become DL Champ in 2017).

Josh Awotunde and Tripp Piperi, both Eugene 2022 World team members, return to seek second consecutive spots. Tripp has been consistent this year and is primed for a breakthrough in a ring he has a lot of career success in. Tunde’s season results are scarce, but the Eugene bronze medalist has played that game before and won spectacularly, biding his time until he knows he’s ready, and performing when it matters.

2023 NCAA Champion Jordan Geist and Nebraska Cornhuskers Jonah Wilson and Maxwell Otterdahl round out the competitors with the World Rankings spots necessary to potentially make this Budapest team, and while it would take a lot, each experience attempting to grab global championships spots builds on itself. I didn’t make the final at my first senior nationals in 2006, but two years later, won Trials and became an Olympian! Gotta show up to see what you’re capable of on the day.

Three spots are up for grabs in this competition (Ryan gets that extra fourth spot), and whoever fills them will put the pressure, per usual, on the rest of the world in Budapest. Could USA men’s shot put sweep the podium again? I believe yes.

Natalie Baltierra 7/9/23 Natalie Baltierra 7/9/23

Nikki Hiltz makes history by winning U.S. 1,500-meter title

By Maddie Lang

After an all-out sprint in the final 100 meters of a physical 1,500-meter race on Saturday at the 2023 Toyota USATF Outdoor Championships, Nikki Hiltz became the first non-binary athlete to win an outdoor championship. They finished in a time of 4:03.10, qualifying them for their first world championship.

“I feel like I really thought it could happen one day, and it all came together today,” Hiltz said.

Right behind Hiltz was 800-meter Olympic gold medalist Athing Mu, who was running her first 1,500-meter championship race, in a time of 4:03.44. Third place and the other automatic spot on the US team for the World Athletics Championships went to Cory McGee, who finished in 4:03.48.

The physicality began in the first 100 meters. Running shoulder-to-shoulder with their competition, Hiltz almost lost their shoe from being stepped on.

“I just took one hard step, and it went back on,” they said.

Laurie Barton took the lead with Mu right behind her.

“I wanted to make sure that I put myself in a position where I knew I had something at the end and I wasn’t leaving it to everyone else,” Mu said.

Hiltz and McGee, who competed at the Tokyo Olympics, rode the shoulder of Mu. The three bumped and clawed their way to the final lap.

“That race was the most physical race I’ve been in in a while,” McGee said. “I thought my big toe nail got ripped off, and it hurt quite a bit.”

The real excitement came in the final 400 meters. Hiltz wasn’t about to hand the 1,500-meter title over without a fight and moved to McGee’s and Mu’s shoulders.

“I always like to make a move at 500, and I think I got in a really good spot at the bell lap,” Hiltz said.

Coming around the 200-meter curve, with a face of determination, Hiltz initiated their final kick. The final 100 meters became a neck-and-neck final sprint among Hiltz, McGee and Mu.

Everyone in the stands rose to their feet while the trio battled it out. With 50 meters left, Hiltz had won the challenge and came across the finish line first. Mu was just .34 behind. And McGee was just .04 behind Mu.

All three qualified for the World Athletics Championships in Budapest on August 19-27.

For Hiltz, this race means more than just a spot at the world championships. In February, they became the first non-binary athlete to win an indoor national championship, and now they became the first to win an outdoor championship.

“You just want to see me cry,” Hiltz said with a smile when asked about a fan who was holding the transgender flag in the stands after their race. “It was awesome.”

While Hiltz and McGee are committed to running the 1,500 at worlds, Mu has a decision to make about competing in this event. Since she is the reigning world champion, she has a bye in the 800 meters.

“I won’t say that it’s not likely, but I also won’t say that there’s a guarantee that I’ll do it,” Mu said.. “800 is a go for sure.”

Natalie Baltierra 7/9/23 Natalie Baltierra 7/9/23

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone dominates another event, the 400 meters

By Israel La Rue

The legend of Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone continues to grow. The reigning 400-meter hurdles Olympic champion, world champion and world record holder won her first flat 400-meter national title Saturday at Hayward Field at the 2023 Toyota USATF Outdoor National Championships.

Her time, 48.74, was a personal best, a meet record, the fastest time in the world this year and only .04 off Sanya Richards Ross’ U.S. record. She is only the third American woman to break 49 seconds.

“Once I get the front half and the back half together, that's when that happens,” McLaughlin-Levrone said. “And I think today was a good show of that.”

Second and third places went to McLaughlin-Levrone’s teammates on the winning 4x400 relay at last year’s World Athletics Championships. Britton Wilson, the 2022 NCAA 400-meter hurdle champion, placed second in 49.79, and Talitha Diggs, the defending US champion, finished third in a personal best 49.93.

Diggs said the three medalists have had a long history with each other.

“Syd came to my mother's track camp when she was 9 years old,” Diggs said. “So I've known Syd since I was like really, really young, like 4 or 5. And then Britt, I've obviously known her since high school, so we have a relationship. … We fight together, we run together and now we get to represent Team USA together.”

Diggs’ mother, Joetta Clark Diggs, was a four-time Olympian in the 800.

McLaughlin-Levrone won gold at last year’s world championships with a world record in the 400 hurdles. Her time of 50.68 broke the previous world record of 51.41, which she had set at the Olympic Trials, also at Hayward Field.

She then decided to switch to the flat 400.

In her first 400 of the season at the Paris Diamond League event on June 9, McLaughlin-Levrone got out to a great start, running 22.66 for the first 200 meters. But she didn’t have enough in the tank to finish strong and finished with a time of 49.71, second place behind Marileidy Paulino. Her race plan switched for the New York Grand Prix, where she started off slow but then kicked in the final 200 to run a personal best at the time of 49.51.

On Saturday, McLaughlin-Levrone locked into the race the moment she stepped onto the track. As she was introduced, she looked down at the track instead of into the camera, talking to herself before stepping into the blocks.

McLaughlin-Levrone’s start was incredible coming out of lane five – by the time she hit the backstretch, she had already caught up to the outer lanes and had a lead.

Her top-end speed kicked in on the last curve, giving no one the chance to catch up to her. As she sprinted down the homestretch, McLaughlin-Levrone gritted her teeth and crossed the finish. Then she looked back at the clock to see the time, which was her first sub-49.

“I was just looking for anything better than 49.5, which was my PR at the time,” McLaughlin-Levrone said. “Obviously make the team is the number one goal. Then you go for the win and you go for the time. So in that order that was my goal, and I'm very happy with that time.”

She sat on the track with Wilson and Diggs as she was interviewed post-race by NBC reporter Lewis Johnson, who sat alongside them.

“It was a great race,” Wilson said later in the mixed zone. “I think everyone had a great chance to run fast.”

The three sprinters are primed to break the 4x400 American record of 3:15.51 set by Denean Howard, Diane Dixon, Valerie Brisco and Florence Griffith Joyner at the 1988 Seoul Olympics.

“I hope we can get it,” Wilson said. “I think that we have a great chance of breaking it.”

McLaughlin-Levrone is now faced with the decision for the world championships in Budapest. As the defending world champion, she has a bye for the 400-meter hurdles, and now she has qualified for the open 400. She could even attempt the double.

When asked about what her plans were for worlds, McLaughlin-Levrone said, “Great question. I have no idea. No clue.”

Natalie Baltierra 7/8/23 Natalie Baltierra 7/8/23

First-time champions Sha’Carri Richardson and Crayvont Charleston put on a show in the 100 meters

Crayvont Charleston, Christian Coleman, and Noah Lyles finish in the top three spots, respectively, at the 2023 Toyota USATF Outdoor Championships at Hayward Field on Friday night. Photo by Logan Hannigan-Downs

By Israel La Rue

Twice on Friday night, Hayward Field’s lights shut off, then flickered around the stadium as a cloud of smoke appeared next to the blocks for the 100 meters, with sprinters emerging out of the smoke. After each finalist was introduced, the crowd roared.

Sha’Carri Richardson and Noah Lyles are two of the biggest personalities in the sport, and they showed that during those introductions.

Richardson, who was wearing a bright orange wig and a pink headband, threw the wig behind her as the camera zoomed in, revealing her braids. Fans erupted, and even a few murmured that they wished they were closer to the blocks so they could take the wig.

Lyles did his signature spirit bomb celebration, which comes from the anime Dragon Ball Z and a move from the main character, Goku. “Spirit bomb before every finals,” Lyles said.

Richardson lived up to the hype, winning her first national title Friday night at the 2023 Toyota USATF Outdoor National Championships with a time of 10.82 in the 100-meter final, making her first national team as well.

Lyles, the reigning 200-meter world champion, also made the U.S. team by finishing third in despite barely training in the past two weeks because of a bout of COVID-19. The upset men’s 100-meter winner was Crayvont Charleston, who like Richardson won his first national title and made his first U.S. national team. Charleston ran 9.95, just .01 ahead of Christian Coleman, the 2019 world champion.

All will represent the United States at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest in August.

Sha’Carri Richardson, Brittany Brown, and Tamari Davis finish in the top three spots, respectively, at the 2023 Toyota USATF Outdoor Championships at Hayward Field on Friday night. Photo by Howard Lao

The women’s 100-meter final started first, with Richardson the favorite after running a personal best of 10.71 in the prelims on Thursday and 10.75 earlier Friday in the semifinals. Former Florida Gator Tamari Davis got off to a great start, but Richardson’s top-end speed eclipsed Davis with 30 meters left as she sprinted to victory. Brittany Brown finished second in a personal best 10.90, and Davis finished third in 10.99

As Richardson crossed the finish line, she grabbed the ribbon and threw it on the track. She could’ve done the 200 with the extra 100 meters she ran as she celebrated her victory.

She stared down the fans as she walked along the track and even signed autographs before stopping at section 121 and walking up the stands to hug her family as they congratulated her. Richardson did not speak with the news media after the race.

Next up was the men’s race. As the women’s medalists stood in the infield, ready to be presented with their medals, “Big Bank” by YG featuring 2 Chainz, Big Sean and Nicki Minaj played as the male sprinters warmed up.

“Not my specific song I would’ve chosen, but I liked it,” Lyles said.

When asked what song he would’ve chosen he said, “Walk Em Down by Metro Boomin and 21 Savage.”

Coleman got off to a blazing start, while Lyles’ start could have been better.

“My coach said I exposed my chest a little early in the race,” Lyles said. “I could’ve stayed in my drive phase longer, and I think that’s what’s really the difference in these finals.”

Charleston and Lyles picked up speed at the same time, moving up on the field, but Charleston had just enough speed to catch Coleman.

Charleston, who is 25 years old and had never before made the final of an NCAA or USATF competition, said that he didn’t even know that he caught Lyles and Coleman to win.

“At first I thought I got fourth,” Charleston said. “I was like, ‘Dang I didn’t make it.’ I looked up and it said first. Hey, got the job done.”

Even though Lyles didn’t win the national title, his goal of doubling in the 100 and 200 at worlds is still alive. As the defending champion in the 200, he has a bye in that event.

“First thing you gotta do is make USAs,” Lyles said. “I’ve been watching every world championship, and I’m like, man, I can make it into that final, I can make it into that top three. All I gotta do is make it through USAs.”

During Wednesday’s press conference for the USATF Outdoor Championships, Lyles was asked about his goal of doubling.

“We haven’t had a doubler since Usain Bolt,” he said. “About time we had one. Why can’t it be me?”

Richardson is also attempting a double; she is also competing in the 200 this weekend.

Natalie Baltierra 7/8/23 Natalie Baltierra 7/8/23

Twelve years after his first world championship medal, triple jumper Will Claye keeps chasing his dream of gold

**Will Claye** finishes second in the Men’s Triple Jump final at the 2023 Toyota USATF Outdoor Championships at Hayward Field on Friday night. Photo by Howard Lao

By Maddie Lang

Will Claye battled through early calf cramps to finish second in the triple jump at the 2023 Toyota USATF Outdoor Championships at Hayward Field on Friday night, earning his fifth world championship appearance.

Claye finished second at worlds in 2017 and 2019, third in 2011 and 2013, and most recently placed 11th at the 2022 World Athletics Championships after coming back from an Achilles injury.

It was his second jump of 16.98 meters that gave him the second-place finish behind champion Donald Scott, who won his second consecutive national title with a jump of 17.22m. Both jumpers recorded season’s best marks.

“I made it,” Scott said. “I got the job done.”

Claye, who despite his long career and accolades is not currently sponsored, said before the meet that he is continuing to compete because his new coach said that he still has room for improvement. After finishing second on Friday, he said he believes he can still jump 18 meters, and he thinks that could win a gold in August at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest.

In the first round, Claye looked strong, jumping 16.76m and taking the lead. He wasn’t in the clear, though. Before his second attempt, he began to feel his calves cramp because of lack of hydration. The cramps never went away.

Claye fouled his second jump. In the third round, he battled through his cramps and put up a 16.98m jump, which earned him the second-place position behind Scott.

Claye fouled his fourth attempt and wasn’t even able to finish his fifth attempt because of his calves. The sixth round played out like the ones before with a foul.

“I did what I had to do today despite the setbacks,” said Claye, who has also won two Olympic silver medals. “I know there is a lot more left in the tank, so I’m just going to get back to work and get ready for Diamond League and worlds.”

Claye has yet to win an outdoor world championship gold medal. His previous silver medal finishes were second to two-time Olympic gold medalist and five-time world champion Christian Taylor, who is a lifelong friend and former teammate. Taylor, who is also recovering from a torn Achilles that ended his 2021 season, made the final Friday in the triple jump and finished eighth with a jump of 16.12m.

While the two have been battling against each other for most of their professional careers, they have not let that get in the way of their deep friendship.

“I can definitely say my career probably wouldn’t be what it is without Christian,” Claye said. “That competitiveness. You don’t ever want to lose to your brother, and that’s what we had starting from that point.”

Both Claye and Taylor have battled Achilles injuries. Claye ruptured his playing pickup basketball in 2019, and Taylor tore his in during a competition in 2021, derailing his attempt to win three consecutive triple jump Olympic gold medals.

“We’ve both been going through similar things, and it’s been a beautiful thing,” Claye said. “It’s definitely pushed me, and I can just say that I appreciate CT for being there and pushing me.”

Claye and Taylor’s brotherly competition goes way back to high school. After every competition, Claye would go straight to DyeStat.com and see what Taylor had jumped that week. It wasn't until March 2009, when the two were freshmen in college, that they met at the NCAA Division I Indoor Championships.

Claye attended the University of Oklahoma while Taylor was at the University of Florida. Taylor won their first matchup indoors but Claye came back and won the outdoor championships in June of that same year.

After his first year with the Sooners, Claye transferred to Florida, and he trained with Taylor for the rest of their college careers.

Taylor won’t be joining Claye at the world championships, but the success that the pair has had over the years has brought more light to the event.

“We’re an event that people try to overshadow,” Claye said. “I feel like we inspired a lot of the next generation to come in and hopefully fill our shoes one day.”

Next up for Claye is the Monaco Diamond League meeting on July 21 before he heads to the World Athletics Championships on August 19-27.

“I’m trying to get a medal at worlds,” Claye said. “I know I want to jump 18 meters, and I think that can win it.”

Natalie Baltierra 7/8/23 Natalie Baltierra 7/8/23

Throws Preview, Saturday: 2023 Toyota USATF Outdoor Championships

Chase Ealey won the 2022 USATF Outdoor Championships at Hayward Field with a mark of 20.51m. Photo by Logan Hannigan-Downs

By Kara Winger

Here are my takes on the competition in the Saturday throwing events of the 2023 Toyota USATF Outdoor Championships!

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Men’s Hammer

The men’s hammer World standard of 78.00m is outrageous. Rudy has it, multiple others are capable!

Rudy Winkler threw his American Record at Hayward Field, when he won his second straight Olympic Trials title and made his second Olympic Team, Tokyo, in 2021. A breakout COVID season preceded that one, and while he didn’t reach the 80m mark last year, his consistency over 78.50m this season is reminiscent of 2022 that saw him finish his highest yet at Worlds (6th), and an indication of something big building. After reaching a then-World Lead of 80.88m at the end of May (he now sits in second on the world top list), he has challenged himself against his international, historically strong competitors on many occasions, gaining valuable experience to apply once he makes the Budapest team and once again seeks a podium spot he’s capable of.

The dominant figures of the last few seasons, Daniel Haugh and Alex Young, have had modest starts (by their standards) to their 2023 campaigns. Both Daniel and Alex joined Rudy in Tokyo and Eugene on the global stage, and all three men made the Eugene World Championships final, so these two know how to qualify for teams and should not be counted out at these championships. Similar to some other veterans across the throws, perhaps they’re just biding their time in this long season, confident that they’ll have it when it matters. Each has earned prior national titles, a feeling we’re always looking to regain as athletes!

If Sean Donnelly conquers his demons at the 2023 USATF Outdoor Championships and makes this team like we all know he can, the world will cheer. He’s been so close, so many times, and has had a consistent year so far in the mid-70s, with two 76m tosses in Tucson. Due for a breakthrough, this guy!

Someone who has been enjoying a breakthrough is Brock Eager, Washington State product who has steadily improved his PB over the last few seasons, most recently pushing it to 76.58m to sit second in the U.S. standings coming into this meet. His World Ranking is such that, with the kind of performance he’s been putting together recently in Eugene, he can make this Budapest team.

Other fun people to cheer for are Jordan Geist, who finished his University of Arizona career at NCAAs with bronze in the hammer from his PB effort of 75.97m as well as gold in shotput. Would be so cool to see him make the team in his “fun” event! Morgan Shigo trains under 3x Olympian A.G. Kruger at Ashland University, and has been consistent on the national stage in the past. And Erich Sullins, who trains alongside Ryan Whiting in Arkansas, had a PB of 74.56m in Tucson this year. Putting a bit more on that distance on the right day could nab him a World Championship spot.

Established talent at the top, but some opportunity for new bodies in USA uniforms here!

Women’s Shot Put

Two friends set the tone for the event in the U.S. - and in the world - right now, and young talent can take advantage of a cool opportunity at Budapest here.

World leader Maggie Ewen (20.45m PB at the USATF LA Grand Prix) and Chase Ealey (20.51m PB to win the USATF Outdoor Championships in 2022) have been battling back and forth this season, all over the world, and that will only continue in this match-up at Hayward between 2021 Diamond League Champion Maggie and 2022 World Champion Chase. Chase has the wild card into Budapest as the Eugene 2022 champ, and I’m happy to see her here to try and defend her national title. When Maggie is on, she’s on, putting together a few great series in the shot so far this season, but it’s hard to say whose top end could be further. Luckily they’re pushing each other so that they (and we) can find out.

Is Michelle Carter’s 20.63m American Record in jeopardy? Watching Chase in this same ring last year, at both nationals and Worlds, I sure thought so. But will Maggie get there first?

In her first season out of college, Adelaide Aquilla has seen mixed results, but 19.17m at the Oslo Diamond League a few weeks ago is a good indication that she’s ready to do what she has done for the past two seasons: Make a statement at national championships and make a team as a result.

Jessica Woodard has been consistent in the mid-18m range this season, and not only made the Eugene World Championship team, but made the final in clutch fashion on her third qualifying throw: She likes this ring.

Josie Shaefer, Wisconsin graduate, had a breakthrough performance at the end of April to secure a Worlds standard, and is throwing her hat in the literal ring in this fresh new world of post-collegiate throwing. I love to see the just-graduated athletes thrive on this stage: Sometimes NCAA pressure is too much (I also never won an NCAA title!), and USATF National Championships, while a bigger pond, are the fresh start you need on the same mission.

There’s quite a gap in performance at this moment between Chase/Maggie and the rest of the field, and I can’t wait to see who steps up! A record in jeopardy by a world leader (Maggie) and a world champion (Chase), and plenty of other women primed for big throws, I’m excited.

Sidenote from me that watching Chase and Maggie’s friendship continue to flourish as they both elevate their games is the best: Talent respects talent, everyone literally gets their own one minute at a time in the ring and in the spotlight, and these competitive, sportsmanlike, strong women know that they make each other better. That goes for pretty much the entire throwing community, but special shoutout for it here!

Men’s Javelin

Curtis Thompson’s 2022 was so fun to watch, and while results from this event on the season have so far not been outstanding from anyone, multiple men have the experience to make the rest of the summer fun.

Going out on not too much of a limb, but a limb nonetheless, I think Capers Williamson might win this one. He’s been pretty consistent at 79m this season, and at last year’s USATF Outdoor Championship, he really was the one to get the competition started. He’s had his fair share of ups and downs and the work he has put in in the last few years after a bit of a break from the sport feel like they could come to fruition in the form of a national title, and World team spot.

Curtis’s 2022 NACAC Championship gold is the equivalent of a Budapest standard, and his results on the year plus his historic good performances at Hayward Field (2016 Olympic Trials champ, Worlds finalist in 2022, and more) have me feeling confident about his run at this nationals. He has also been to a few Diamond League meets on the season, and will look to return to Hayward in September for the Final, but has some work to do to make that happen. Perhaps nationals is his season turning point!

Ethan Dabbs, returning U.S. Champion and U.S. leader at 80.82m, just wrapped his collegiate career at Virginia. The brand new professional made the World team in Eugene last year, and turned that disappointing performance around with a bronze medal at the NACAC Championships and 81.43m effort. To see international success, return to a college cocoon, and be the national leader coming into an event where he’ll look to defend his title has me excited about his future! If Ethan can trust his technique and let the throw develop, he’ll burst onto his second World Championships team.

Marc Minichello, Ethan Shalaway, Tzuriel Pedigo, and Tim Glover all have PBs of 79m or better, and it truly is anyone’s game when it comes to this competition. The 85.20m Budapest standard is a challenge for all based on the season’s results, but never out of the realm of possibility in the javelin.

Wide open meet. Anyone’s for the taking, including brand new talent further down the start list.

Natalie Baltierra 7/7/23 Natalie Baltierra 7/7/23

Woody Kincaid wins U.S. 10,000-meter title with his signature kick

Woody Kincaid (Nike) wins the men’s 10,000 meter race at the 2023 Toyota USATF Outdoor Championships at Hayward Field on Thursday night. Photo by Logan Hannigan-Downs

By Maddie Lang

Woody Kincaid’s kick worked in his favor once again when he won in the men’s 10,000 meter race at the 2023 Toyota USATF Outdoor Championships at Hayward Field on Thursday night.

Kincaid finished in 28:23.01, a second and a half in front of Joe Klecker and nearly two seconds ahead of third-place finisher Sean McGorty. Kincaid and Klecker both have the standard for the World Athletics Championships and will represent the U.S. in Budapest in August. McGorty needs to see if his world ranking holds up to make the team, or he has until the end of the month to make the standard of 27:10.00.

“I was thinking about all of the ways this race could go, and it played into my kind of race,” said Kincaid, who also won the 10,000 meters at the Olympic Trials in 2021 with a big kick. “Not fast, not slow, it got a little windy, with a lap to go it shaved down to two people.”

Kincaid remained in the pack of runners for almost the entire race until the final four laps, when the leaders began to take their positions.

It was Conner Mantz and Paul Chelimo who led at this point, but the pace kept changing.

“When there were four more to go, they started to make a hard press,” Kincaid said. “I think that’s a little bit early for me, but I could do it.”

Kincaid rode the shoulder of Klecker for almost the entirety of the race.

“What I like about Joe is he’s very consistent,” Kincaid said. “I know if Joe is right there it’s almost like a safety. I know this guy is tough as nails, and if I’m with him, we’re in a good place.”

At the start of the bell lap, the real battle between the two began.

Kincaid, who is known to have a tremendous kick, pushed the pace, and at the start of the 200, it was clear who would win.

At this point in his career, Kincaid is still increasing his strength and increasing his miles as he trains.

“I’ve never felt this strong,” he said. “I’m doing more miles. I’m doing longer, better workouts. So in a lot of ways, I feel really really strong.”

Kincaid isn’t finished with his season yet. He still has the men’s 5,000-meter final on Sunday night and the World Championships in Budapest in August.

In the 5K Sunday night, Kincaid will face many of the same faces he did today. Klecker will also be competing for that title along with McGorty, who took third, and Grant Fisher, who placed fourth.

“I think there’s still work to be done,” Kincaid said. “There’s still a 5K. There’s still worlds, and I want to do well there.”

Natalie Baltierra 7/7/23 Natalie Baltierra 7/7/23

Patience pays off for Elise Cranny, and a dominant last lap gives her the U.S. 10,000-meter title

Elise Cranny of Bowerman Track Club wins the women’s 10,000-meter national title at the 2023 Toyota USATF Outdoor Championships Thursday night at Hayward Field. Photo by Logan Hannigan-Downs

By Israel La Rue

Elise Cranny’s backstretch kick propelled her to the women’s 10,000-meter national title at the 2023 Toyota USATF Outdoor Championships Thursday night at Hayward Field, finishing in 32:12.30.

“I was trying to channel the end of a 15 at the end of the 10,” said Cranny, who runs for the Bowerman Track Club.

Cranny finished five seconds ahead of the American record holder in the 10,000 meters, Alicia Monson.

Cranny, a two-time 5,000-meter national champion, hung in a slow starting race, sticking behind Monson before taking the lead in the final 350 meters. She ran her final lap in 62.16.

“I was looking at the screen trying to see who was coming up, and she was right on my heels,” Monson said. “Amazing kick. She closed really hard.”

Cranny was also entered in the 1,500-meter race, and the first round was 25 minutes before the start of the 10,000. She ended up not running it to focus on the 10,000.

“Sunday and Monday night, I was waffling,” Cranny said. “That was the biggest thing in making the decision is I don’t want to get into a race and regret and wish that I did the other one. So I’m very grateful that I wasn’t thinking about that during the race.”

Before Cranny and Monson took leads in the race's final stages, they hung back and waited for other runners to make their moves.

“I think it was really about being patient,” Cranny said. “I thought that a couple of people might take it, and so I was a little bit shocked when we came through 1,200. And I was like, ‘Oh, man, we are bunched up.’ So I just tried to find a good spot on the rail and stay as relaxed as possible.”

Cranny cruised in ninth place for 10 laps before being passed up by Monson 11 laps in. She stayed behind Monson for the rest of the race – when Monson moved up a place or two, Cranny was right behind her.

“I thought Alicia might take it at some point – wasn’t really sure when – so I was just trying to be ready for her move,” Cranny said.

Monson made her move with a mile left in the race and took the lead, moving up from third place and setting the fastest lap at that point in the race, 69.5 seconds. Cranny kept up with Monson’s pace, passing her Bowerman Track Club teammate, Karissa Schweizer.

With three laps left, only 2012 NCAA 10,000-meter champion Natosha Rogers and Cranny were keeping up with Monson’s pace. Rogers couldn’t hang, falling behind Cranny and Monson in the final 600 meters. She finished 10 seconds behind Cranny after leading for two laps.

Cranny waited until the final lap to make her move. It paid off sticking by Monson the whole race as her explosive kick left Monson behind.

Cranny and Monson secured their spots in the World Athletics Championships by placing first and second and having the world standard time.

Rogers hasn’t made the time of 30:40.00 yet, but she is currently 23rd in the world rankings, and the top 26 athletes can compete in Budapest. She has until the end of this month to either make that time or stay ranked in the top 26.

Schweizer has the world standard, so she would likely get the spot if Rogers doesn’t qualify.

Cranny said that she feels like in an entirely different place five weeks out from her fourth-place performance at the USATF LA Grand Prix – “just trying to completely wipe that from your mind and be a different athlete.”

Natalie Baltierra 7/6/23 Natalie Baltierra 7/6/23

Throws Preview, Thursday: 2023 Toyota USATF Outdoor Championships

By Kara Winger

Hey, I’m Kara. Still number one in World Athletics Rankings in the women’s javelin after a 2022 season that saw me become the first ever American javelin thrower to medal at Worlds (in Eugene!!) for the women (I moved from 5th to 2nd in the final round, it was amazing), break the American Record for the second time in my career after not throwing a personal best for twelve full years when I tossed 68.11m in Brussels September 2nd, and then win the Zurich Diamond League Final. I stuck to my guns and retired like I said I was going to, and I have no regrets. And now i get to play fun new roles in the throws universe that I love, and come to 2023 Toyota USATF Outdoor Championships and The Prefontaine Classic to celebrate my friends, former teammates and competitors, with fellow fans who also love these events.

Here are my takes on the competition in the throwing events of day one of the 2023 Toyota USATF Outdoor Championships!

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Men’s Discus

This event is so wildly competitive in the world right now, and there’s a least one guy on this start list who has the potential to disrupt that in Budapest.

Sam Mattis is in an American class of his own this season, ending the summer of 2022 by securing the 67m Budapest standard at his final competition in Zagreb, and then grabbing another one for good measure in his 2023 season opener of 67.49m in April. That mark leads the field at this competition by over a meter, and with a bunch of other results over 64m this year, and an inkling that he and coach Dane Miller are playing the long game after that fantastic start to the year, Sam is my pick to win. Would love to see him get a second career national title after first achieving the feat in 2019. I bet the Mattis camp also has the Diamond League Final at The Prefontaine Classic in mind: Sam had a front row seat to competitors’ 70m throws out of this ring in the Eugene World final, and sits third in the Diamond League standings. He’d do well to figure out big tosses in this meet in preparation!

Two men in the field sit 1cm apart and within 1m of the World standard: Turner Washington just won his final NCAAs with a clutch performance (and incredible celebratory performance) in the sixth round at 66.22m, and Josh Syrotchen - Sam’s Garage Strength teammate - after a big PB to start his season of 66.21m in April. A fresh college graduate with a family line of throwers and a storied prep career, plus lots of ups and downs throughout his collegiate days, and a married Dad of two who has been steadily chipping away at a throwing dream since his NCAA DII days could both nab spots on this team. I LOVE that about track and field.

Andrew Evans and Brian Williams, Sam’s Eugene 2022 World Championships teammates, have both had consistent seasons in the 61-63m range, and both have the experience to show up well here. Both men threw PBs in 2022, and will have trained with this competition and qualifying for this team in mind, looking for redemption after missing the Eugene final.

New talent in Joseph Brown, Jordan Roach, and Darian Brown would need to compete well to make big leaps in World Rankings and contend for Budapest spots, but could very well do so! Again, you have to show up to see what you’re made of. Magic happens at Hayward.

Interesting news out of BYU: Dallin Shurts, who performed well here last year to make the NACAC Championships team, will be joined by coach Niklas Arrhenius in the field. Nik represented his native Sweden until he became officially eligible to compete for the USA on August 26, 2022! The long-time BYU throws coach will make his U.S. Championships debut at 40 years old.

Wide range of storylines here, and i always love seeing a clear opportunity for someone’s career to really take off. Success now would set someone new up well for a run at Paris in 2024: Experience on the world stage this year lights competitive fire even brighter going into an Olympic Games.

Women’s Javelin

Hello my love. 2022 was a dream. I miss you. But mostly, thank you.

I made the choice to rescind my Wild Card spot to Budapest after winning the 2022 Diamond League Final, and I regret nothing. My wildest dreams finally came true, in a season that I had already decided would be my last. I fully believe that the freedom of knowing that each throw got closer and closer to my true final attempt elevated my performances, and I’m unsure how I would ever recreate that. It would have been very cool to play a part in bringing four women to a World Championships, but as it stands, it will be a bit of a tall order to get three on this team.

Ariana Ince is the only athlete in the U.S. javelin who owns the Budapest standard. It’s 63.80m for the women, so her PB of 64.38m in Zagreb in September puts her squarely at the top of American javelin Budapest prospective team members. While she has struggled this season, the fickle javelin can turn around very quickly, and I fully believe that it will for her. Budapest would be the Tokyo Olympian’s fourth World Championship appearance, and a national title here would be the second in her career after 2019.

Two-time Olympian (Tokyo finalist), former American Record holder, and Eugene Worlds team member Maggie Malone has thrice won on this runway in pretty spectacular fashion: NCAAs and Olympic Trials in 2016, and Olympic Trials in 2021, where she set a meet record at 63.50m. Her results since her American Record-setting season in 2021 have been mixed, but she was the world leader going into World Championships in 2022, and she’s the U.S. leader this season at 62.28m.

The rest of the field is made up of collegiate talent and veteran Bekah Wales, whose consistent presence in the U.S. scene has always made me so happy: Her resilience through many injuries speaks directly to my heart. Maddie Harris and Madison Wiltrout have experience on this stage and could make big leaps in the World Rankings if they have big days.

A building year, after 2022 saw three women in the top 10 distance list in the world, isn’t that strange? But my hopes are high for the next generation of women’s javelin throwers, and for Ari and Maggie to iron out some kinks and put on a show.