The four-day USA Track and Field Outdoor Championships 2023held from 6 to 9 July will serve as the U.S. trials for the global showpiece, where the top three athletes in each event in Eugene will qualify for Budapest, provided they have met the qualifying standard.
The USATF championships will showcase some of the planet’s best athletes, including Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, Noah Lyles, Sha’carri Richardson, Katie Moon, Erriyon Knighton, and Fred Kerley.
When and where are the USATF Outdoor Championships taking place?
The famous Hayward Field in Oregon – the host track of last year’s World Athletics Championships – will welcome the top American talent over four days of action.
The first medallists will be decided in the men’s discus throw, with the final taking place on 6 July, while the men’s 110m hurdles will bring the curtain down on the championships on 9 July.
Situated on the University of Oregon campus, the Hayward Field track is a firm favourite for the USA national championships playing host to five of the last eight meetings.
Athletes to watch at the USATF Outdoor Championships
Some of the biggest names in the sport, such as Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone will not line up in their specialist events at the championships. Although McLaughlin-Levrone has a wild card entry to next month’s global showpiece as the defending champion in the women's 400m hurdles, she is yet to race in her pet event in 2023.
McLaughlin-Levrone will instead back into the blocks in the flat 400m, which further fuels speculation that she has her sights set on a tilt at the longest-standing world record in any men's or women's sprint event. Marita Koch’s 400m mark of 47.60 seconds has stood since 1985.
Defending world and Olympic women’s 800m champion Athing Mu will also step out of her comfort zone, testing the waters in the 1,500m. Mu, who has only raced once this year, will not defend her national title in the two-lap race.
In the men’s 100m, Olympic silver medallist and world champion Fred Kerley will be the man to beat after clocking the third fastest time so far this year with the 9.88s he posted in Yokohama in May. Rising collegiate athletes Pjai Austin and Courtney Lindsey could be factors after storming to lifetime bests of 9.89s in early June.
The field includes former world silver medallist Christian Coleman (9.91s), Marvin Bracy (9.93s), and Cravont Charleston (9.90s).
Noah Lyles is on the entry list for the short-sprint event, but fans would be rubbing their hands together with glee over the battle for 200m supremacy.
The two-time world champion has established himself as the pre-eminent sprinter over the 200m distance going into the meeting with a world lead of 19.67s. Teen sensation Erriyon Knighton poses the biggest threat, while world 400m champion Michael Norman is also in the mix. Kerley is another danger man taking aim at a potential 100-200m double gold.
Fred Kerley of Team United States reacts after winning gold in the Men's 100m Final on day two of the World Athletics Championships Oregon22
Sha’Carri Richards in search of maiden national title
The women’s 100m is expected to dish up a good dollop of intrigue with Sha’Carri Richardson looking to qualify for her first world championships in style with a maiden national title. Richardson is the second fastest female in the blue-riband event this year with the 10.76s she posted in May. Watch out also for Aleia Hobbs (10.86s), Tamari Davis (10.89s), and Shawnti Jackson (10.89s).
Richardson is also expected to contest for the 200m title where Abby Steiner and Gabby Thomas should be the top challengers.
Both the men’s and women’s pole vault will draw attention to the field. Olympic champion Katie Moon and Sandi Morris will renew their rivalry. Moon is setting the pace in the world this year with a season’s best of 4.82m, while Morris has scaled 4.71m.
KC Lightfoot goes into the men’s competition as the man to beat after a breakthrough clearance of 6.07m setting a North American record in June. His work will be cut out against seasoned campaigners Chris Nilsen and Sam Kendricks.
Keep an eye out for double Olympic champion and world record holder Ryan Crouser in the men’s shot put where he will meet perennial challenger Joe Kovacs.
USATF 2022 Outdoor Championships schedule - Finals only
All times are local to the event in Eugene, Oregon, which is observing Pacific Daylight Time (GMT/UTC -7 hours)
Day 1: Thursday 6 July
Evening session
- 15:30 Discus Throw Men Final
- 18:00 Triple Jump Women Final
- 18:30 Javelin Throw Women Final
- 19:45 10,000m Women Final
- 20:30 10,000m Men Final
Day 2: Friday 7 July
Evening Session
- 18:40 High Jump Women Final
- 19:00 Triple Jump Men Final
- 19:14 100m Women Semi-Final
- 19:29 100m Men Semi-Final
- 19:44 800m Men Semi-Final
- 19:59 800m Women Semi-Final
- 20:14 400m Men Semi-Final
- 20:29 400m Women Semi-Final
- 20:45 100m Women Final
- 20:54 100m Men Final
Day 3: Saturday 8 July
Morning session
- 06:30 20 km Race Walk Women Final
- 06:31 20 km Race Walk Men Final
Evening session
- 16:10 Hammer Throw Men Final
- 17:00 Pole Vault Men Final
- 17:40 Long Jump Men Final
- 17:45 Shot Put Women Final
- 17:50 Javelin Throw Men Final
- 18:02 100m Hurdles Women Semi-Final
- 18:19 400m Women Final
- 18:26 400m Men Final
- 18:34 1500m Women Final
- 18:45 1500m Men Final
- 18:55 400m Hurdles Women Semi-Final
- 19:10 400m Hurdles Men Semi-Final
- 19:25 3000m Steeplechase Women Final
- 19:40 3000m Steeplechase Men Final
- 19:55 100m Hurdles Women Final
Day 4: Sunday 9 July
- 16:00 Hammer Throw Women Final
- 17:00 Pole Vault Women Final
- 17:05 High Jump Men Final
- 15:00 Discus Throw Women Final
- 17:30 200m Men Semi Final
- 17:40 Long Jump Women Final
- 17:45 200m Women Semi Final
- 18:02 110m Hurdles Men semi-final
- 18:15 Shot Put Men Final
- 18:18 800m Women Final
- 18:26 800m Men Final
- 18:34 400m Hurdles Women Final
- 18:42 400m Hurdles Men Final
- 18:50 5,000m Men Final
- 19:10 200m Women Final
- 19:20 200m Men Final
- 19:29 5,000m Women Final
- 19:53 110m Hurdles Men Final
