Sha'Carri Richardson stormed to victory in the women's 100m final at the USA Track & Field outdoor championships in New York, clocking 10.77 seconds. The meet, held at Icahn Stadium with about 5,000 fans in attendance, served as a low-stakes dress rehearsal for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, with no major international competition this year.
Low Stakes, High Performances
With no Olympics or world championships in 2026, many top stars skipped the event, including Rai Benjamin, Cole Hocker, Masai Russell, and Gabby Thomas. However, those who competed seized the opportunity. “There was nothing to lose,” said Gabbi Jennings, who finished second in the women's steeplechase. “Bit of a dress rehearsal.”
Nikki Hiltz won the women's 1500m in 4:06.92, their fourth straight national title. “Honestly, I never viewed this as an off year,” Hiltz said, after ending Faith Kipyegon's five-year winning streak at the Prefontaine Classic earlier this month.
Big Names Deliver
Melissa Jefferson-Wooden, Richardson's training partner, won the women's 200m in 21.69 seconds. “I'm in a really good spot,” she said. “Today told me everything I need to know.” Noah Lyles equaled his lifetime best of 9.79 seconds in the men's 100m, beating Ronnie Baker, Kenny Bednarek, and Christian Coleman. However, he pulled up in the 200m final due to hamstring cramps, which he attributed to his 100m effort. “If this happens at the Olympics, I need to be ready for it,” Lyles said.
In the field, Chase Jackson won her 11th national title in the women's shot put by more than a meter. Tara Davis-Woodhall, Olympic long jump gold medalist, had her final attempt ruled a foul and finished third. Anna Cockrell won the women's 400m hurdles, her first national title.
Ones to Watch
High school phenom Cooper Lutkenhaus, 17, won the men's 800m in 1:43.48, the largest margin of victory in a US outdoor 800m final since 2014. “When you run 1:42 at 16 years old, you're expecting … there's going to be a lot of pressure,” Lutkenhaus said. “I'm just focused on what I can do.”
Woody Kincaid outkicked Grant Fisher to win the men's 10,000m by one second. “I'm sure there were some doubters saying, ‘He's 33,’ but I didn't feel that when I finished the race,” Kincaid said.
Justin Robinson, an unsponsored athlete who worked at Costco and a landscaping company, crossed first in the men's 400m but was disqualified for a lane violation. Chris Bailey, who took the title, said, “I'm proud of him. This is a guy who was beating me all throughout college.”
With the LA 2028 Olympics less than two years away, athletes are already looking ahead. “I think about that almost every single day,” laughed Addy Wiley, who finished second in the 800m. Hiltz added, “This is my main character moment. I want to see if I can medal on home turf.”
