Team USA track & field dominates World Athletics Championships
For the first time in track and field history, the United States hosted the World Athletics Championships, where some of the globe’s best athletes descended upon Eugene, Oregon.
And the host nation didn’t disappoint.
Let’s take a look at how the 10-day event unfolded.
Outpacing the world
Americans racked up 33 medals, 13 of which were gold. Ethiopia secured 10 medals, the second-most.
The USA also won the first trophy ever awarded for the team title.
Encore for Allyson Felix
Allyson Felix competed in a national team uniform for the final time and was up to her old ways.
One of the most decorated athletes in United States history was well on her way to retirement after winning a bronze medal with the 4×400 mixed relay team. She left Oregon, flew to Los Angeles, and was enjoying a cheat meal when she got a call to return and run a prelim race for the women’s 4×400 relay.
She helped the team qualify and then watched her teammates win their third-straight relay gold.
Sydney McLaughlin breaks her own record
McLaughlin, 22, shattered her own world record in the 400-meter hurdles.
She won in a time of 50.68 on Friday, which was 0.73 seconds better than her previous record. Trailing in third was Dalilah Muhammad, the U.S. silver medalist and previous world record holder from the Tokyo Olympic Games.
Noah Lyles sets new U.S. record
Lyles not only won the 200 meters, but he broke Michael Johnson’s U.S. record of 19.32 that was set in 1996 with a time of 19.31. Johnson was part of the BBC’s coverage team and personally congratulated Lyles.
Athing Mu accomplishes an American first
Mu held off Great Britain’s Keely Hodgkinson to become the first American woman to win the 800 at the World Championships. She ran a time of 1:56.30, the fastest time in the world this year.
Other highlights from around the world
Tobi Amusan, an NCAA champion at Texas-El Paso, stunned the world when she broke the women’s 100m world record (12.20) with a time of 12.12 to solidify her spot in the finals. She went on to win gold and became the first Nigerian to win gold at the championships.
Mondo Duplantis, a Louisiana native who competes for Sweden, won gold in men’s pole vault by raising his own world record to 6.21 meters.
American medal performances
Gold
- Fred Kerley, Men’s 100m
- Noah Lyles, Men’s 200m
- Michael Norman, Men’s 400m
- Grant Holloway, Men’s 110m Hurdles
- Ryan Crouser, Men’s Shot Put
- USA, Men’s 4x400m Relay
- Athing Mu, Women’s 800m
- Sydney McLaughlin, Women’s 400m Hurdles
- Katie Nageotte, Women’s Pole Vault
- Chase Ealey, Women’s Shot Put
- Brooke Andersen, Women’s Hammer Throw
- USA, Women’s 4x100m Relay
- USA, Women’s 4x400m Relay
Silver
- Marvin Bracy, Men’s 100m
- Kenneth Bednarek, Men’s 200m
- Trey Cunningham, Men’s 110m Hurdles
- Rai Benjamin, Men’s 400m Hurdles
- Christopher Nilsen, Men’s Pole Vault
- Joe Kovacs, Men’s Shot Put
- USA, Men’s 4x100m Relay
- Sandi Morris, Women’s Pole Vault
- Kara Winger, Women’s Javelin Throw
Bronze
- Zachery Ziemek, Men’s Decathlon
- Anna Hall, Women’s Heptathlon
- Trayvon Bromell, Men’s 100m
- Erriyon Knighton, Men’s 200m
- Trevor Bassitt, Men’s 400m Hurdles
- Josh Awotunde, Men’s Shot Put
- Dalilah Muhammad, Women’s 400m Hurdles
- Tori Franklin, Women’s Triple Jump
- Valarie Allman, Women’s Discus Throw
- Janee’ Kassanavoid, Women’s Hammer Throw
- USA, Mixed 4x400m Relay
