Biggest Meet Of The Year So Far Brings Olympic Hopefuls Together At Mt. SAC For Golden Games

By Doug Binder, DyeStat Editor

Professional athletes intent on improving their chances to make it to the Olympics will be at the heart of Sunday's USATF Golden Games and Distance Open at Mt. SAC in Walnut, Calif. 

Established stars like Noah Lyles and Michael Norman of the U.S., Shaunae Miller-Uibo of the Bahamas, Katerina Stefanidi of Greece are among the talented fields assembling at the new Hilmer Lodge Stadium at Mt. SAC. 

But even someone with merely a dream, like Seattle Seahawks wide receiver DK Metcalf, has a chance to test his abilities Sunday and see if he has what it takes. 

The NBC window from 1:30 to 3 p.m. Pacific includes 15 finals that are peppered with Olympic hopefuls from around the globe with quality of a Diamond League meet. 

The television window begins with the women's 400-meter hurdles, which will include Shamier Little and Ashley Spencer going head to head. Little, who has run a lifetime-best 49.91 in the 400 meters, will race in 400 hurdles for the first time this year. 

USATF.TV WILL CARRY THE ACTION BEFORE AND AFTER THE NBC TELECAST

Norman, who won the 400 at the USATF Grand Prix two weeks ago, will race in his native Southern California for the first time in two years. He'll be challenged by Michael Cherry, Kahmari Montgomery and LaShawn Merritt, a three-time Olympian and 2008 gold medalist, trying to make another U.S. team at 34 years old. 

Stefanidi, the Olympic champion in the women's pole vault, comes into the competiton fresh off a pair of victories in Chula Vista. She will face a field that includes Americans Katie Nageotte, Megan Clark, Emily Grove and Olivia Gruver, along with Canadians Alysha Newman and Anicka Newell.

Canadian Gabriela DeBues-Stafford and American Elle Purrier lead the field in the women's 1,500 meters. 

Top Americans Donavan Brazier, Bryce Hoppel and Clayton Murphy will race for the first time since the World Championships final at Doha in 2019. Canadian Marco Arop was also part of that world final. 

In the men's triple jump, three-time Olympic medalist Will Claye will compete for the first time since 2019. He will be part of a field that includes Donald Scott, Chris Benard and Chris Carter. 

World-leader Sha'Carri Richardson is due to compete in the women's 100-meter dash as she tunes up for the Olympic Trials. Teahna Daniels, Javianne Oliver, English Gardner, Jenna Prandini and Kayla White are all in the field, as is eight-time Olympic medalist Veronica Campbell-Brown of Jamaica. 

The men's 100 will feature Ronnie Baker and Michael Rodgers, but many eyeballs will be tuning in to see if Metcalf is fast enough to make the finals. 

Chase Ealey, Maggie Ewen and Raven Saunders are all entered in the women's shot put.  

The women's 100-meter hurdles is loaded, as Keni Harrison, Queen Harrison, Tiffany Porter, Dawn Nelson, Gabbi Cunningham, Sharika Nelvis, Kristi Castlin and Sydney McLaughlin are all listed in the field. 

The men's 1,500 meters promises to be fast, with Canadians Moh Ahmed and Justyn Knight taking on Australia's Ollie Hoare, New Zealand's Nick Willis and Americans Craig Engels, Johnny Gregorek and Sam Prakel, among others. 

The women's 800 meters contains one of the deepest fields in the meet. British stars Laura Muir, Adelle Tracey and Jemma Reekie will meet up with Canadian Melissa Bishop-Nriagu and Americans Raevyn Rogers and Sinclaire Johnson.

Next up, in the men's 400-meter hurdles, Rai Benjamin will race over barriers for the first time since finishing second in Doha. 

The TV window closes with the 200 meters. The women's race includes America's most decorated Olympian, Allyson Felix, high school phenom Shawnti Jackson, and also Miller-Uibo, the world leader at 400 meters, Gabby Thomas and Lynna Irby.

The men's race features Lyles, the world champion, taking on young pros Kenny Bednarek and Erriyon Knighton, and veterans such as Vernon Norwood and Ameer Webb.