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Preview - Men's Events - Toyota USATF Outdoor Championships 2022

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DyeStat.com   Jun 23rd 2022, 3:04am
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By Doug Binder, DyeStat Editor/John Nepolitan photos

The competition will serve as a selection event for the World Athletics Championships Oregon22 - the first of its kind to take place on U.S. soil in Eugene, Oregon July 15-24.

WEBCAST INFO

Men's 100 Meters 

World Championships wild card – Christian Coleman, 2019 World Champion

Christian Coleman said in Wednesday's press conference that he does plan to compete and race in as many rounds as he can, primarily as a rehearsal for the World Championships next month. It's unclear whether Coleman is actually the favorite. Fred Kerley was the Olympic silver medalist last year and the field includes eight sprinters who have broken 10 seconds. One of them, University of Oregon sophomore Micah Williams (9.86), will be looking to rebound from a disappointing performance at the NCAA Championships two weeks ago. Trayvon Bromell, who won the Prefontaine Classic 100 meters in 9.93 seconds and beat Kerley and Coleman to do it, has the combination of experience and momentum that could be tough to beat. 

Men's 200 meters

World Championships wild card – Noah Lyles, 2019 World Champion

 At 18 years old, Erriyon Knighton has already shown an incredible skillset for the 200 meters. Already an Olympic finalist, already the No. 4 performer of all-time at 19.49 seconds, Knighton could very well be on a trajectory to a global medal -- even gold -- next month. But it's also not going to be easy. Reigning world champion Noah Lyles ran 19.61 in New York City less than two weeks ago and should certainly be seen as a co-favorite, but his spot on the World Championships is already secure. Kenny Bednarek is the Olympic silver medalist and raced to wins in Rome, Italy and Rabat, Morocco this month. Fred Kerley and Christian Coleman are also serious candidates to make the team in the 200 as well. Kerley will be highly motivated after finishing fourth at the Olympic Trials last year. Georgia's Matthew Boling, the 2021 NCAA indoor champion, has a chance to get valuable experience and could make some noise as well.  

Men's 400 meters

World Championships wild card – Michael Cherry, 2021 Diamond League champion

Anybody who saw Michael Norman close the final 100 meters at the Prefontaine Classic, where he ran 43.60, has to figure that he is on a mission to correct previous disappointments in 2019 and 2021. Michael Cherry, a 4x400 Team USA relay teammate of Norman last summer, has an automatic berth due to winning the Diamond League title. That opens the opportunity, as in the 100 and 200, to a fourth U.S. spot.  Two-time NCAA champion and Olympian Randolph Ross, who is reportedly following his father to Tennesee, has exciting potential and said he believes he is ready to run even faster than the 44.13 that he ran at Hayward Field two weeks ago. Champion Allison of Florida, Bryce Deadmon (Nike), Vernon Norwood (New Balance) and Georgia's Elija Godwin all bring strong credentials to the event.  

Men's 800 meters 

World Championships wild card – Donavan Brazier, 2019 World Champion

Despite an injury that might preclude him from competing at the World Championships next month, Donavan Brazier said he plans to compete at the U.S. championships. Brazier's health has been an ongoing concern early in the American record holder's pro career, especially after not making the U.S. roster for the Olympics last summer. Bryce Hoppel and Isaiah Jewett, both young Olympians last summer, are gaining maturity and experience and could earn return trips to Team USA. Clayton Murphy, the 2016 Olympic bronze medalist, is rounding into form and can't be counted out. Isaiah Harris, Derek Holdsworth and Texas A&M's Brandon Miller are also lurking and all it would take is a big final kick to put one of them on the team.   

Kentucky high school standout Cade Flatt is an intriguing entry and has twice come close to breaking the 26-year-old high school national record of 1:46.45. 

Men's 1,500 meters

Cole Hocker said he believes he is in better shape than he was in 2021 and if that's the case, then he's the man to beat. Hocker, at 20, was sixth in the Olympic final last summer and he plans on using every bit of his home-track advantage this week, and ideally, next month. He can walk from his doorstep to Hayward Field. Former Oregon teammate and training partner Cooper Teare, the U.S. leader in the 1,500 this spring (3:34.81), has the same advantages, plus extra motivation of missing the Olympic Games in the 5,000 meters last year by one spot. Yared Nuguse used an impressive kick to win the 1,500 at the Portland Track Festival (3:34.98) and just became one of the newest members of the On Athletics Club. Nuguse made the Olympic team last summer and was unable to compete in Tokyo due to injury. He appears ready this time. Colby Alexander, Sam Prakel, Henry Wynne, Vincent Ciattei and Johnny Gregorek are all veterans who may feel that their time is now, especially with the absence of 2016 Olympic champion Matthew Centrowitz, who is recovering from surgery. First-year pros Hobbs Kessler and Christian Noble are also ones to watch.

Men's 3,000-meter Steeplechase

In a fast NCAA final, Montana State's Duncan Hamilton and Georgetown's Parker Stokes ran 8:18 to put themselves into the discussion of possible U.S. team prospects. But American Distance project runners Hillary Bor (8:12.19) and Benard Keter, the 11th-place finisher at the Olympic Games, have the proven consistency and experience to finish at the top. Olympian Mason Ferlic believes he has what it takes to be on the team as well. Brian Barazza and Travis Mahoney have run under 8:20 also. 

There will be considerable sentiment behind Evan Jager, who is making his way back from injury and a protracted loss of competition, but carried the torch for the U.S. in this event for a decade and is the American record holder.  

Men's 5,000 meters

Paul Chelimo is a two-time Olympic medalist in the 5,000 meters, and despite not having shown much in 2022 so far, should be near the top if he's healthy. 

Grant Fisher has enjoyed a record-breaking year in both the 5,000 and 10,000, and he's had three weeks' rest after punching his first ticket on the U.S. team in the 10,000 meters. Bowerman TC teammate Sean McGorty is also going to try make the team in a second event. And another Bowerman TC teammate, Woody Kincaid, is aiming to make the team again after going to Tokyo. 

Young guns such as Cole Hocker, Cooper Teare, Conner Mantz and Northern Arizona's Abdihamid Nur are also among the challengers. It's the deepest the U.S. has ever been in this event.   

Men's 110-meter Hurdles 

World Championships wild card – Grant Holloway, 2019 World Champion

The stunning 12.84 turned in by Philadelphia Eagles free agent Devon Allen will only heighten the already sky-high expectations for this event. World champion Grant Holloway has a free pass to the U.S. roster, but will surely want to perform well and build confidence into July. New NCAA champion Trey Cunningham of Florida State is ready to take his spot in the hierarchy of U.S. hurdling as well. And Daniel Roberts, a semifinalist in Tokyo, is also looking for a spot. Good thing the U.S. can take four.   

Men's 400-meter Hurdles

If Rai Benjamin is over the COVID-19 that prevented him from running at the Prefontaine Classic, then he would seem to be a safe bet to return to the U.S. roster. Benjamin, of course, finished with the Olympic silver medal last year in one of the most incredible hurdles races of all-time. It's a bit open behind him, and one athlete eager to show what he can do is NCAA Division 2 standout Trevor Bassitt, who made the U.S. world indoor team in the 400 meters and took silver. Quincy Hall, David Kendziera, Khallifah Rosser and Aldrich Bailey, Jr. have reasons to believe they can make the team as well.   

Men's High Jump

JuVaughn Harrison's recent victory in Rome's Diamond League meet should give the Olympian and two-event star some confidence that his vertical jumping is back on track. He jumped 7-7.25 (2.32m). Vernon Turner from Oklahoma is the co-U.S. leader but has not been consistent and was fourth at the NCAA Championships. Darryl Sullivan and Shelby McEwen, both Olympians last summer, could both meet Harrison at wherever the deciding bars rise to.   

Men's Pole Vault

World Championships wild card – Sam Kendricks, 2019 World Champion

Sam Kendricks may be the reigning world champion, but Chris Nilsen is the current Olympic silver medalist and has been the most impressive vaulter in the U.S. recently.  Kendricks' status has been a bit of mystery this spring and he has only competed outdoors once. 

KC Lightfoot tied for fourth in the Olympics last year and Matt Ludwig was a late addition to the U.S. team after Kendricks was forced into a quarantine in Tokyo.  Zach McWhorter, Andrew Irwin and Clayton Fritsch are all contenders to make the team. 

Men's Long Jump

Marquis Dendy is the current U.S. leader and popped a wind-aided 27-7.25 (8.41m) at Chula Vista in May. He also won a bronze medal at the World Indoor Championships. 

But as JuVaughn Harrison adjusts to pro track and field and masters the balance between his two events, he could become the dominant longer jumper in the U.S. He was fifth at the Olympic Games last year summer, the best by an American. 

Georgia's Matthew Boling, who focused on sprints at the NCAA Championships, is entered in the long jump. He was third at the NCAA Indoor meet but only jumped once outdoors all season. 

Steffin McCarter, Brandon Hicklin, Damarcus Simpson and Rayvon Grey are in the hunt as well. 

Men's Triple Jump 

World Championships wild card – Christian Taylor, 2019 World Champion

Christian Taylor has spent the year rehabilitating his Achilles' heel and rebuilding his confidence after missing out on the long-awaited Olympics last summer. He was seventh June 18 at the Paris Diamond League meet. Fortunately for Taylor, he has a bye as the reigning world champion. The two-time Olympic gold medalist continues to pursue his dream of a world record, but first he has to get back to the old Christian Taylor. Veteran Will Claye was fourth at the Olympic Games and will contend for the U.S. title with Donald Scott, the World Indoor silver medalist. Chris Benard, a two-time Olympian, is in line to make the team as well. 

Men's Shot Put 

Ryan Crouser is the two-time Olympic champion, the world record holder, and should be the cornerstone of World Athletics marketing with the Championships coming to his home state. 

Crouser deserves attention any time he throws because he has been in the 23-meter realm numerous times and the world record he set last year likely won't be his last. 

The privilege of the wild card belongs to Joe Kovacs, who won the the greatest (and closest) shot put competition in World Championships history in 2019 by one centimeter (lifetime-best 22.91m).  

The deepest country in the world in this event should be on display this weekend. Payton Otterdahl and Darrell Hill are the most likely to make the top four, but NCAA champion Adrian Piperi from Texas, Josh Awotunde and Jordan Geist will be gunnig for it as well.   

Men's Discus  

Sam Mattis seems secure at the top of this event after throwing a career-best 225-4 (68.69m) in May. He's one of two U.S. throwers who made the Olympic team last year, along with Reggie Jagers, the 2018 U.S. champion. 

After those two, Andrew Evans, Kord Ferguson and Brian Williams seem like the next in line to try and make the top three. All three have achieved the World standard of 66 meters.  

Men's Hammer 

Rudy Winkler was the top U.S. thrower in 2021 and broke the American record at Hayward Field at the Trials. He went on to take seventh in Tokyo. 

Winkler is coming into the prime of his career and could be tough to beat,  but this could be a very entertaining competition. Daniel Haugh and Alex Young are returning Olympians and Sean Donnelly has been throwing just as far as they have this year. 

NCAA champion Logan Blomquist from Southeast Missouri may be a couple of meters behind the top group, but he showed some pluck by pulling out the victory on his sixth throw. His training is modeled after Haugh's.  

Men's Javelin  

The U.S. has lagged behind in this event for a while, but there is a group coming up that is eager to break through and compete on the global stage. No Americans have achieved the World standard of 85 meters but six have gone past 80 meters. 

Curtis Thompson and Michael Shuey represented the country last summer in the Olympics and are the best bets to finish in the top three this weekend. Virginia's Ethan Dabbs has the best throw in the U.S. this year (82.92m/272-0), and Zach Holland from nearby Winston, Ore. has big dreams of making the U.S. team. Penn's Marc Minichello won the NCAA title and also has reason to believe. Tim Glover, at 31, has thrown past 80 meters twice this spring and could also be a factor. 



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