The USA Track & Field Outdoor Championships are set to begin a thrilling four-day showcase on Thursday at Hayward Field in Eugene, featuring a host of top-tier athletes, including reigning Olympic gold medalist Cole Hocker.
Hocker, who claimed victory in the 1,500 meters in Paris, will compete in a formidable field that boasts U.S. mile record-holder Yared Nuguse, 2025 NCAA champion Nathan Green, and Craig Engels, who previously trained in Portland with the Union Athletic Club.
The championships will run concurrently with the U.S. Para Athletic Championships, ensuring a weekend packed with excitement.
The action kicks off Thursday at 10:30 a.m. with the opening event of the decathlon, while the first field event—the preliminaries and finals of the men’s javelin—will take place at 1:20 p.m.
Other finals slated for Thursday include the women’s hammer, women’s javelin, men’s hammer, women’s long jump, and both the women’s and men’s 10,000 meters. The first preliminary round of the men’s 1,500 will also be contested on Thursday.
Thursday’s competitions will be streamed live on USATF.TV, while some events on Saturday and Sunday will be broadcast in a three-hour television window on NBC and streamed via Peacock starting at 1 p.m.
This year’s meet serves as a crucial qualifier for athletes aiming to represent the U.S. at the World Athletics Outdoor Championships, scheduled for September 13-21 in Tokyo.
Notably, athletes who triumphed in their events at the 2023 World Outdoor Championships have earned wildcard entries for this year’s championship in Tokyo, including three-time Olympic gold medalist Ryan Crouser, the world record-holder in the shot put.
Crouser, a fan favorite hailing from Gresham, will miss the championships due to an elbow injury.
One compelling event to watch is the men’s 10,000 meters, featuring Grant Fisher, a two-time Olympic bronze medalist who holds the U.S. record in the 10,000. Fisher is joined by Nico Young, the U.S. record-holder in the 5,000, and Woody Kincaid, a former University of Portland standout and two-time Olympian who captured the U.S. title in this event in 2023.
In the women’s 10,000 meters, Elise Cranny, Karissa Schweizer, and Emily Infeld are among the key contenders. Cranny, a two-time Olympian and the reigning U.S. champion, looks to fend off strong competition from Schweizer and Infeld, both of whom have national titles under their belts and have trained in Portland with the Bowerman Track Club.
Bryce Hoppel, the U.S. record-holder in the men’s 800 meters and a two-time national champion, faces stiff competition from Josh Hoey, the 2025 world indoor champion who has edged Hoppel in four outings this season.
Donavan Brazier, the 2019 world champion and former Union Athletics Club athlete, is making a promising return to form after a three-year foot injury layoff.
In the women’s 1,500 meters, defending U.S. champion and Olympic Trials winner Nikki Hiltz is set to face off against Sinclaire Johnson, who recently bettered Hiltz’s U.S. mile record earlier this month in London. Johnson, who trains in Portland, clocked an impressive time of 4 minutes, 16.32 seconds.
Athing Mu-Nikolayev, the sensation of 2022 when she won the U.S. title in the 800 meters and set the U.S. record in 2023, is expected to run, despite concerns raised about her performance at the recent Prefontaine Classic. If she is not at peak condition, it could pave the way for athletes such as Addy Wiley, Raevyn Rogers, and Ajee’ Wilson, with Wiley boasting a personal record of 1:56.83 seconds.
Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, the world record-holder and two-time reigning Olympic gold medalist in the women’s 400 hurdles, has chosen to compete in the open 400 this weekend, potentially challenging the longstanding U.S. record of 48.70 seconds.
Finally, Sha’Carri Richardson, the crowd favorite and 2024 Olympic silver medalist in the 100 meters, will compete in both the 100 and 200 meters. While she has faced injury setbacks this year, Richardson holds a wildcard entry to Tokyo after triumphing in the 100 at the 2023 World Championships.
With an action-packed schedule and a wide array of talented participants, this year’s USA Track & Field Outdoor Championships promise to be a thrilling event.
For the complete schedule and entries, fans can look forward to an extraordinary weekend in Eugene.
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