Dynamic but inconsistent sprint star Sha’Carri Richardson will not be on the U.S. 100m team for World Championships. On the opening night of the 2022 USATF Outdoor Championships, Richardson finished 5th in her heat in 11.31, well off her season best of 10.85, and not fast enough to advance to the semifinals. While the Dallas native is still entered in the 200, the early round elimination came as something of a surprise after Richardson finished 2nd at the 2022 Prefontaine Classic in May behind two-time Olympic 100m champion Elaine Thompson-Herah of Jamaica.
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21 years to the day after she competed at her first U.S. Championships, 13-time world champion Allyson Felix won her 400m heat and advanced to the semifinals. Felix spoke to On Her Turf earlier this week about her memories of those 2001 championships, where she was eliminated in the opening round the 200m (Marion Jones won the heat and went on to win the national title, of which she was later stripped). “My family found me somewhere in the stands and I was crying (because) I didn’t make the final,” Felix said. “And my brother (Wes) just looked at me like, ‘What did you think was going to happen? That you were going to beat Marion Jones? As a teenager?’” Felix will compete in the 400m semifinal Friday night on CNBC and Peacock.
In the women’s 400m hurdles, Tokyo Olympic champion and world record holder Sydney McLaughlin cruised through to the next round in 54.11. Reigning world champion Dalilah Muhammad announced Wednesday that she had received a waiver from USATF exempting her from competing in Eugene this weekend before claiming her bye to the Worlds team. The three-time Olympic medalist has dealt with a hamstring injury this spring.
Middle-distance superstar Athing Mu, who won gold in the 800m in Tokyo at age 19, also advanced in her event. Two-time Olympian Ajee Wilson, who had a major breakthrough this indoor season to win her first global title at 2022 World Indoor Championships, was the fastest qualifier in 2:00.37.
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In the men’s 800m, reigning world champion Donavan Brazier gutted out a win in his heat in 1:46.49, the fastest time of the round. Brazier, who has a bye to 2022 World Championships thanks to his win in 2019, revealed this week that he was dealing with bursitis in his right foot, and that he would take time after U.S. Championships to assess his fitness for Worlds. “He wants to represent himself and represent his country to the very best he can and if he doesn’t feel he can do that, we will shut him down,” his coach Pete Julian told reporters. Tokyo Olympians Clayton Murphy, Bryce Hoppel and Isaiah Jewett also advanced to the semifinals.
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Last summer, many raised eyebrows when 400m runner Fred Kerley dropped down in distance to contest the 100m. But he came away from Tokyo with an Olympic silver medal behind Italy’s Marcell Jacobs, and at the opening night of these championships, he looked to be back in podium-worthy form, running an easy 9.83 for the fastest time of the round, also a world lead. 2019 world champion Christian Coleman, back in action after missing the Tokyo Olympics while suspended for whereabouts failures (missed drug tests), won his heat in 10.08.
“You do kind of go into a shell,” Coleman told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution of his suspension earlier this year. “For the first time in my life this was something to not really be proud of. That part was tough. Eventually you come to terms with it and move forward and look forward to the future.”
Since he has the bye from 2019, Coleman doesn’t need to run all three rounds here in Eugene. His plans for the remainder of the 100m and the 200m, which starts Saturday, are still to be seen.
RELATED: 2022 USA Track and Field Outdoor Championships Results
National titles were handed out in multiple field events, with Brooke Andersen winning the hammer ahead of Janee Kassanavoid and Annette Echikunwoke, Quanesha Burks winning the long jump ahead of Jasmine Moore and Tiffany Flynn and Andrew Evans taking home this discus title, with Dallin Shurts second and Sam Mattis third. 2019 world hammer champion DeAnna Price will also be on the team for Worlds by virtue of her wild card bye.
Coverage continues tomorrow with Day 2 of the meet at 10pm ET on CNBC and Peacock. For full results throughout the weekend, click here.
How to Watch 2022 U.S. Track and Field Championships
| Day | Key Finals | Time (ET) | Network |
| Thursday | Women’s Hammer, Long Jump | 6:50-11 p.m. | USATF.TV |
| Friday | 100m, Women’s Pole Vault | 10 p.m.-12 a.m. | CNBC | Peacock |
| Saturday | 400m, 1500m, Women’s Hurdles | 4-6 p.m. | NBC | Peacock |
| Sunday | 800m, Men’s 400m Hurdles | 4-5 p.m. | NBC | Peacock |
| 200m, Men’s 110m Hurdles | 5-6 p.m. | USA | Peacock |
