Top U.S. Athletes Prepare for World Championships in Eugene

Eugene, Oregon — The 2025 USA Track and Field Outdoor Championships kick off today, July 31, and will run until August 3 at Hayward Field. This event will shape Team USA for the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo starting September 2025.

At these championships, top U.S. athletes will battle for a limited number of spots, as each nation can send only three men and three women per discipline. Exceptions include wild cards, which are granted to current world champions, providing automatic entry regardless of performance at these trials.

This year, eight American athletes have secured wild cards, including Noah Lyles, who holds titles in both the 100m and 200m events, and Sha’Carri Richardson in the 100m. Olympic gold medalist Ryan Crouser will not compete due to injury.

The primary methods for athletes to qualify include meeting a performance standard and finishing in the top three at the trials, or achieving a high enough world ranking over a specified period.

Among the anticipated competitors is Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, the Olympic champion in the 400m hurdles, who is switching to the flat 400m this year. McLaughlin-Levrone aims to break the American record of 48.70 seconds, held by Sanya Richards-Ross, after her impressive 49.43-second performance last month.

“I’m trying to push my legacy, and I missed out on the opportunity last year due to injury. I’m excited to show what I can do,” McLaughlin-Levrone said.

Noah Lyles expressed determination to defend his titles. “I’m still the national champion. I don’t believe in giving up titles,” he stated prior to his race. Lyles holds the American record of 19.31 seconds in the 200m.

Additionally, several young athletes like Quincy Wilson, a gold medalist in the 4x400m relay, will also compete. Wilson recently broke an under-18 world record in the 400m with a time of 44.10 seconds.

The championships will be streamed live on NBC, Peacock, and USATF.TV. Fans can watch key events such as the women’s 400m final on Saturday and the men’s 200m final on Sunday. This weekend promises exciting matchups as American athletes vie for a spot on the prestigious world stage.