Noah Lyles pips Kenny Bednarek to the 200m in Eugene (© Getty Images)
Noah Lyles ran a world lead of 19.63 to retain the 200m title, while Valarie Allman, Donavan Brazier and Rai Benjamin also made strong statements with their victories on the fourth and final day of US Championships action in Eugene on Sunday (3).
Lyles, who won both the 100m and 200m at the last edition of the World Championships in Budapest, warmed up for next month’s event in Tokyo by storming to another national title as he pipped US 100m champion Kenny Bednarek, 19.63 to 19.67.
After her 100m win on Friday, Melissa Jefferson-Wooden completed a sprint double with another PB performance. This time she clocked 21.84 (0.5m/s) for the second-fastest time in the world so far this season to win ahead of Anavia Battle (22.13) and Gabby Thomas, who was one of three athletes to clock 22.20 but placed third by one thousandth of a second.
Olympic champion Benjamin dominated the 400m hurdles to book his ticket to Tokyo, winning with another sub-47-second performance – 46.89 – to finish clear ahead of Caleb Dean (48.45) and Christopher Robinson (48.56). Former world record-holder Dalilah Muhammad clinched the women’s crown ahead of Anna Cockrell, 52.65 to 52.89.
Brazier continued his comeback with a blazing 800m victory. The 2019 world champion returned to competition in June after years of injury struggles and ran a PB of 1:42.16 to claim the national title and a spot for Tokyo – improving on his previous best of 1:42.34 set when winning that world title six years ago.
He will be joined at the World Championships by 16-year-old Cooper Lutkenhaus, who improved the world U18 best by more than a second with 1:42.27 to finish runner-up ahead of Bryce Hoppel (1:42.49) and move to second on the world U20 all-time list.
Two-time Olympic champion Allman set a championship record in the discus, throwing 71.45m and backing it up with 70.28m plus four other throws beyond 67 metres to confirm her great form as she heads to Tokyo on the hunt for a first world title. Laulauga Tausaga-Collins was second with 64.86m.
Valarie Allman celebrates her US title win in Eugene (© Getty Images)
Josh Awotunde saved his best until last to win the shot put, launching a PB of 22.47m in the final round to propel himself into top spot ahead of Payton Otterdahl (22.35m) and Tripp Piperi (22.29m). That pushed Joe Kovacs into fourth place, meaning the three-time Olympic and five-time world medallist will not feature on the US team for an outdoor global championships for the first time since 2013.
Two-time world indoor champion Sandi Morris won the pole vault ahead of world champion Katie Moon, 4.83m to 4.73m.
Back on the track, Ja'kobe Tharp took the 110m hurdles title in a PB of 13.01 in a close race ahead of Cordell Tinch (13.03) and Dylan Beard (13.03), with world champion Grant Holloway opting not to contest the final.
Roisin Willis won the 800m in 1:59.26.
