U.S. Championships: Melissa Jefferson-Wooden Wins National Title Over Gabby Thomas

Forbes

13 hours ago

Things continue to get "bigger and better" for Melissa Jefferson-Wooden. On Sunday, the 24-year-old added one more event to her roster in Tokyo, sweeping the 200-meter gold. She posted her lifetime best of 21.84 to win her third national title.
This win comes after Jefferson-Wooden clocked a new world lead in the 100-meter dash on the first day of the U.S. Track and Field Championships. Dominating the event from the start of the season, she managed to claim the title with ease, surpassing Kayle White in 10.65, her fifth fastest time ever.
After the 100-meter race, the sprinter moved on to the next "big thing," winning the 200-meter gold on the last day of the championships. This season, she is getting out of her comfort zone to "embrace" the 200-meter category. She edges out an impressive lineup, including 200-meter Olympic champions Gabby Thomas and Brittany Brown, as well as 25-year-old McKenzie Long, to create history on the tracks of Oregon. She is now the first athlete to sweep both 100-meter and 200-meter events at U.S. national championships since Torri Edwards in 2003.
In a surprising turn of events, Anavia Battle picked up silver in 22.13. Thomas, clocking a time of 22.20, claimed the third spot, ahead of Brown and Long in a photo review.
What Lies Ahead For Melissa Jefferson-Wooden?
The reigning bronze Olympic medalist in the 100-meter category, Jefferson-Wooden, has remained undefeated in the event for almost a year and currently holds the second position in the world rankings, as per World Athletics.
But this year, she has also significantly improved her performance in the 200-meter dash. She was a standout at the inaugural edition of the Grand Slam track meet, completing a three-for-three winning streak in Philadelphia, where she recorded her previous personal-best 200-meter time in 21.99. She surpassed Thomas to run the fastest 200-meter time recorded at storied Franklin Field.
Since claiming a gold medal in the 4x100-meter relay and a bronze in the 100-meter dash at the Paris Olympics, the sprinter has emerged as the next big thing for the U.S. team in individual events. Nonetheless, she will face tough competition in Tokyo next month.
In the 100-meter, Jefferson-Wooden will face Sha'Carri Richardson, who has a bye in the event as a reigning world champion. Gabby Thomas, who faced an Achilles injury ahead of the USTAF championships alongside the demanding schedule of being an Olympic champion, will also look forward to regaining her dominance in the 200-meter.
'There are girls out here who are hungry, and they're making a name for themselves. I need to be able to compete with that. Today definitely reminded me of that.'
Julien Alfred, who has continued to maintain her momentum since last August, will undoubtedly be a significant threat in both events. However, for Melissa Jefferson-Wooden, 'the sky is the limit' this season, and she will aim to continue adding more titles to her name in Tokyo.