Melissa Jefferson-Wooden, Kenny Bednarek Shine In 100m At USTAF Championships
Jefferson-Wooden clocked 10.65 seconds, while Bednarek produced an effort of 9.79 seconds, to win the 100m at the US Championships, and seal spots for Tokyo's World Championships.
Melissa Jefferson-Wooden and Kenny Bednarek soared to victories in the 100m at the US Championships in Oregon on Friday, securing their spots at Tokyo's World Championships in spectacular style.
Emerging US talent Jefferson-Wooden delivered a breathtaking performance in the women's 100m at Eugene's Hayward Field, crossing the finish line in a world-leading 10.65 seconds.
This remarkable time places Jefferson-Wooden among the elite, tying her with Marion Jones, Shericka Jackson, and reigning 100m world champion Sha'Carri Richardson as the fifth-fastest woman ever.
The 24-year-old from South Carolina now stands as the clear favorite for the World Championships in Japan, where she will pursue her first major title after earning a bronze medal in the 100m at the Paris Olympics last season.
'I've been dreaming of days like this, and it's finally starting to come true," Jefferson-Wooden told reporters, expressing her disbelief at joining the ranks of the all-time greats in the 100m. 'It's surreal. It doesn't actually sound real. You look at all these races, all these amazing women who have accomplished these things — me being part of that list is actually kind of crazy."
'I'm happy with the time, happy with the performance," Bednarek said. 'I definitely have way more in the tank. I already knew I was in this kind of shape — I just needed to let one rip, and I did."
Cramps and more
Bednarek revealed that his race nearly fell apart due to cramping mid-race. He barely had time to react to the problem before powering through to victory.
'When something like that happens, you say 'Screw it, I'm going,'" Bednarek said. 'You just gotta keep going."
However, there was disappointment for 2019 world champion Christian Coleman, who finished fifth and missed out on qualifying for Tokyo.
Coleman qualified for Friday's final just hours after news broke that he had allegedly been assaulted by girlfriend Sha'Carri Richardson at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport on Sunday.
Elsewhere on Friday, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone hinted at her readiness to extend her dominance from the 400m hurdles to the 400m flat with a commanding victory in the opening heats.
The 25-year-old has remained unbeaten over the 400m hurdles since 2019, earning back-to-back Olympic gold medals and a 2022 World Championship gold.
However, McLaughlin-Levrone is focusing on the 400m at the US Championships, apparently choosing to skip the 400m hurdles at the Tokyo World Championships.
McLaughlin-Levrone was always in control on Friday, finishing first in her semi-final heat with a time of 49.59 seconds, several meters ahead of second-placed Lynna Irby-Jackson, who clocked in at 50.59 seconds.
While McLaughlin-Levrone anticipates Saturday's final with confidence, her 2021 Olympic 4x400m relay teammate Athing Mu-Nikolayev faced disappointment.
Mu-Nikolayev, who won Olympic 800m gold in Tokyo and followed it up with a world title a year later, was eliminated in her 800m semi-final.
The 23-year-old looked strong in the opening round on Thursday, qualifying second fastest, but could only manage fourth place on Friday with a time of 1 minute 59.79 seconds.
Despite the setback, which ended her hopes of qualifying for the World Championships, Mu-Nikolayev remains optimistic about her future prospects.
'I think that's helpful for what I need going for (the) next couple of years. Everything's not going to be pretty, everything's not going to be perfect," she said.
With AFP Inputs
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