Noah Lyles doesn’t like the one Olympic medal he has, a bronze he won in the 200 meters at the Tokyo Olympics. On Sunday, he took another step toward adding Olympic gold to his trophy case.
Lyles pulled away late to win the 100-meter dash. Fred Kerley and Kenny Bednarik also qualified for the Paris Olympics in the 100, while Christian Coleman did not.
The men’s 100-meter final was the main event on Sunday at the Olympic Track & Field Trials, where it was the evening’s final event at Hayward Field. Other finals on Sunday included the women’s 400 meters, men’s 3,000-meter steeplechase, men’s pole vault, men’s javelin and women’s hammer throw. The women’s 800 semifinals also were run, featuring American superstar Athing Mu.
USA TODAY Sports provided results from Sunday’s events in Eugene:
Noah Lyles is headed back to the Olympics.
The American sprinter, maybe the most charismatic track athlete in the world, won the men’s 100 meter final on Sunday evening at Hayward Field, advancing to the Paris Games. The defending world champion, Lyles is looking to earn his first Olympic gold next month.
Kenny Bednarek (9.87) and Fred Kerley (9.88) finished second and third, respectively. Christian Coleman, who was banned from the Tokyo Olympics because after missing numerous drug tests, was fourth at 9.93.
Lyles is also entered in the 200, and expected to be a key piece of the 4×100 team. The 200 final is scheduled for Saturday, June 29.
Kendall Ellis wins 400 to return to Olympics
Kendall Ellis won the 400 from lane eight.
Ellis sprinted down the home stretch and created a little distance between the competition to win the event with a personal-best time of 49.46.
Georgia’s Aaliyah Butler took second, running a personal-best 49.71. Alexis Holmes captured the final Olympic spot as she won the battle for third, running a personal-best 49.78.
At 16 years old, Quincy Wilson is running against adults nearly twice his age at the trials. But the massive age and experience gap isn’t phasing him. The 16-year-old broke his own under-18 world 400-meter record in the semifinal by crossing the line in a personal-best time of 44.59.
Wilson finished behind Bryce Deadmon (44.44) and Vernon Norwood (44.50), but his time was good enough to advance to the final.
“Today I just came out here, gave everything I had. I knew the last 100 was going to be hard,” Wilson told NBC. “I’m competing with them. I’m just thankful to be in this moment.”
Instead of kicking off the 2028 Los Angeles Games with swimming, track and field will go first and swimming will go at the end. It’s the first time since the 1968 Mexico City Games that the schedule has switched.
Track will take place at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, home of USC football.
“Athletics is our primetime event,” LA 2028 chairman Casey Wasserman said. “We’re starting off with a bang.” —Lindsay Schnell
Athing Mu advances to finals of 800m
Athing Mu won her 800 semifinal heat Sunday evening at Hayward Field, using a tremendous kick to overtake LSU’s Michaela Rose, advancing to the finals, scheduled for 10:32 p.m. ET on Monday.
The defending gold medalist, Mu ran a 1.58.84 in the event’s first heat (her personal best is 1:54.97). Kate Grace finished second at 1.58:97 and Rose, who won the NCAA title earlier this month, finished third at 1:59:00. The top two finishers in each heat, plus the next three fastest times, advance to the finals.
“This is exactly where I thought it would be, especially with who was in my race, specifically,” said Mu, who clocked the fastest semifinal time. “I’m really happy I won it that way because I know the final is going to be that pace or faster.”
Noah Lyles, Fred Kerley, Christian Coleman advance to 100 final
In a fast first semifinal heat, Courtney Lindsey and Fred Kerley both ran times of sub-10 seconds to advance to the final. Lindsey won with a 9.88 and Kerley was right behind him running a 9.89. Both times were wind-aided.
The second semifinal heat was even faster. Noah Lyles ran a wind-aided 9.80 to win. Kenny Bednarik got the other automatic qualifying spot with a 9.82.
Christian Coleman won the third semifinal heat, running a 9.86. Brandon Hicklin’s 9.95 was good enough for second.
Lyles younger brother, Josephus, didn’t advance past the semifinal.
How to watch the U.S. Olympic track and field trials on TV
Here is the TV broadcast schedule, according to NBC:
Sunday: 8:30-11 p.m. ET – Finals on Peacock, NBC
How to live stream the Olympic trials
All events will be streamed on Peacock, NBCOlympics.com, NBC.com and the NBC and NBC Sports apps.
Sunday’s schedule for U.S. Olympic track and field trials
Here’s the schedule for Sunday night and for the rest of the meet:
(All times Eastern)
- 8 p.m.: Women’s hammer throw final
- 8:45 p.m.: Men’s pole vault final
- 8:48 p.m.: Men’s 100-meter semifinals
- 9:10 p.m.: Women’s heptathlon shot put
- 9:11 p.m.: Women’s 800-meter semifinals
- 9:35 p.m.: Men’s 400-meter semifinals
- 9:40 p.m.: Men’s javelin final
- 9:58 p.m.: Women’s 400 meters final
- 10:07 p.m.: Men’s 3,000-meter steeplechase final
- 10:26 p.m.: Women’s heptathlon 200 meters
- 10:49 p.m.: Men’s 100 meters final
Usain Bolt still fastest man ever
Noah Lyles might currently own the fastest man in the world crown, but Usain Bolt remains the fastest man ever.
The Jamaican superstar still holds the world record in the 100 with a time of 9.58. He set the world record in 2009. It’s the only 100-meter time in history under 9.60. Bolt owns the three fastest 100-meter times ever (9.58, 9.63 and 9.69).
Bolt retired from track and field in 2017 with eight Olympic gold medals and 11 world championship golds. — Tyler Dragon
Anna Hall takes early lead in heptathlon
Heptathlon favorite Anna Hall is leading after two events.
Hall is on top of the standings with 2,077 points following the 100-meter hurdles and high jump. Chari Hawkins (2,074) and Taliyah Brooks (2,046) are second and third, respectively.
The women will compete in the shot put at 9:10 p.m. ET and 200 at 10:26 p.m. ET. — Tyler Dragon
Josephus Lyles advances to semis
Noah Lyles will have some company in the 100 semifinals. His younger brother, Josephus.
Josephus finished fourth in his heat and equaled a season-best 10.10 in the opening round of the 100 meters to advance to Sunday evening’s semifinal round. Josephus will be in the first semifinal heat in lane three.
Noah, who had the top qualifying mark in the 100 at 9.92, is in the second heat.
The 100 semifinals are scheduled for 8:48 p.m. ET. — Tyler Dragon
Who has qualified for U.S. Olympic track and field team for Paris
With four more finals held Saturday, the roster for Team USA continued to grow. Here’s a look at the athletes who have qualified for Paris through Day 2:
Men’s 10,000
1. Grant Fisher, 2. Woody Kincaid, 3. Nicolas Young
Women’s triple jump
1. Jasmine Moore, 2. Keturah Orji, 3. Tori Franklin
Men’s shot put
1. Ryan Crouser, 2. Joe Kovacs, 3. Payton Otterdahl
Men’s decathlon
1. Heath Baldwin, 2. Zach Ziemek, 3. Harrison Williams
Women’s 100 meters
1. Sha’Carri Richardson, 2. Melissa Jefferson, 3. Twanisha Terry
