Deep Hurdle Fields Ones to Watch in Eugene
By Scott Bush
We break down all the events heading into the USATF Outdoor Championships in Eugene this week. Here we take a look at the top men in the sprints and hurdles, led by Justin Gatlin, LaShawn Merritt, David Oliver and Johnny Dutch.
Men's Sprints and Hurdles
100m
With defending world champion Justin Gatlin bypassing the USATF Outdoor Championships (due to the waiver rule, where he’s automatically entered in the event at the World Championships), the 100m event is open for the taking.
Former national champion Tyson Gay looks to get back on top of the podium after serving a doping suspension last year. He won the 100m event at the Prefontaine Classic in 9.88, showing he’s in fine form to challenge for the win.
Michael Rodgers, who won the U.S. title in 2014, finished second at the Pre Classic in a seasons best 9.90, one of his five sub-10 efforts on the season. Marvin Bracy, who won a big race in Beijing earlier this season and owns seasonal best times of 9.93 and 9.95 this season, joins Rodgers.
Baylor sophomore Trayvon Bromell comes off his runner-up performance at the NCAA Outdoor Championships and a best of 9.90, while experienced veteran Ryan Bailey looks to build off a 9.93 effort at the Jamaica International Invitational earlier in the season, a World Relays gold in the 4x1 and his runner-up effort at last year’s USATF Championships.
Fellow collegians join Bromell as possible top three contenders, as UT-Arlington’s Clayton Vaughn, Arkansas’ Jarrion Lawson and Clemson’s Tevin Hester all have competed well in the 2015 season.
200m
Justin Gatlin may not be in the 100m event, but he’s clearly the favorite in the 200m. Gatlin owns a world leading time of 19.68 heading into this weekend’s action and looks to make another statement as the World Outdoor Championships continue to get closer. Can he go sub-19.60?
Gatlin’s closest competition should come from University of Florida standout Dedric Dukes. Dukes comes off a runner-up finish at the NCAA Outdoor Championships, owns two of the top six times in the world this season, including the second best of 19.99. Dukes is a rising star in the 200m distance and has a chance to put a stamp on an already successful season and earn a trip to Beijing.
Americans own the top three best times in the world, with Ameer Webb backing up Gatlin and Dukes. While Webb needs to show consistency through the rounds in Eugene, he’ll challenge for a Team USA spot, along with fellow veterans Gay, Isiah Young, 2014 national champion Curtis Mitchell and Wallace Spearmon Jr.
Similar to the 100m dash, Bromell and Hester ran well at the collegiate level all season long and could pose serious threats to top three, while LSU sophomore Tremayne Acy finished just behind Bromell in fourth at the NCAA Outdoor Championships.
400m
Just like the 100m event, the 400m is notable in that the top three finishers (top four if LaShawn Merritt finishes in the top three) qualify for open spots on Team USA, but a few others will earn relay squad positions, so there are at least a handful of spots realistically up for grabs in Eugene.
Merritt leads the way, although since he won gold at the 2013 World Outdoor Championships, he gets a bye into the World Championships, meaning the top three finishers outside of him will run for Team USA. Merritt has slowly progressed this season and enters coming off a runner-up 44.51 effort at the Prefontaine Classic last month.
If anyone can challenge Merritt, it’s reigning NCAA champion Vernon Norwood. The LSU grad owns a best of 44.44, the fifth best time in the world, and ran the rounds exceptionally well at the NCAA Outdoor Championships.
Norwood is joined by fellow collegians Marcus Chambers of Oregon and Najee Glass of Florida, both capable of challenging for Team USA roster spots.
The most notable contenders after Merritt and Norwood are veterans Tony McQuay and David Verburg. The two own seasonal bests of 44.81 and 44.83 respectively and know what it takes to finish top three. 2014 national champion Gil Roberts, Manteo Mitchell, Brycen Spratling and Bryshon Nellum are others who should contend for a spot in the finals. Keep an eye on 2014 runner-up Josh Mance, Kyle Clemons and fan-favorite Jeremy Wariner, too.
110m Hurdles
The men’s 110m hurdles is one of the more loaded events at the USATF Outdoor Championships. Six of the top 15 hurdlers in the world are ready to challenge, including reigning world champion David Oliver. With Oliver having the waiver to compete at the IAAF World Outdoor Championships, Team USA brings four men to Beijing, but who will the other three be?
Oliver is the pre-race favorite, improving every time out this season. He finished third at the Pre Classic, won the Diamond League meeting in Shanghai and own five of the top 11 marks in the world.
Young pro Aleec Harris could be Oliver’s chief competition through the rounds. Harris got off to a great start to his season, picking up big wins at the Drake Relays and Jamaica International Invitational. He hasn’t been as dominant since, but should peak well in Eugene.
World record holder Aries Merritt is back on the fast track, coming off a runner-up performance at the Prefontaine Classic and third place in Shanghai. With a season’s best of 13.12, he’s back in form where he could easily take home top prize this weekend.
Adding to the depth of the field, three others enter with seasonal bests faster than 13.30. Ronnie Ash, Jeff Porter and Jason Richardson are ready to contend and consistent races throughout the prelims and final could see one or two of them earn trips to Beijing.
400m Hurdles
One of the most exciting races this coming weekend in Eugene, the men’s 400m hurdles hosts the top four fastest long hurdlers in the world this year. Johnny Dutch, who won the U.S. title in 2014, is on a mission to prove he’s the best in the world this season. Big wins in Rome and the Pre Classic show he’s ready to challenge for gold in Beijing.
While Dutch continues to roll on, veteran Bershawn Jackson owns the world’s fastest mark of 48.09, which came in a winning performance in Doha earlier this season. Jackson finished .02 behind Dutch at Pre for the runner-up spot and is healthy and ready to challenge for another national crown.
Of all the notable contenders, Michael Tinsley is the one to watch. Tinsley dominated the world last year in the 400m hurdles, showing both consistency and up-front speed. While he’s been extremely quiet this season, he does own a world number three best of 48.34, where he finished runner-up to Dutch in Rome.
The underdog in the field is recent Kansas graduate Michael Stigler. The reigning NCAA champion finished second at the USATF Outdoor Championships in 2014 and owns a best of 48.44. He owns five of the top 21 fastest times in the world this year and knows how to run the rounds well. Keep an eye on him.
One other notable veteran is Jeshua Anderson, who is ranked #12 in the world with a seasonal best of 49.12. While he’s far off the top four, he can certainly challenge for a top three spot and has shown he can compete when it matters most.
