Felix, Bowie, McCorory and Stowers Lead the Way
By Scott Bush
The women's sprints and hurdles at the USATF Outdoor Track and Field Championships are simply loaded. Three of the five sprint/hurdle races have at least six of the top ten fastest women in the world this season, while another has three of the top four. These are going to be some memorable races in Eugene.
Women's Sprints/Hurdles
100m
At last year’s USAT Outdoor Track and Field Championships, Tori Bowie was supposed to break out, win a national title and continue on her historic season, becoming one of the very tip-top sprinters in the world. While injury slowed the progress of Bowie’s rise, she’s back in 2015 on a mission.
Bowie currently ranks third fastest in the world over 100m and clearly enters as the pre-race favorite heading into Eugene. While she certainly needs to work to capture the U.S. title, her top-end speed is clearly the best in the field.
While Bowie enters as the favorite, it’s defending champion Tianna Bartoletta fans need to keep an eye on. Bartoletta will focus in on the 100m really for the first time this season, spending much of the early part of the year fine-tuning her long jump performances (where she’s also the favorite this weekend). Bartoletta brings versatility and knows how to handle the rounds.
Former University of Oregon standout English Gardner and current Oregon sensation Jenna Prandini are two of the most notable challengers. Gardner is having a rebound year after a sub-par 2014 season. Gardner won the B-heat of the 100m at the Prefontaine Classic, then came back to win the adidas Grand Prix 100m race and currently ranks fourth fastest in the world.
For Prandini, her 10.92 best ranks her seventh fastest in the world. She’s clearly peaked and ready, coming off a NCAA Outdoor Championships showing where she won the 100m crown over a very strong field. She’ll be the hometown favorite this weekend.
Other notable entries include top twelve-ranked Muna Lee, former American champion Carmelita Jeter and fellow veterans Jeneba Tarmoh, Shalonda Solomon and Barbara Pierre. The fight for a top three finish shall be fierce.
200m
One of the top races of the weekend promises to be the women’s 200m final. The field is stacked with talent, as seven of the top ten fastest athletes in 2015 are entered in this event.
Olympian Allyson Felix leads the charge, as she starts her drive to the World Championships in Beijing. Felix is on a tear this season and enters with the fastest time in the world this season after she ran 21.98 to win the Diamond League meeting in Doha earlier this year.
Similar to the 100m event, Tori Bowie looks to make the U.S. World Championship team. Bowie enters ranked top five in the world after her winning effort at the adidas Grand Prix with a seasons best of 22.23.
Felix and Bowie take on a rush of young collegiate talent ready to make their mark at the pro level. Reigning NCAA champion Dezera Bryant of Kentucky beat one of the fastest 200m fields in NCAA history, winning in 22.18, the third fastest time in the world this season.
Bryant’s fellow collegiate stars include Jenna Prandini of Oregon, Kamaria Brown of Texas A&M and Kyra Jefferson of Florida. The trio ran to 2-3-4 finishes in Eugene at the NCAA Outdoor Championships, each running between 22.21-22.24. Jefferson is especially once to watch having just finished only her sophomore season at Florida.
Rounding out the top ten ranked athletes in the field, veteran Jeneba Tarmoh is ready to shine. She’s come up big meet after meet this season, having beat training partner Felix in Birmingham (UK) earlier this year and currently ranks eighth fastest in the world with a 22.29 clocking.
The rounds will tell a lot and Team USA is going to have one heck of a 200m squad heading to Beijing.
400m
As loaded as the 200m event is, the 400m is the marquee event of the weekend on the women’s side. Seven of the top ten fastest athletes in the world are entered, including the top three of Francena McCorory, Sanya Richards-Ross and Allyson Felix.
McCorory, who’s the defending national champion, owns four of the top eight fastest marks in the world this year, and comes off a big win at the adidas Grand Prix earlier this month, where she ran her world-leading time of 49.86.
At the Pre Classic at the end of May, Felix outbattled Richards-Ross for the victory in a tightly contested one-lap contest in Eugene. While Felix scored the victory there, it was her only major 400m race up to this point, while Richards-Ross owns two of the top eight fastest times in the world, seeks to regain her national title status after a runner-up finish in 2014 and owns a major victory with her world #2 performance of 49.95 at the Jamaica International Invitational earlier this season.
Not to be overlooked, Natasha Hastings should be in the mix for top three. The Olympian is ranked seventh fastest in the world with a seasons best of 50.67, coming off a third place finish in Rome.
Collegiate stars are abound, too. Reigning NCAA champion Kala Funderburk of Florida State looks to build off her big-time victory in Eugene earlier in the month, while Miami’s Shakima Wimbley and Texas’ Courtney Okolo are also entered with the eighth and ninth fastest times in the world this year.
Don’t forget darkhorse Phyllis Francis, who lives and trains in Eugene. She leads a pack of experienced stars who could easily run their fastest time of the season and either sneak into the top three or at least earn a spot on the 4x400m relay squad.
110m Hurdles
One of the best events over the past few seasons is the women’s 100m hurdles. Americans continue to dominate this event and the stars will be out in Eugene this weekend, as six of the top ten fastest athletes in the world compete for a spot on the Team USA roster.
Leading the charge is defending champion Dawn Harper-Nelson, who enters with a 12.35 seasons best and is running incredibly strong as of late. Harper-Nelson had a slower start to her season, but is starting to peak at the right time.
One month ago, Jasmin Stowers would have easily laid claim to pre-race favorite status. Stowers owns the top three fastest marks in the world this season, but after a trip up in a race and a DQ, she’ll need to find her rhythm in the early rounds if she hopes to grab the national title from Harper-Nelson.
Similarly, Sharkia Nelvis is having a monster season, as she owns the 4-7 fastest times in the world this year. Arguably the most surprising athlete in the hurdles globally this season, Nelvis has scored big wins at the adidas Grand Prix and in Rome and Ostrava. Similar to Queen Harrison last year, she could quietly sneak up and grab top prize.
Speaking of Harrison, who was runner-up at last year’s championships, she’s off to a little slower start this season, owning a seasonal best of 12.71, but you can never discount Harrison when a championship rolls around. She’s out to prove she’s the best in the United States.
Two others to keep a close eye on are American record holder Brianna Rollins and NCAA champion Kendra Harrison. Rollins has a seasons best of 12.63 and can never be counted out, while Harrison has run 12.50 this season (#2 in the world) and owns four of the 15 fastest marks. She’s coming off a dominant year at Kentucky and is well prepared to handle the rounds in Eugene.
Similar to the women’s 400m, this is a must-see race!
400m Hurdles
Youth meets experience (although youthful experience) in the women’s 400m hurdles. At the NCAA Outdoor Championships earlier this month, Shamier Little (Texas A&M) bested Kendra Harrison (Kentucky), as the two put on a show at Hayward Field, running the fastest and second fastest times in the world this season. The collegiate sophomore Little scored the victory in 53.74, while Harrison ran 54.09.
While the two collegiate stars own the fastest times of the year to date, Olympian Georganne Moline has run three of the ten fastest times in the world this year and is arguably running the best she’s ever run. She’ll look to move one spot up after finishing second in 2014 and will certainly look to lower her seasonal best of 54.29.
Defending champion Kori Carter owns a seasonal best of 55.12, but can’t be overlooked. While Carter hasn’t been the most consistent of athletes over the past two years, she can surprise and pull off the upset victory.
Cassandra Tate and Tiffany Williams are two others for fans to watch. Tate ranks top ten in the world wit her best of 54.73. The training partner of Jasmin Stowers, Tate finished third in 2014.
