byRBR AdminGlad to see Mt.SAC’s Hilmer Lodge Stadium back in action, and oh, it was in fine action last weekend! The sprints highlighted the weekend, but some smoking distance running, throwing and jumps as well.
Special thanks to USATF website for this coverage.
Fred Kerley smoked the 200m at the USATF Golden Games, held at Hilmer Lodge Stadium (Mt.SAC), photo by Kevin Morris
WALNUT, California — Four world-leading marks and a bevy of spectacular sprint and hurdle matchups entertained a large crowd Saturday afternoon at the USATF Golden Games at Hilmer Lodge Stadium on the campus of Mt. San Antonio College. Olympic and world champions and medalists topped the bill and enjoyed sunny and breezy conditions at the second stop on the World Athletics Continental Tour – Gold.
The culmination of the meet was a dream matchup in the Nike men’s 200m between the Olympic 100m silver medalist, Fred Kerley, the Olympic 400m hurdles silver medalist, Rai Benjamin, and the Olympic 400m fifth-place finisher, Michael Norman. As anticipated, it elicited a superb close finish, with Kerley getting the best of Norman, 19.80-19.83, and Benjamin claiming third in 20.01. Kerley’s time is the fastest in the world this year and just outside his lifetime best of 19.76.
Just 20 minutes after a personal best in the second of two fast 100s in the span of a couple of hours, Olympic bronze medalist Gabby Thomas dominated the women’s 200m to win in a U.S.-leading 22.02, .27 ahead of 2019 World Championships silver medalist Brittany Brown. Jenna Prandini nabbed third in 22.59.
Running the equal seventh-fastest collegiate time ever in all conditions, Oregon’s Micah Williams burst to the lead in the men’s 100m at the halfway mark and stopped the clock at 9.83w (wind +2.5). Brandon Carnes was the fastest out of the blocks and maintained well to claim second in 9.93w. Williams had a windy 9.96 (+3.1) to take the first heat, and Carnes won heat two with a legal 10.07.
A strong tailwind (+3.3) blew six women under 11 seconds in the Nike women’s 100m, led by TeeTee Terry, who crossed the line in 10.77w, the fastest all-conditions time in the world this year. Running without Jamaican Olympic champion Elaine Thompson-Herah, who had the fastest qualifying time but withdrew from the final, Javianne Oliver was out quickest but yielded the lead to Aleia Hobbs and Thomas before Terry eased past that duo. Hobbs took second in 10.80w, with Thomas third in 10.86w. Teahna Daniels, seventh at Tokyo last summer, placed fourth in 10.91w.
Three women dipped under 11 seconds in the first heat, led by Thompson-Herah’s world-leading 10.89, and three more rode an illegal wind under that barrier in heat two, topped by Briana Williams of Jamaica, who clocked 10.91w (wind +3.0).
Two-time Olympic finalist Devon Allen overtook a fast-starting Daniel Roberts at the sixth hurdle and powered on to win the men’s 110m hurdles in 13.35 into a light wind. Allen, who last week signed an NFL contract with the Philadelphia Eagles, held off Jamal Britt and Aaron Mallett, who took second and third in 13.44 and 13.48, respectively. Allen ran a wind-aided 10.12 in the heats of the 100m earlier in the afternoon.
World record holder and Olympic silver medalist Keni Harrison and Tonea Marshall got off to very quick starts and Marshall was best over the final five hurdles to win the women’s 100m hurdles in 12.46, the fastest time by an American in 2022. Harrison ended up second in 12.56, just in front of Tia Jones’ 12.59 in third to complete a Team USATF sweep of the podium spots. Earlier, Harrison had a wind-aided 12.42 to win heat two, while Marshall took the first section in 12.57, also wind-aided.
Diamond League champion Michael Cherry keyed off Olympic 200m silver medalist Kenny Bednarek through the early stages of the men’s 400m and rocketed off the last bend on his way to a world-leading 44.28, his third-fastest time ever. Brazil’s Alison dos Santos, the Olympic bronze medalist in the 400m hurdles, notched a lifetime best 44.54 in second and Bryce Deadmon was third in 45.13. Running his first 400m since 2019, Bednarek was fourth in 45.37.
Olympic bronze medalist and World Championships silver medalist Raevyn Rogers went through the first 400m of the women’s 800m in 58.56 and then started stretching her lead stride by stride on the way to a front-running win in 1:58.77, the fastest time by an American in 2022 and the second-fastest in the world. Rogers was the only woman to break 2:00, as Canada’s Lindsey Butterworth was second at 2:00.40.
All seven women in the 400m were even down the backstretch, fighting a healthy headwind, and coming off the final bend Jaide Stepter-Baynes had the fastest finish to take the win in 51.43 ahead of Shamier Little, who was second in 51.65. Former 400m hurdles world record holder Dalilah Muhammad was fifth in 52.60.
Sprinting past early leader Ryan Sanchez of Puerto Rico over the final 30m, Bryce Hoppel won the men’s 800m in 1:47.27. Sanchez had a good lead through 400m in 52.07, a second up on Hoppel, but the World Indoor bronze medalist kept pushing around the final bend to put himself in striking position and then made his decisive move halfway down the final straight. Sanchez held on for second in 1:47.58.
American record holder Valarie Allman had the seventh-best throw of her career and the seventh-best throw in U.S. history, sailing the women’s discus out to 69.46m/227-10 on her fourth attempt to win by more than 20 feet over Jorinde Van Klinken of Arizona State and the Netherlands.
Already the world leader in the women’s hammer, Brooke Andersen capped off a solid series with a 76.76m/251-10 to win by more than three feet over Camryn Rogers of Cal and Canada, who had a best of 75.73m/248-5 in round five. Andersen’s throw was the second-best in the world this year, behind only her own world leader. Janee’ Kassanavoid was third with a throw of 73.76m/242-0 to move to No. 7 on the 2022 world list. American record holder Rudy Winkler had four throws good enough to win the men’s hammer, hitting a U.S.-leading 79.11m/259-6 in the final round to win by almost 10 feet.
Vashti Cunningham had the best outdoor high jump by an American woman in 2022 and tied for the world outdoor lead, winning with a 1.96m/6-5 clearance. Cunningham had to take all three attempts at that height to go over, and she missed three times at 1.98m/6-6. Rachel McCoy was second with a best of 1.85m/6-0.75.
A fifth-round throw of 21.68m/71-1.5, the best outdoor performance by an American this season, lifted Darrell Hill to the lead in the men’s shot put and he held on to edge Josh Awotunde, who was second with a best of 21.63m/70-11.75. Tripp Piperi of Texas was third, hitting 21.52m/70-7.25. Keturah Orji, the American record holder, won the women’s triple jump by more than two feet with a wind-aided best of 14.53m/47-8 in round three.
Sam Houston State’s Clayton Fritsch won the men’s pole vault over Jacob Wooten on the basis of fewer misses, both men clearing 5.80m/19-0.25, and Olivia Gruver and Rachel Baxter tied in the women’s pole vault at 4.50m/14-9 after abandoning the jump-off process after four attempts.
Jamaica’s 2019 World Championships silver medalist Danniel Thomas-Dodd edged Jessica Woodard in the women’s shot put, hitting 18.92m/62-1 on her second attempt. Woodard’s best of 18.77m/61-7 came in round four.
Laquan Nairn of the Bahamas and Will Williams waged a back-and-forth battle in the men’s long jump, but Nairn had the last jump of the competition and made the most of it to span 8.22m/26-11.75 and pass Williams, who went 8.18m/26-10 on his final attempt. Williams held the lead through the first two rounds before Nairn’s 8.17m/26-9.75 in round three, and then regained it on his final jump before Nairn’s winning leap.
Completing a California hat-trick th
at saw him win three meets in just over a week on the West coast, Olympic champion Daniel Ståhl of Sweden took top honors in the men’s discus with a throw of 67.65m/221-11. Sam Mattis was the top American, placing fourth with a best of 63.71m/209-0.
Full results may be found here.
Next stop on the Journey to Gold is The Prefontaine Classic in Eugene, Oregon on May 27-28.
