Oregon 22 World Athletics Champs, Day Two: USA Men Sweep 100m medals as Kerley, Bracy, Bromell go 1,2,3!

This is the second-day column by Dave Hunter. Dave is writing a column each day on the 2022 World Athletics Outdoor Championships, July 14-25, 2022 in Eugene, Oregon. 

WC / Day Two: USA Men Sweep 100m Medals Kerley-Bracy-Bromell Go 1-2-3

July 16th, 2022

American sprinters and track and field fans love the men’s 100-meter dash. They view that event as their own personal property and that the top step on the men’s 100-meter podium is and should ever be the exclusive domain of American sprinters. In the 17 past World Championships, only 4 non-American athletes not named Usain Bolt have won the men’s World Championship 100-meter final. And they don’t want #5 to occur tonight.

The semi-final round in any 100m can be the event where an athlete might elect to send a “message”: an early ease-up; a late race glance back at an opponent; a wry winner’s smile after crossing the finish line; or even just simply stony silence.

But this semi was all business. And all four of the American sprinters looked sharp in earning automatic qualifiers to the final, which will close today’s Day Two events, with Trayvon Bromell (#2 on the WL) 2nd in his heat in 9.97; Fred Kerley (#1 on the WL) strolling to a 10.02 winning time in Heat 2 with defending World Champion Christian Coleman (10.05) a half-step behind; and finally, Marvin Bracy clocking 9.93 as the runner-up in his semi-final heat.

The final of the men’s 100 meters was placed to bring the curtain down on what has been a varied and exciting Day Two. In reviewing perhaps the most highly- populated crowd yet to attend the new, state-of-the-art Hayward Field, it has been clear that no one would be leaving until they witnessed the men’s 100-meter final.

After a fantastic dual jet fly-over with the finalists standing behind their starting blocks, the crowd was dutifully hushed as the 8 finalists settled into their blocks. At the crack of the gun, all four Americans got clean but incredibly efficient starts. It was an edge they rode to the finish line, with Kerley hitting the line first in 9.86, with Bracy 2nd and Bromell 3rd in identical times to the hundredth in 9.88. The 4th American and the defending champion Christian Coleman, who had the fastest start of the entire field, finished 6th in 10.01.

It didn’t take long for the USA trio – and even the fans in the stands – to run the gamut of emotions. The trio transformed from being focused to being stunned, to being jubilant, to be being overwhelmed by what had just transpired. An emotional Trayvon Bromell shared his thoughts. “It’s special, man,” said the bronze medalist wiping away the tears. “We all wanted the gold. We came to represent, man.”

But what about the USA and its love affair with the 100 meters? Does this incredible American medal sweep constitute a return to sprint greatness for the USA? Perhaps the newly-minted world champion said it best. “We said we were going to do it, and we did it,” proclaimed Fred Kerley. “USA, baby!” / Dave Hunter /

Trackside Tidbits

w10,000m / Final: The first 23 laps of the race were covered with Swiss watch precision as kilometers clicked off at a 3:04 / 3:05 per kilometer pace. American Karissa Schweizer found herself hanging with the world leaders, tucked in 9th place in a 9-person pack. With less than 2 kilos remaining, the tempo picked up as the leaders tightened the screw with each lap, testing the remaining opponents. With 2 laps remaining, the lead pack started to break up as the Ethiopian duo of Ejgayehu Taye, and Letesenbet Gidey went to work. The remaining pack disintegrated on the final circuit as Gidey and company had their eyes on each other – and the prize.

The final 200 meters was one for the ages

as Gidey downshifted into flight. Two-time world champion Hellen Obiri bolted to cover Gidey’s move. And Kenya’s Margaret Kipkemboi found another gear in her quest to stay in the medal hunt. Meanwhile, multiple-time Olympic and World champion Sifan Hassan, who had lingered mid-pack most of this race and was late to this party, was winding up for a final thrust over the last 150 meters. As the quartet roared down the final straightaway, the scene looked more like the finish of an 800m championship race. Gidey, the world record holder in this event, hit the line first in 30:09.94, with Obiri leaning in for 2nd in 30:10.02 and Kipkemboi (30:10.07) hanging on for the bronze – a mere .13 seconds separating the 3 medalists. Sifan – #2 on the all-time world list – left it too late and crossed 4th in 30:10.56. Schweizer finished 9th in 30:18.06 – a lifetime best. Her American teammates Alicia Monson (13th in 30:59.85) and Natosha Rogers (31:10.57 – a lifetime best) ) also performed well. In the mixed zone, the new champion shared what the victory meant to her. “

m400H / Prelim: In his preliminary round, reigning Olympic champion and world record-holder Karsten Warholm looked sharp (winning in 49.34) as there was no evidence of any lingering difficulties with regard to his mid-season hamstring injury. Other top performers included Brazil’s world leader Alison Dos Santos (a prelim victor in 49.41) and Americans Rai Benjamin (WL#2 at 47.04 and a prelim winner in 49.07 – fastest clocking of the day) and Trevor Bassitt (WL#3 at 47.47 who clocked 49.17 in today’s first round) and Khallifah Roser (prelim winner (48.62) all of whom earned big Q’s to advance to Saturday’s semi-finals

w100m / Prelim: Will this ultimately become the Showdown of the Jamaican Hairdos? It is starting to look that way. In the opening round, each of the 4 Jamaican women sprinters raced to automatic qualifiers and ensure their places in Sunday’s semi-finals. With her long magenta hair waving in the breeze, Shelly-Ann Fraser Pryce WL#1 clocked an easy 10.87 in winning her heat. Elaine Thompson Herah, sporting a orange hairdo, rang up an 11.15 to win her semi. Also looking sharp was Great Britain’s Dina Asher-Smith (10.84). The USA trio advanced as well: Twanisha Terry (10.95), Aleia Hobbs (a winner in 11.04), and Melissa Jefferson (11.03) all earned automatic qualifiers into the Sunday semi-finals.

wSP / Final: In what has to be considered an upset, USA’s Chase Ealey fired off a bomb on her initial put – a mark of 20.49m/67’23⁄4”. That opening heave would stand up throughout the competition and deny China’s Lijao Gong of yet another global medal. Ealey’s win produced USA’s first gold medal at these 2022 World Championships. Ealey’s teammates Jessica Woodard (18.67m/61’3”) and Maggie Ewen (18.64m/61’2”) finished 8th and 9th respectively.

mLJ / Final: Greece’s Miltiades Tentoglou made a valiant effort, but the reigning Olympic champion’s 6th round mark of 8.32m/27’33⁄4” missed the gold but earned him the silver. China’s Jianan Wang captured the gold with a season’s best leap of 8.36m/27’51⁄4. American athletes in the final were Steffin McCarter (8.04m/26’41⁄2” for 5th) and Marquis Dendy (8.02/26’33⁄4 for 6th)

m1500m / Prelim: Great Britain’s Josh Kerr, Australia’s Stewart McSweyn, and Norwegian and Olympic Champion Jakob Ingebrigtsen looked the sharpest in the opening rounds of the men’s 1500 meters. USA’s Cooper Teare failed to advance while his countrymen Joshua Thompson (3:39.10) and Johnny Gregorek (3:35.65) are automatic qualifiers for Sunday’s semi-final rounds.

w1500m / Semi-Final: Ethiopia’s Gudaf Tsegay, Great Britain’s Laura Muir, and rejuvenated Aussie and former Oregon Duck Jessica Hull looked most impressive in this semi-final round. American’s Corey McGee and Sinclair Johnson advanced while their teammate Elle St. Pierre did not. The final will be held on Monday.