Thursday was the last of three days without a morning session at the World Athletics Championships. Starting Friday, the morning sessions return and more medals are to be given out to some of the world’s best athletes.
Thursday night ended with a strong showing by the United States and Jamaica in the sprints.
Just like in the men’s 100-meter dash, Team USA swept the podium for the 200-meter version. Noah Lyles finished in first place, with Kenneth Bednarek and Erriyon Knighton in second and third, respectively.
In the women’s 200-meter dash, Jamaica’s Shericka Jackson took the gold and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce took second, a mirror image of the 100-meter race on Sunday.
In the men’s 5,000, Bowerman Track Club’s Grant Fisher and Mohammed Ahmed both qualified for Sunday’s finals.
A couple of athletes with college ties to Hayward Field showed their abilities on Thursday. Raevyn Rogers finished the qualifying round of the women’s 800 meters in 2:01.36, enough to go to the semifinals.
Later in the day, Emmanuel Ihemeje, who is competing for Italy after spening the school year competing as a Duck, qualified for the finals of the men’s triple jump finals.
In the men’s javelin, American Curtis Thompson finished the qualifying in eighth place, good enough for a spot in the finals.
Kenya is sending three members to the men’s 800-meter finals, which will be on Saturday.
Outside of the athletic competition, Oregon22 mascot Legend the Bigfoot is missing their head. Police are searching for the person who stole the head of the mascot, and an accredited photographer was removed from Hayward Field in connection to the incident.
LOOKING AHEAD
Some things to watch Friday at the World Athletics Championships in Eugene:
Winger’s farewell: Kara Winger is a nine-time U.S. champion and four-time Olympian in the women’s javelin. The 36-year-old from Vancouver is retiring at the end of this season but has one more major competition left, and it comes close to home in Friday’s javelin final. Winger had the fourth-longest throw in qualifying. The action starts at 6:20 p.m. (TV on USA).
Miller-Uibo the heavy favorite: Shaunae Miller-Uibo of the Bahamas is the one to beat in the women’s 400-meter final, but also watch for the Dominican Republic’s Marileidy Paulino. The United States was shut out of the final, which begins at 7:15 p.m. (TV on USA).
Norman’s time in men’s 400 final? The United States’ Michael Norman finished off the podium at the Tokyo Olympics, but he has been in top form this season. Other medal contenders in the men’s 400 include Great Britain’s Matthew Hudson-Smith, Grenada’s Kirani James and South Africa’s Wayde van Niekerk. The race is set for 7:35 p.m. (TV on USA).
Fireworks in store in women’s 400 hurdles? In one of the most anticipated events of these World Athletics Championships, Americans Sydney McLaughlin and Dalilah Muhammad will take the track for another showdown in the women’s 400-meter hurdles. McLaughlin is the reigning Olympic champion and world record-holder, but Muhammad previously owned the world record. The final is set for 7:50 p.m. (TV on USA).
