EUGENE — Athing Mu and Abby Steiner won with flashy finishes, while Emma Coburn rolled as the USA Track & Field Championships concluded on a hot afternoon Sunday at Hayward Field.
Mu, reigning Olympic gold medalist and U.S. record-holder, was challenged by veteran Ajee’ Wilson in the women’s 800 meters. In fact, Wilson appeared to pass Mu on the home straight about 50 meters from the finish line.
But Mu held her composure, retook the lead and won in 1 minute, 57.16 seconds..
Wilson crossed in 1:57.23. Former Oregon Ducks star Raevyn Rogers delighted a crowd of 3,577 by coming wide off the final turn to kick to third place. Rogers’ time was 1:57.96.
The late charge earned Rogers the final spot in the 800 for Team USA at the World Athletics Championships, July 15-24, also at Hayward Field.
Steiner, the Kentucky star who won the NCAA title in the 200 two weeks ago in collegiate record time, beat the professionals here and reset her personal record by separating herself late in the race.
Her time was 21.77, best in the world so far this year. Tamara Clark was second in 21.92.
Jenna Prandini, who starred collegiately at Oregon, appeared to be in great position off the turn. Prandini lost ground on the home straight, but held on for third in 22.01.
Coburn won her 10th national steeplechase championship in typical, no-fuss fashion. Coburn, 31, pulled away over the final two laps to win in 9:10.63.
She was followed across the line by NCAA champion Courtney Wayment in 9:12.10 and U.S. record-holder Courtney Frerichs in 9:16.18.
Frerichs, of the Portland-based Bowerman Track Club, ran most of the race after being spiked on her right foot, which split the shoe and bloodied her foot.
Mu, usually a dominant, wire-to-wire winner in the 800, fought off a strong challenge on the home straight from Wilson, a three-time Olympian.
“It was a race,” Mu said. “I just kept on running, kept on fighting. I wanted to win. … I definitely love being pushed. I’m happy I reacted the way I did.”
Rogers bided her time near the back of the pack most of the way, and caught fire as the runners roared down the stretch in front of the west grandstands.
“I just wanted to make sure I had enough to close, because at the end of the day I knew it was going to be a fast first 400,” Rogers said. “I wanted to make sure I could finish.”
Prandini didn’t finish like Steiner in the 200. But she earned her berth on Team USA by holding on after a strong start to crash the top three.
Prandini loves what she has seen of Steiner.
“She has proven herself all year, indoors, outdoors,” Prandini said. “She dominated the collegiate season. She is going to do great things at worlds.”
Coburn did what she does in the steeplechase while running her national championship victory total to double figures.
The real drama unfolded behind her, where Frerichs was trying to stay in the race and keep her shoe together after being spiked near the first water jump.
“It forced me into preservation mode,” Frerichs said. “I’m a little frustrated because I know I’m a lot better than that performance.”
Frerichs said she was in no pain, but could feel the air on her foot as she ran. It was dicey, because she couldn’t trust the shoe not to come apart. She changed her technique at the water barrier and hoped for the best.
It was enough.
Daniel Roberts claimed the men’s 110 hurdles in 13.03, finishing ahead of NCAA champion Trey Cunningham. Cunningham edged Devon Allen, the former UO two-sport star and crowd favorite.
Separating second, third and fourth place was tricky. Cunningham crossed in 13.08. Allen and Jamal Britt both were timed officially in 13.09, with Allen claiming third by 0.003.
Chase Ealey, the 2022 world indoor silver medalist, set a meet and Hayward Field record while winning the women’s shot with a throw of 67 feet, 3½.
Michelle Carter had owned the meet record of 66-5 since 2013. Valerie Adams had set the Hayward record of 66-1½, also in 2013.
Carter, incidentally, concluded her professional career Sunday with an eighth-place finish. The 2016 Olympic gold medalist was a seven-time national champion.
Here are the results from the USATF Outdoor Championships.
— Ken Goe for The Oregonian/OregonLive
