What a week in track and field. For Illinois XC athletes, it was putting the finishing touches on their summer mileage before school and official practice kicks off next week. The biggest story in track and field was all the action at the USA Championships. Any time a world team is on the line, the races are incredible. This year's edition was no different. The meet ended with maybe one of the best days of track and field I have ever witnessed. I will review the highlights from the Illinois meet, then recap the top results from the meet.
1. Courtney Lindsey Qualifies for Worlds
In what may be the best performance of his career, arguably the best performance of his career, the Rock Island native ran to a runner-up finish to arguably the hottest sprinter on the US scene at the moment, Kenny Bednarek. The big news for Illinois fans was that both Lindsey and Marcellus Moore (Plainfield North) made the final. However, the result for Lindsey shows that he has truly arrived not only on the US scene, but also on the world stage, and is a serious contender to make the final at the world championships in September.
Watch the race here: Kenny Bednarek brings it with personal best for 100m win at USATF Outdoor Championships | NBC Sports
2. Farewell Evan Jager
In what is quite possibly his final year as a competitive track athlete, as he has hinted at moving to the roads this year, the most prolific steeplechaser of a generation, possibly closed out his career with an exit in the semis this season. The Jacobs native is an absolute legend in the sport and one of the most accomplished distance runners in the country, having made world teams in both the 5k and the steeple throughout his career, and earned an Olympic medal to his name. When Jager took the risk to leave the University of Wisconsin after his freshman year and follow his coach to the pro ranks, many said he wasn't ready and didn't warrant the professional contract he received. He used that to fuel the fire and proved all the doubters wrong throughout his career. If this is the end, bravo, Mr. Jager. Bravo.
3. Dylan Jacobs goes for it.
Another Illinois athlete, Dylan Jacobs (Sandburg), made his presence felt in the 5k at the USAs. In a race won by another surprise inside move by Cole Hocker, Jacobs was in the mix the whole way. His first couple of years with the ON Athletics Club, under coach Dathan Ritzenhein, have been wildly successful, with a trip to the World Indoor Championships and a solid 8th-place finish at the USA Outdoor Championships in the 5k. I expect Dylan to continue improving in the next couple of years with Ritz, the former US 5k record holder, as his mentor, as well as with a slew of incredible athletes to train alongside.
4. The Greatest Day of Track and Field Ever?
Sunday at USA's, which was the 4th and final day of the national championships, was one of the most epic days I have ever witnessed. The day began with Rosin Willis winning a tactical women's 800m that saw a dive at the line by Sage Hurta-Klecker to make her first-ever national team. The race that followed is one of the greatest 800m races in history and will go down as the race that ushered in a new generation of track and field fans--more on that race below.
The 400 hurdles races went to form with Dalilah Muhammad, in her last year on the track, and Rai Benjamin winning the titles. Both athletes are stalwarts on these teams and are incredible athletes with a great chance to add to their already storied careers at the worlds.
The men's 5k followed, which ended in a ferocious last lap that saw Olympic 1500m gold medalist Cole Hocker once again using an inside move to win a title over Grant Fisher. Nico Young held off a charging Drew Hunter for the 3rd spot. By the way, how crazy is it that Grant Fisher, a two-time Olympic medalist, did not win a national title this year, but is one of the favorites to win gold in both of his events?
Up next was the women's 200 with Melissa Jefferson-Wooden continuing to prove she is a gold medal threat at worlds in both the 100 and the 200. The men's 200 followed and had the crowd buzzing after the shove was seen around the world and even discussed on ESPN the next day. Noah Lyles and Kenny Bednarek got into a tit for tat after the race that has been dissected and debated on every track and field media site around the world. Is there beef there? Most definitely.
Shelby Houlihan won the women's 5K... no comment. The final race of the day saw another major upset with Auburn's Ja'Kobe Tharp taking down the field, and Trey Cunningham missing out on the world team. What a day. But the biggest race was...
5. THE MEN'S 800 at USA's: THE GREATEST HIGH SCHOOL PERFORMANCE EVER
I remember watching Alan Webb storm down the track in high school, running a 3:53 mile to break Jim Ryun's storied record. I remember watching the young collegian Andrew Wheating charging down the homestretch of the old Hayward field and finishing 2nd to Nick Symmonds in what was considered one of the greatest 800 races ever. This race, however, trumped them all. The pace was hot from the gun, with World Indoor Gold medalist Josh Hoey taking the field out with a swift 49.20 first lap. The pace would prove to be too much for him in the end.
Donovan Brazier, who hasn't competed in a US Championship in quite some time due to numerous injuries that many thought he would never return from, was charging down the homestretch for the victory with US record holder Bryce Hoppel in tow. Both looked like locks to make the team, but who would be the 3rd? High school sophomore, yes, a SOPHOMORE, Cooper Lutkenhaus came charging around almost the entire field in the last 200. The young Texan snuck by Hoppel right before the line and finished 2nd in 1:42.27 (U18 World Record), qualifying for the world championships as a 16-year-old about to start his junior year of high school.
This is the most incredible high school performance I have ever seen, and it's not even close. There have been many high school phenoms, such as Quincy Wilson, Allison Felix (the GOAT), and Alan Webb, among others, but no one has performed at this level so young. This race will go down in history. I still can't believe what I watched. Watch the race below and see for yourself. If you know someone who has never been into track, show them this race. Tell them to watch the high schooler. This was so special, it's hard to put into words what it means for this young man and the future of middle-distance running in the US.
MUST SEE FINISH: 16 year old, Brazier, and Hoppel combine for exhilarating men's 800m | NBC Sports
Sprints have always been a mix of emotions between alpha male competitors (Kirby Lee photo)