The World Athletics Championships begin Friday, taking place on American soil for the first time ever in Eugene, Oregon.
In the 100-meter dash, Jamaica’s Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Elaine Thompson-Herah and Shericka Jackson are once again the ones to watch. Fraser Pryce has run the three fastest times this season, including a 10.67 in Nairobi and Paris.
She faltered at Jamaica’s nationals, though, failing to qualify for the final. She had to be named to the world championships as a wild card, but she enters as a four-time world champion in the event and the defending Olympic silver medalist.
Thompson-Herah is the defending Olympic gold medalist in both the 100m and 200m, having won both events in 2016 and 2020. But she has yet to win an individual gold medal at the world championships. She’s fast in Eugene, though, having won the last two editions of the Prefontaine Classic in Oregon with a 10.54 in 2021 and a 10.79 in 2022.
Both the decorated sprinters, though, need to watch for Jackson coming up behind them.
Jackson won the Jamaican trials in 10.77. An Olympic bronze medalist in the 100m, she could find herself in the winner’s circle in Oregon. And she’ll have an even better chance in the 200m, where she’ll go up against American Abby Steiner.
At 22 years old, Steiner will be making her Team USA debut at the world championships. Her best time this season is a blistering 21.77, which she ran in Eugene. Jackson, though, enters worlds with a 21.55 – the fastest time this year and the third-fastest in history.
Olympic champion Sydney McLaughlin will once again look to break the world record in the 400m hurdles after doing so at the U.S. championships in June with a time of 51.41. The only record she hasn’t owned in the event is the world championships record; she’ll have to beat a 52.16 set in 2019 by fellow countrywoman Dalilah Muhammad.
Muhammad will feature at worlds after earning a bye. She did not compete at last month’s U.S. championships due to a hamstring injury, but as the defending champion, she was permitted to use her bye by USATF.
Allyson Felix will be competing in her last world championships, having been named to the 4x400m mixed relay team.
Here are the key finals to watch as the action goes down. (All times listed in ET.)
Friday, July 15:
- 4x400m mixed relay — 10:50 p.m. on NBC Sports
Saturday, July 16:
- 10,000m — 3 p.m. on NBC
Sunday, July 17:
- 100m — 10:50 p.m. on NBC
Monday, July 18:
- Marathon — 9:15 a.m. on USA
- 1,500m — 10:50 p.m. on Peacock (delayed broadcast at 11:30 p.m. on USA)
Wednesday, July 20:
- 3,00om steeplechase — 10:45 p.m. on USA
Thursday, July 21:
- 200m — 10:35 p.m. on USA
Friday, July 22:
- 400m — 10:15 p.m. on USA
- 400m hurdles — 10:50 p.m. on USA
Saturday, July 23:
- 5,000m — 9:25 p.m. on NBC
- 4x100m relay — 10:30 p.m. on NBC
Sunday, July 24:
- 800m — 9:35 p.m. on NBC
- 100m hurdles — 10 p.m. on NBC
- 4x400m relay — 10:50 p.m. on NBC