Running News Daily

ATHLOS has announced a major change to its 2026 plans, confirming that the third edition of ATHLOS NYC will not take place as originally scheduled on October 2 at Icahn Stadium in New York City.

The decision marks a significant change for the rapidly growing women’s track and field series, which had been preparing to return to New York for another high-profile edition. ATHLOS said the move is part of a broader strategy to align its future events more closely with the global athletics calendar.

The organisation explained that it will not stage ATHLOS NYC in October 2026, with the goal of restructuring its schedule from the 2027 season onward. The new approach is intended to give the world’s best female athletes greater opportunities to compete in a healthier and more sustainable schedule while allowing them to perform at their peak.

When ATHLOS was launched, the series deliberately created a new competition window at the end of the traditional athletics season. However, as the event has grown, ATHLOS says it has become increasingly clear that its long-term home should be within the main international athletics calendar.

The cancellation of ATHLOS NYC, however, does not signal a retreat from the organisation’s global ambitions.

ATHLOS London remains firmly on the calendar for September 18, 2026, at StoneX Stadium in London, marking the series’ highly anticipated first event outside the United States. The London meeting is expected to bring together some of the biggest names in women’s athletics for what promises to be a spectacular night of elite competition.

ATHLOS has built its reputation around putting female athletes at the centre of the experience, combining world-class competition with significant prize money and an energetic event atmosphere. Its programme features several of the sport’s most exciting disciplines, including the 100m hurdles, 100m, 200m, 400m, 800m, mile and long jump.

While the decision to cancel the New York edition will come as a disappointment to fans who were expecting another major night at Icahn Stadium, ATHLOS insists that its commitment to women’s track and field remains stronger than ever.

The organisation is now turning its attention to London and to building a more sustainable international calendar from 2027. The latest decision could therefore prove to be less an ending than a strategic reset as ATHLOS looks to strengthen its position on the global athletics stage.

ATHLOS NYC may be absent from the 2026 calendar, but the series’ international ambitions are only getting bigger.

Sydney Vaught announced herself as America's newest national champion with a poised and tactical victory in the women's 10,000 meters at the USATF Outdoor Championships, claiming her first senior national title in a race that demanded patience, precision, and perfect timing.

Competing under the lights at New York City's Icahn Stadium, the former University of Arkansas standout mastered a slow-burning championship contest before producing the decisive move when it mattered most. Vaught crossed the finish line in 33:30.60, capping a performance built on tactical awareness rather than raw pace.

Unlike record-chasing races that unfold at relentless speed, this championship final evolved into a battle of positioning and race intelligence. The conservative early tempo kept the field tightly packed for much of the contest, leaving the outcome to be decided over the closing laps. Vaught remained composed throughout, refusing to be drawn into unnecessary surges while carefully conserving energy for the decisive moments.

When the race finally ignited, she responded with authority. Displaying impressive strength and confidence, Vaught surged clear of her rivals in the closing stages to secure a memorable victory and the biggest triumph of her professional career.

The national crown represents another significant milestone for the former Arkansas Razorback, whose steady progression through the American distance-running ranks has now culminated in a USATF outdoor title. Winning a championship in such a tactical race highlights not only her physical ability but also her growing maturity and composure on the national stage.

The men's 10,000m championship delivered an equally compelling contest, with Woody Kincaid reclaiming his place atop American distance running. The experienced racer outkicked Olympic bronze medalist Grant Fisher in a thrilling sprint to the finish, capturing his third career U.S. outdoor 10,000m title—and his first since 2023.

Kincaid stopped the clock in 30:13.66 after executing his race plan to perfection, remaining patient throughout the tactical affair before unleashing his trademark finishing speed over the final meters. His decisive kick proved too strong for Fisher, allowing the veteran to add another national crown to an already distinguished career.

For Kincaid, the victory marked a return to the summit of the U.S. championships, reaffirming his reputation as one of America's most formidable championship racers. His ability to deliver under pressure once again demonstrated why he remains one of the country's elite distance runners.

Together, Vaught and Kincaid emerged as the standout winners of the opening 10,000-meter finals at the USATF Outdoor Championships, each producing composed tactical performances to secure national gold. While Vaught celebrated a breakthrough first title, Kincaid reinforced his legacy with another championship triumph, setting the stage for an exciting season ahead for American distance running.

The curtain may have fallen on another memorable season of athletics, but ATHLOS NYC is already preparing for an even bigger spectacle in 2026.

The groundbreaking women-only track and field meet will officially return to Icahn Stadium in New York City on October 2nd for a third consecutive year, further cementing its place as one of the sport’s most exciting and progressive events. What began as a bold vision has rapidly evolved into a premier end-of-season showcase, attracting some of the biggest names in global athletics and redefining how women’s track is presented to the world.

Backed by Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian, ATHLOS NYC has grown into far more than a traditional athletics meeting. The event has become a celebration of elite female performance, star power, and innovation — a platform where Olympic champions and rising talents share the spotlight in front of a passionate global audience.

Over the past editions, fans have witnessed unforgettable performances from some of the sport’s brightest stars, including Keely Hodgkinson, Faith Kipyegon, Gabby Thomas, and Masai Russell — athletes who continue to elevate the profile of women’s athletics on the global stage.

Organizers have also confirmed a major evolution for the ATHLOS series in 2026. In addition to the New York meet, a second competition will be staged in another “major city,” with the location still under wraps. The expansion signals the growing ambition behind the project and its desire to create a wider international footprint for elite women’s track competition.

The competition structure itself will also take on a new dimension. Athletes competing across the seven events will now accumulate points based on their finishing positions throughout the series. At the end of the campaign, the athlete with the highest total in each discipline will receive a $25,000 bonus along with the prestigious Tiffany & Co. crown — a symbol that is quickly becoming one of the sport’s most coveted prizes.

The revised format adds another layer of drama and consistency to the competition, rewarding athletes not only for individual brilliance but also for sustained excellence across the season. It also reflects ATHLOS NYC’s continued commitment to pushing the boundaries of what professional track and field can look like in the modern era.

With its unique atmosphere, elite fields, and athlete-first approach, ATHLOS NYC is no longer just another stop on the calendar. It is becoming a defining destination for women’s athletics — a stage where competition, culture, and entertainment collide.

And with expansion now underway, the movement appears to be only getting started.

For the first time in more than three decades, New York City will once again stand at the center of American track and field. USA Track & Field has officially announced that the 2026 U.S. Outdoor Championships will be held at Icahn Stadium from July 23–26, bringing the nation’s top athletes to one of the sport’s most historic and iconic settings.

This announcement marks a significant shift for the championships, which in recent years have been closely associated with Eugene, Oregon. Since 2021, Eugene—home of Hayward Field—has served as the primary stage for the national championships, reinforcing its reputation as TrackTown USA. Now, the move to New York signals both a return to the sport’s roots and a renewed commitment to expanding track and field’s visibility in major metropolitan centers

Icahn Stadium, located on Randall’s Island, is no stranger to elite competition. The venue has hosted numerous international meets, including Diamond League events, and has earned a reputation for producing fast times and memorable performances. Its IAAF Class 1 certification and world-class facilities make it a fitting location for the country’s premier outdoor championship.

The 2026 championships will also carry major significance beyond national titles. The meet will serve as a key proving ground for American athletes preparing for future global competitions, with many using the event to establish momentum heading into the 2027 World Championships cycle.

New York City has a rich but underappreciated history in U.S. track and field. The last time the city hosted a national outdoor championship was in 1991 at Downing Stadium, making the 2026 event a historic return after 35 years. Bringing the championships back to New York reconnects the sport with one of the world’s great athletic capitals and offers a powerful opportunity to inspire a new generation of athletes and fans.

Meanwhile, Eugene’s role remains firmly intact. USA Track & Field has confirmed that the 2027 U.S. Outdoor Championships will return to Eugene, where the team for the 2027 World Championships in Beijing, China, will be selected. This dual-city approach reflects the sport’s growing national footprint while honoring both tradition and innovation.

For athletes, the 2026 championships in New York will represent more than a national competition—it will be an opportunity to perform on one of the sport’s biggest domestic stages, in front of a diverse and passionate audience. For fans, it will be a rare chance to witness America’s best runners, jumpers, and throwers competing in the heart of one of the world’s most dynamic cities.

The return of the U.S. Outdoor Championships to New York City marks a historic moment—one that connects past and present, celebrates the sport’s national reach, and reminds the world that track and field belongs on the biggest stages.

After a groundbreaking debut at Icahn Stadium in New York City, Athlos is set to return on October 10, 2025, promising an even bigger and better showcase of elite women’s track and field.

Last year, Athlos shattered records with a $663,000 prize purse—the largest ever for a women-only track meet. But it wasn’t just about the money. It was about recognition, opportunity, and redefining what’s possible for women in the sport.

Now, Athlos is ready to take it to the next level, backed by leading sponsors who are investing in the future of women’s track and field.

A Historic Debut That Changed the Game

When Athlos launched in September 2024, it wasn’t just another track meet. It was a statement.

The event featured world-class athletes competing in sprints, middle-distance races, jumps, and throws in front of a packed New York crowd. The performances were electric, but the real impact went beyond the finish line. Athlos challenged the status quo, proving that a women’s-only event could deliver the excitement, competition, and financial backing the sport has long deserved.

With a $663,000 prize purse, Athlos gave female track athletes the kind of financial opportunities typically reserved for men’s competitions. Media coverage soared, sponsorship interest grew, and conversations about pay equity in athletics intensified.

Athlos had arrived, and it wasn’t just a one-time moment—it was the start of a movement.

Sponsors Driving the Future of Athlos

Athlos’ success has been fueled by a growing lineup of sponsors that recognize the power and potential of women’s track and field. Last year’s meet was backed by:

• Toyota Motor North America – Presented the 100-meter hurdles event, highlighting its commitment to empowering female athletes.

• Tiffany & Co. – Designed custom sterling silver crowns for each event winner, bringing prestige and elegance to the competition.

• Oiselle – Served as the inaugural athletic apparel sponsor, aligning with Athlos’ mission to elevate women in running.

• Therabody, Strava, Champagne Telmont, and Wyn Beauty – Provided additional sponsorship, enhancing the event’s reach and profile.

With these industry leaders backing the meet, Athlos is proving that women’s sports are a worthy investment—one that is growing in value every year.

What to Expect in 2025

With its second edition set for October, Athlos is raising the stakes. While the full event lineup is yet to be announced, here’s what fans can expect:

• More Star Power – Last year’s event brought together elite talent from around the world, and 2025 promises to be even bigger, featuring Olympians, world champions, and rising stars, all competing for one of the largest prize purses in women’s track history.

• Increased Prize Money? – The record-breaking $663,000 prize purse in 2024 set a new standard. Will Athlos push it even further in 2025? Organizers have hinted at an even larger payout, solidifying the event as a premier financial opportunity for female track athletes.

• Expanded Events – Last year’s meet featured select disciplines, but 2025 could see more events added, giving a broader platform for top-tier competition.

• A Next-Level Experience – Expect enhanced fan engagement, including interactive digital content, social media activations, and upgraded live streaming coverage, bringing Athlos to a global audience like never before.

More Than a Meet, a Movement for Women’s Track

Athlos isn’t just about race results. It’s about reshaping the landscape for female athletes.

For too long, women’s track and field has received less prize money, fewer sponsorship deals, and lower media visibility. But things are changing—fast. From record attendance in women’s soccer and basketball to major increases in broadcast ratings and sponsorship investments, women’s sports are finally getting the recognition they deserve.

Athlos is part of this shift.

By creating a high-profile, high-stakes competition exclusively for female athletes, it’s proving that women’s track isn’t just equal—it’s a must-watch event in its own right.

Countdown to Athlos 2025

With just months to go, excitement is building for the second edition of Athlos. The event isn’t just returning—it’s evolving, growing, and setting new standards for women’s athletics.

More details on prize money, event lineups, and athlete participation will be announced soon. But one thing is clear: Athlos is here to stay, and its impact is only getting stronger.

How to Watch and Get Tickets

Athlos 2025 will be live-streamed globally, with tickets available soon for the in-person event at Icahn Stadium in New York City. Official updates will be posted on the Athlos website and social media channels.

The countdown has begun. Women’s track is taking center stage, and Athlos is leading the charge.

With the U.S. Olympic Team Trials for track and field just few days away, the building blocks seem to be coming together for Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone.

"I'm feeling good," McLaughlin-Levrone told a small cluster of reporters at the USATF NYC Grand Prix on Sunday (9 June) after she soared to victory in the open 400m.

"Good" could be an understatement: She was just 0.05 seconds off of Sanya Richards Ross' 48.70 from 2006, the American record, in what was McLaughlin-Levrone's first outing in the event in the 2024 season.

"OMG. That was unbelievable!" a more expressive - and perhaps somehwat relieved - Richards Ross said in the NBC commentary booth after Sydney's 48.75. "Wow. Wow. Wow! Great run by Sydney!"

The time was a world lead in the event.

It came a little more than a week after her best-of-the-season 52.70 in the 400m hurdles - the event in which she is the world record holder and reigning Olympic champion.

"I'll take that," McLaughlin-Levrone said of the time and the victory, even if it wasn't exactly what she was going for. "[I wanted] the American record," she added when asked about the hope for the day.

The 24-year-old appears to have a one-track mind with the Olympic Games Paris 2024 drawing ever closer. The last five weeks have entailed five wins across four different events: The 400m flat, 200m, 100m hurdles and - her signature - 400m hurdles.

"I'm sure Bobby will have some notes for me," she said, cracking a smile when bringing up legendary coach Bobby Kersee after her New York win.

SYDNEY MCLAUGHLIN-LEVRONE: EYES ON PARIS 2024

McLaughlin-Levrone let her speed do the talking in New York with the 21 June start at Trials in Eugene, Oregon: "I'm just getting ready for the Trials... getting ready for the Games," she said.

She sat on the track for a good 10 minutes at Icahn Stadium in NYC after her win, catching her breath and doing a light amount of stretching. She's still cautious of the knee injury that interrupted her 2023 season, forcing her out of the World Championships.

The team is attacking from a technical perspective. Facing a headwind on Sunday, she was forced to dig deep in her training to finish strong.

"I wanted to get out there and get a race under me," she said on NBC of the 400m. "It's working on the back-end work. Working on coming home. I'm going to need it for those hurdles."

After her 52.70 world lead in the 400m hurldes on 31 May, Femke Bol, the Olympic bronze medallist from Tokyo 2020 in 2021, went 53.07 two days later at the Diamond League stop in Stockholm.

"I'm going to go back home and continue to plan some stuff," McLaughlin-Levrone said in New York.

A mere 0.05 off a national record, McLaughlin-Levrone shrugged it off in a way.

"I don't think I would count that as 'crazy,'" she said in response to one reporter.

A minute later, Sydney was thanking reporters and walking away... clearly determined to get to the next step in her path towards another Olympic podium.

This was supposed to be Kerley's first 100m since he stated he'd break Usain Bolt's world record the next time he raced the distance.

Former world 100m champion Fred Kerley was slated to be a headliner at Sunday’s USATF New York City Grand Prix in the men’s 100m. However, Kerley did not end up racing after he slipped in the starting blocks twice. Despite these mishaps, he chose not to race.

In a post-race interview with Citius Mag, Kerley said that one of his starting block pads was broken, and he had requested new blocks. “I slipped the first time, and then I slipped the second time. I wasn’t about to let it happen a third time,” Kerley said.

He took to Twitter after the race to criticize the World Athletics Continental Tour meet for using “high school level blocks.”

The 100m at the NYC Grand Prix ended up being won by Nigeria’s Udodi Onwuzurike, with a 10.24 second clocking into a -0.7 m/s headwind.

This race was supposed to be Kerley’s first 100m since he publicly stated he’d break Usain Bolt’s world record the next time he raced the distance. Kerley has not competed in the 100m since the Shanghai Diamond League on April 27 and has not yet broken the 10-second mark this season.

Kerley has a personal best of 9.76 seconds from the 2022 World Championships, which he won. He is also the reigning Olympic silver medalist in the 100 meters.

Before the race, Kerley drew attention in the warm-up area at Icahn Stadium, where he was spotted wearing Puma spikes (instead of his sponsor, Asics). It came out after the race that Kerley is now without a sponsor, as Asics announced that they had mutually parted ways with him after reaching a multi-year deal just last year. There has been no official statement on why the sponsorship ended, but Kerley was rumored to be frustrated with the custom “world champion” spikes the brand made for him.

The 29-year-old plans to compete in the 100m and 200m at the U.S. Olympic Trials in two weeks.

Athing Mu, the Olympic and world 800m champion, will make her season debut at the USATF NYC Grand Prix.  This meet is part of the World Athletics Continental Tour Gold series, the USATF NYC Grand Prix takes place at Icahn Stadium on Randall’s Island June 24.

It will be Mu's first competition in exactly 11 months, as she returns to action for the first time since the World Athletics Championships Oregon22, where she added world 800m gold to the Olympic title she claimed in Tokyo.

Mu made herself known as one of the world’s top track athletes in 2021 when she won the NCAA title in the 400m, and then gold medals in the 800m and 4x400m relay at the Olympic Games. The 21-year-old followed up her Olympic success with gold in the 800m in Oregon, running 1:56.30. Her US record of 1:55.04 was set in Eugene in August 2021.

Athing Mu was born and raised in Trenton, New Jersey, and is the second youngest of seven siblings.  Her parents immigrated to the United States from South Sudan, and her family is of South Sudanese heritage.  She began competing in track at the age of 6. Mu did not join her high school track team, choosing to compete instead for Trenton Track Club. She graduated from Trenton Central High School in 2020

Challenging her in New York will be her fellow New Jersey native and the world indoor 800m champion Ajee’ Wilson, and the US indoor 1500m champion Heather MacLean.

In the women’s 100m hurdles, 2015 world champion Danielle Williams of Jamaica joins a field that includes Keni Harrison of the United States, the former world record-holder, and Jamaica’s Megan Tapper, the Olympic bronze medallist.

Those top athletes join the previously-announced Noah Lyles, Gabby Thomas, Zharnel Hughes, Ackeem Blake, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, Aleia Hobbs, Melissa Jefferson, Devon Allen, Trey Cunningham, Robert Dunning, Bryce Hoppel, Will Sumner, Chase Ealey and Maggie Ewen.

The 2023 season should be full of record-breaking performances from the sport’s biggest stars. Here are the most important things to know. 

Track is back, and if the results from the indoor season and early outdoor meets are any indication, it should be another year of eye-popping results around 400-meter ovals this summer.

Why is track and field relevant to the average recreational runner?

Perhaps you’re running some of the same distances in your training and racing. Or maybe you have a connection to some of the events from your youth, days in gym class or on the playground. From a human performance perspective, no sport showcases the all-out speed, red-line endurance, max power, dynamic agility, and meticulous bodily control as track and field does.

Here’s a primer on the most awe-inspiring athletes and events of this summer’s track season. Because, come on: with a sport that includes events as multifaceted as the pole vault, as primal as the shot put, and as wild as the 3,000-meter steeplechase—a 1.8-mile race with 28 fixed barriers to hurdle and seven water pits to jump—what’s not to like?

One of the many things that makes track and field so special is that it’s one of the most diverse sports on the planet, both culturally and athletically.

Last summer, athletes from a record 29 different countries earned medals in the 25 different running, jumping, and throwing events at the World Athletics Championships in Eugene, Oregon.

At the highest level, there are athletes of all shapes and sizes from every culture and socioeconomic background. While there certainly are racial and cultural stereotypes that need dissolving and vast inequality among competing countries, from a performance point of view the sport is largely meritocratic, based on the time or distance achieved in a given competition.

Watching American Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone masterfully win the 400-meter hurdles in a world-record time last summer in front of a deafening crowd at Hayward Field in Eugene was a riveting experience. It was vastly different than watching Grenada’s Anderson Peters win the javelin world title with a career-best throw of 90.54 meters on his final attempt to beat India’s Neeraj Chopra, but both had edge-of-your-seat excitement, athletic excellence, and cultural significance.

One of the knocks against track and field in recent years is that it hasn’t done enough to attract casual fans the way professional football, basketball, hockey, and soccer have. Following the On Track Fest, the USATF Los Angeles Grand Prix on May 26-27 in Los Angeles is trying to up the ante by combining a mix of elite-level competition, an interactive fan festival, and top-tier musical performances.

Billed as the one of the deepest track meets ever held on U.S. soil, it will feature a star-studded 400-meter face-off featuring Americans Michael Norman, the reigning world champion, and Kirani James, a three-time Olympic medalist from Grenada, and a women’s 100-meter hurdles clash with world champion Tobi Amusan of Nigeria, Olympic silver medalist Keni Harrison of the U.S., and Olympic gold medalist Jasmine Camacho-Quinn of Puerto Rico.

Saturday’s action will be broadcast live on NBC Sports from 4:30 P.M. to 6 P.M. ET and be followed by a concert event called the Legends Jam, which will include appearances from some legendary athletes and be headlined by Grammy-winning singer Judith Hill.

American sprint sensation Sha’Carri Richardson will be racing the 100-meter dash at the USATF Los Angeles Grand Prix. You probably remember her for her perceived failures more than the astounding times she’s actually achieved on the track.

Two years ago, the sprinter from Dallas blew away the field in the 100-meter dash at the U.S. Olympic Trials with a 10.86 effort, but then she was famously suspended after testing positive for cannabis (which is on the World Anti-Doping Agency’s list of banned substances) and missed the Tokyo Olympics as a result. (She admitted using the drug to cope with the pressure of qualifying for the Olympics while also mourning the recent death of her biological mother.)

Then last year, despite strong early season performances, Richardson failed to make the finals of the 100-meter or 200-meter at the U.S. championships, so she missed out on running in the first world championships held on American soil.

This year, the 23-year-old sprinter appears to be locked in and better than ever, posting a world-leading 10.76 100-meter time on May 5 in Doha (she also ran an eye-popping 10.57 with an over-the-limit tailwind on April 9 in Florida) and posted the second-fastest time in the 200-meter (22.07) on May 13 at a meet in Kenya.

If she keeps it all together, expect Richardson to finally contend with elite Jamaican sprinters Shericka Jackson and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce in the 100 and 4×100-meter relay in August at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Hungary.

A few years ago, American sprinter Fred Kerley was on his way to becoming one of the world’s best 400-meter runners. But he wanted more than that. What he really had his heart set on was becoming the world’s fastest man, a moniker that goes with the most dominant sprinter in the 100-meter dash.

Ignoring doubters, Kerley retooled his training and earned the silver medal in the 100-meter at the Tokyo Olympics (.04 seconds behind Italy’s Marcell Jacobs) and then continued his ascent last year by winning the U.S. championships (in 9.76, the sixth-fastest time in history) and world championships (9.86).

The 28-year-old from San Antonio, Texas, also became one of just two other runners (along with American Michael Norman and South African Wayde van Niekerk) to ever run sub-10 seconds in the 100-meter, sub-20 seconds in the 200-meter, and sub-44 seconds in the 400-meter. So far this year, Kerley has two of the four fastest 100-meter times of the season, including a speedy 9.88 on May 21 in Japan.

After trading barbs on social media this spring, Kerley and Jacobs are expected to face off in an epic 100-meter showdown on May 28 at a Diamond League meet in Rabat, Morocco, marking the first time the Olympic gold medalist and the world champion in the men’s 100m face off since the 2012 Olympic final, when Jamaican Usain Bolt beat countryman Yohan Blake. American Trayvon Bromell, the silver medalist at last year’s world championships, is also in the field, so it should be an extraordinary tilt.

If you’re a gambler, bet on Kerley to win that one and eventually get close to Bolt’s 9.58 world record. (To do so, he’ll be running faster than 26 miles per hour!) But don’t count out Kenya’s Ferdinand Omanyala, the early world leader (9.84), or fellow American sub-9.9 guys Bromell, Norman, Christian Coleman, and Noah Lyles at the 2023 World Athletics Championships on August 20, in Budapest. Depending on which three Americans join Kerley (who has an automatic qualifier) at the world championships, it’s actually quite likely the U.S. could sweep the top four spots in the 100 in Budapest.

If you’ve ever wanted to see the world’s top track and field stars competing live in the U.S., this is the year to do it. The May 26-27 USATF Los Angeles Grand Prix meet and June 3-4 Portland Track Festival are part of what might be the mosst compelling outdoor track season ever held on U.S. soil.

If you’re looking for an athlete to marvel at, start with Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, the gold medalist in the 400-meter hurdles at the Olympics in 2021 and World Athletics Championships last summer. She’s been one of the sport’s rising stars since she was a teenager and yet she’s only 23. Her trajectory is still rising—especially since she moved to Los Angeles to train under coach Bob Kersee. Driven by her strong faith, McLaughlin-Levrone is the personification of hard work, grace and competitiveness.

This year she’ll temporarily step away from her primary event to show off her pure sprinting prowess when she opens her season in a “flat” 400-meter race at the Diamond League meet in Paris on June 9. Her personal best in the 400-meter is 50.07 seconds, set when she was a freshman at the University of Kentucky, but she clocked a speedy 50.68 while running over hurdles, en route to a world-record setting win at last summer’s world championships.

Her best 400-meter split as part of a 4×400-meter relay is 47.91, so it’s within reason to think she could be one of several runners to challenge the long-standing world record of 47.60 set in 1985 by East German Marita Koch. Because McLaughlin-Levrone has an automatic qualifier to the world championships in the 400-meter hurdles, she will likely run the open 400-meter at the U.S. championships and decide after the meet which one she’ll focus on.

American 800-meter ace Athing Mu has looked unbeatable for the past several years as she won Olympic gold in the event at the Tokyo Olympics and last year’s world championships. In fact, she has been unbeatable, having won 13 straight races since she dropped out of a mile race at the Millrose Games in January 2022. Going back to 2020 (when she was a senior in high school) and 2021 (during her one season at Texas A&M), she’s finished first in 51 of her past 53 races (relays included), with her only loss being a narrow runner-up finish to Kaelin Roberts in the 400-meter at the 2021 NCAA indoor championships.

Mu, who is also coached by Kersee and trains with McLaughlin-Levrone, seems to be the most likely athlete to challenge the women’s 800-meter world record of 1:53.28, set in 1983 by the Czech Republic’s Jarmila Kratochvílová. It’s the longest standing record in track and field, and only two runners have come within a second of it in the past 15 years. Her personal best of 1:55.04 is an American record and the eighth-fastest time in history. She’s still only 20 years old, so she has many years to keep improving and other historic opportunities ahead of her.

Mu said earlier this year she’d like to try a 400-800-meter double at an Olympics or world championships if the schedule permits—it’s only been done once successfully by Cuba’s Alberto Juantorena at the 1976 Games—but her coach has said she might attempt a 800-1,500-meter double next year at the Paris Olympics.

This year, Mu will run the 1,500 meters at the USATF Championships in July, but will likely defend her 800-meter title at the world championships in Budapest, as well as potentially running on the U.S. women’s 4×400-meter relay and the mixed-gender 4×400-meter relay (with McLaughlin-Levrone) for an opportunity to win three gold medals in a single championships.

With apologies to quarterback extraordinaire Patrick Mahomes, gymnastics all-arounder Simone Biles, and skiing superstar Mikela Shiffrin, pole vaulter Armand Duplantis just might be the most dynamically talented athlete in the world. That’s because he’s the world’s most dominant athlete (and has set six world records) in arguably the most demanding discipline, not only in track and field but quite possibly in any sport. No sport discipline involves such a dynamic combination of speed, power, precision and agility, and Duplantis, who is only 23, is already the greatest of all-time.

Prove me wrong or watch him set his latest world record (6.22 meters or 20 feet, 5 inches) at an indoor meet on February 25 in Clermont-Ferrand, France. That’s the equivalent of vaulting onto the roof of a two-story building, and in his case, often with room to spare.

Duplantis, who grew up in Lafayette, Louisiana, to athletic parents with Swedish and Finnish heritage, represents Sweden in international competitions. He started pole vaulting at age three, set his first of 11 age-group world-best marks at age seven, and won an NCAA title in 2019 as a freshman competing for LSU before turning pro.

All indications are that North Carolina State junior Katelyn Tuohy could become the next American running star. All she has done since she was young is win races and break records.

After winning the NCAA outdoor 5,000-meter a year ago, she won the NCAA cross country title in November. During the indoor track season this past winter, she set a new collegiate mile record (4:24.26) and won both the 3,000-meter and 5,000-meter title at the NCAA indoor championships in March. On May 7, the 21-year-old from Thiells, New York, broke the NCAA outdoor 5,000-meter record by 17 seconds, clocking 15:03.12 at the Sound Running On Track Fest.

Tuohy will be running both the 1,500-meter and 5,000-meter at the NCAA East Regional May 24-27 in Jacksonville, Florida, with the hopes of eventually advancing to the finals of both events at the June 7-10 NCAA Division I championship meet in Austin, Texas.

University of Arkansas junior Britton Wilson is a top collegiate star who is ready for prime time at the pro level. She won the 400-meter in a world-leading and collegiate record time of 49.13 in mid-May at the SEC Championships, where she also won the 400-meter hurdles (53.23) in a world-leading time. The 22-year-old from Richmond, Virginia, was the runner-up in the 400-meter hurdles at last year’s U.S. championships and fifth in the world championships, and could contend for a spot on Team USA in either event at the July 6-9 U.S. championships.

Kerley and Lyles are expected to square off in a 200-meter race at the USATF New York Grand Prix meet on June 24 at Icahn Stadium on Randall’s Island in New York City. There are also two high-level Puma American Track League meets in Tennessee—the Music City Track Carnival June 2 in Nashville and the Ed Murphey Classic August 4-5 in Memphis—and two Under Armour Sunset Tour meets organized by Sound Running on July 22 in Los Angeles and July 29 in Baltimore.

The best U.S. meet of the year, though, will be the USATF Outdoor Championships held July 6-9 in Eugene, Oregon, where American athletes will be vying for top-three finishes to earn a chance to compete for Team USA at the 2023 World Athletics Championships August 19-27 in Budapest.

The U.S. season will culminate with the September 16-17 Pre Classic in Eugene, Oregon, a two two-day meet that will double as the finals of the international Diamond League circuit and should include many of the top athletes who will be representing their countries in next summer’s Paris Olympics. (And if you want to see the country’s top high school athletes run unfathomable times for teenagers, check out the Brooks PR Invitational on June 14 in Seattle, Washington.)

At the June 2 Diamond League meet in Rome, Italy, the men’s field in the 5,000-meter run will have what might be the fastest field ever assembled, with 13 runners who have personal best times of 12:59 or faster.

The field will be headlined by Joshua Cheptegei of Uganda, who lowered the world record to 12:35.36 in Monaco three years ago. (That’s a pace of 4:03 per mile!). But it will also include Kenya’s Jacob Krop (12:45.71) and Nicholas Kipkorir (12:46.33), Ethiopia’s Yomif Kejelcha (12:46.79), American Grant Fisher (12:46.79), Canadian Mohammed Ahmed (12:47.20), and Guatemalan-American Luis Grijalva (13:02.94), among others. With a big prize purse at stake and pacesetters ramping up the speed from the start, it should be a race for the ages.

Usain Bolt is back to captain the Rest of the World XI against England in Soccer Aid.

The former Olympic sprinter is once again involved as skipper, having played in the past few matches. Fittingly, the match is taking place at London's Olympic Stadium - a football venue in its own right as the home of West Ham, but also the place where Bolt set the Olympic record on the way to defending his 100m crown in 2012.

London 2012 was a highlight in a storied career that saw Bolt establish himself as the fastest man in the world and set records that have yet to be beat. The 9.63 seconds it took him to win gold in 2012 remains an Olympic record - beating the one he'd set in 2008 - but the overall world record was set by himself a few years before that.

Bolt set the current 100m world record at the 2009 IAAF World Championships, clocking an incredible 9.58 seconds for the feat. His average ground speed was 37.58km/h (23.351 miles per hour), whilst reaching a top speed of 44.72km/h (27.788 miles per hour) in the 60-80m stretch – numbers fitting for the world’s fastest man.

He first held the 100m world record in 2008 at the Reebok Grand Prix in the Icahn Stadium in New York, clocking 9.72 seconds to beat fellow Jamaican Asafa Powell’s record of 9.74 seconds set at the IAAF Grand Prix in Rieti, Italy, a year before. He brought the record down further to 9.69 seconds at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, before hitting his peak in 2009.

9.58 seconds remains the world record for the 100 metres and Bolt has commemorated that in past Soccer Aids by wearing the number - complete with decimal point - on the back of his shirt. For added measure, Bolt also holds the record for the 200 metres - running 19.19 seconds at the 2009 World Championships.