USATF Outdoor Champs: Masai Russell, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone win; men's 1500m stunner

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a day ago

Olympic champions Masai Russell and Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone cruised to U.S. titles, while a men's 1500m stunner left fellow Paris gold medalist Cole Hocker clinging to the last qualifying spot for the World Championships.
Russell ran two of the fastest 100m hurdles times in history: 12.25 seconds in the first round, then 12.22 in the final at the Toyota USA Track and Field Championships at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon.
It was just off Russell's American record of 12.17 from this past May, which is the second-fastest time in history behind Nigerian Tobi Amusan's world record of 12.12 from 2022.
Russell is joined on the team for September's World Championships in Tokyo by Grace Stark and Alaysha Johnson, who also joined her on the Paris Olympic team.
USATF OUTDOORS: Results | Broadcast Schedule
Sydney McLaughin-Levrone wins 400m sans hurdles
Also Saturday, McLaughlin-Levrone won the U.S. title in the flat 400m in 48.90, opting for that event over the 400m hurdles, where she is a two-time Olympic gold medalist and the world record holder.
She said that she "had an idea" going into the July 5 Prefontaine Classic that she wanted to focus on the 400m this summer. After 2025, she is keeping her options open between the 400m and 400m hurdles going toward the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
"It's (the 400m) not as comfortable for us, but I want to challenge myself," McLaughlin-Levrone said. "I felt like this is a year I want to step out of the box and really push myself in a different way."
She is the world's third-fastest woman this year in the flat 400m behind Olympic silver and gold medalists Salwa Eid Naser of Bahrain (48.67) and Marileidy Paulino of the Dominican Republic (48.81).
No woman has won World Championships medals in both the flat 400m and the 400m hurdles in their career.
In 2023, McLaughlin-Levrone ran the flat 400m at nationals when she had a bye into the World Championships in the 400m hurdles as defending world champion. That year, she planned to race strictly the flat 400m at worlds before withdrawing before the meet due to injury.
In Saturday's men's 400m, Jacory Patterson went from working overnights loading UPS trucks to winning his first U.S. title in 44.16. He is the world's third-fastest man in 2025 with a best of 43.98.
The event lacked 2024 Olympic gold medalist Quincy Hall and 2022 World champion Michael Norman, neither of whom entered nationals. Hall has dealt with injury this season, and Norman has missed significant time due to injuries in recent years.
Quincy Wilson, who last year with the 4x400m became the youngest male Olympic track gold medalist in history at age 16, was 11th overall in the semifinals.
Jonah Koech was the surprise men's 1500m champion, going from sixth on the outside at the start of the final curve. Koech competed in the 1500m at nationals for the first time after previously racing the 800m, including placing fifth at the Olympic Trials.
Koech, who deemed himself 70% after Thursday's first round due to a hamstring injury, clocked 3:30.17, edging recent NCAA standout Ethan Strand by eight hundredths.
Hocker made the world team in the third and last spot. He was followed by Hobbs Kessler (fifth at the Olympics) and Yared Nuguse (Olympic bronze medalist). Now Kessler or Nuguse can only make the world team by winning the Diamond League Final later this month.
In the women's 1500m, Nikki Hiltz won a record-extending sixth consecutive U.S. title (indoors and outdoors) dating to 2023.
Hiltz pulled away from U.S. mile record holder Sinclaire Johnson to prevail in 4:03.15.
All of the favorites advanced in the men's 110m hurdles except Olympic silver medalist Daniel Roberts, who scratched out of the first round.
Field event winners included two-time world champion Chase Jackson (shot put, top four throws of the event). Plus Olympic long jump and triple jump bronze medalist Jasmine Moore (triple jump, top six jumps of the event).
For the first time, the Para National Championships are being held in conjunction with the USATF Outdoor Championships.
Paris gold medalist Hunter Woodhall took the men's T62 400m in 45.79, nine hundredth off his world record (pending ratification) from July.
Saturday's standouts also included Paralympic T12 100m gold medalist Noah Malone, who clocked 10.62 seconds, beating his Paris winning time by nine hundredths.
In the women's 100m, two-time Paralympic T47 silver medalist Brittni Mason crossed in 12.23, just off her final time from Paris of 12.10.
Para athletes are preparing for World Championships in New Delhi, India, from Sept. 26-Oct. 5.
Nationals end Sunday with finals including the men's and women's 200m and 400m hurdles and the men's 110m hurdles (4-6 p.m. ET, NBC and Peacock).
Donavan Brazier, Josh Hoey go from track wilderness to national championships spotlight
The men's 800m at the Toyota USA Track and Field Outdoor Championships is shaping up to be a classic.
Nick Zaccardi,