Sha’Carri Richardson and Noah Lyles successfully navigated the first round of the 100-meter sprints on Thursday at the Toyota USA Track and Field Outdoor and Para National Championships, held at Icahn Stadium in New York City. The event marks the first time the city has hosted the national championships since 1991.
Richardson and Lyles Advance at USATF Championships
Richardson, the 2024 Olympic silver medalist, recorded the fastest time of the women’s first round at 10.90 seconds. Despite her lead, Richardson utilized a cautious approach, taking an extra moment in the starting blocks to ensure a clean start and slowing down before the finish line to conserve energy. Richardson is currently pursuing her third national title in the 100-meter event.
In the men’s competition, 2024 Olympic gold medalist Noah Lyles clocked 9.97 seconds to win his heat. Lyles described the performance as a “good warm-up” and noted his intent to keep the momentum building toward the final. The fastest time in the men’s opening round was posted by 2019 World champion Christian Coleman, who finished in 9.96 seconds while racing into a slight headwind. Kenny Bednarek, the 2025 U.S. champion, also advanced by winning his respective heat in 10.04 seconds.
Stakes and Competition Shifts
The women’s 100-meter field saw a significant shift as reigning U.S. and world champion Melissa Jefferson-Wooden elected to withdraw from the 100-meter event to focus exclusively on the 200-meter race. The absence of Jefferson-Wooden, who narrowly defeated Richardson at the Prefontaine Classic on July 4, leaves Richardson as a primary favorite for the 100-meter crown.
The men’s field remains highly competitive as Lyles seeks to break a trend of parity in the event; a different man has won the 100-meter title at each of the last six national championships. Lyles and Bednarek, who have a history of intense on-track rivalry—including a 200-meter final at Hayward Field last summer that featured a post-race shoving and shouting match—are expected to face each other in Friday’s final.
Icahn Stadium Returns to National Spotlight
The championships are taking place at Icahn Stadium, a venue notable for its history of fast times. In 2008, Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt set a 100-meter world record of 9.72 seconds at the track before eventually lowering the mark to 9.58 seconds at the 2009 world championships.
The event has been marked by several high-profile withdrawals, including Jordan Anthony in the men’s sprints, Rai Benjamin in the 400-meter, and Jasmine Jones in the 400-meter hurdles. Additionally, the men’s 100-meter heats saw drama in the final heat, where Ja’Darien Parker was disqualified for a false start.
Other notable results from the opening day included:
* Men’s 10,000m: Woody Kincaid secured the win in 30:13.66, defeating 2024 Olympic bronze medalist Grant Fisher. * Women’s 10,000m: Sydney Vaught claimed victory with a time of 33:36.98. * Men’s Long Jump: Isaac Grimes won his second straight title with a jump of 8.18 meters.
According to NBC Sports and ESPN, the semifinals and finals for the 100-meter events are scheduled for Friday night. Richardson’s performance in the upcoming final will determine if she can successfully reclaim the 100-meter crown, a goal she has prioritized while skipping the 200-meter event this year.
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