Lyles and Richardson advance at US track championships as Jefferson-Wooden sits out
Reigning world champion Melissa Jefferson-Wooden is absent from the event, leaving the field open for Richardson and Lyles as they prepare for Friday’s finals at Icahn Stadium.
Reigning Olympic champion Noah Lyles and sprint favourite Sha’Carri Richardson have successfully navigated the first-round heats of the 100 metres at the U.S. track championships in New York. The competition, held on Thursday at Icahn Stadium, saw both athletes advance comfortably, setting the stage for the semifinals and final scheduled for Friday.
Richardson recorded the fastest time in the women’s race, clocking 10.90 seconds. Her performance was marked by a cautious approach; she took an extra moment in the starting blocks to avoid a false start and deliberately slowed down early in the race to conserve energy. With reigning 100-metre world champion Melissa Jefferson-Wooden absent from the event to focus on the 200 metres, Richardson is widely considered the favourite to claim the title.
In the men’s division, Lyles finished with a time of 9.97 seconds, edging out Ronnie Baker in the second heat. The reigning Olympic champion adopted a similar strategy to Richardson, starting slowly before powering up to full speed. However, the fastest overall time of the day was recorded by Christian Coleman, who ran 9.96 seconds in the first heat.
The event also featured notable drama in the fourth and final heat of the men’s race. A false-start warning was issued to the field, and after the sprinters reset, another false start occurred, resulting in the disqualification of Ja’Darien Parker. Courtney Lindsey ultimately won that heat. Additionally, Kenny Bednarek, a two-time Olympic silver medalist in the 200 metres, won his respective heat.
Tensions remain high among some competitors, particularly between Lyles and Bednarek. The two were involved in a shoving and shouting match during the 200-metre final at the U.S. championships last summer in Eugene, Oregon. The venue itself carries significant historical weight, having been the site where Usain Bolt broke the 100-metre world record with a time of 9.72 seconds in 2008, before later lowering the mark to 9.58 seconds in Berlin the following year.
