EUGENE, Oregon — Capping off a thrilling fifth evening of World Athletics Championships action at Hayward Field, Team USATF earned two medals in the men's 400m hurdles to move to 18 medals overall with 175 points. The U.S. increased its lead in the team point standings to 106 over Ethiopia and has outscored the next three nations combined.
Wow. Again. The three men who rewrote the record books at Tokyo last summer met in a rematch that couldn't be anything but special. Norway's Karsten Warholm, the world record holder and gold medalist at the Olympics, tried valiantly to run away with the race, but Brazil's Alison dos Santos and Rai Benjamin (Mount Vernon, New York/USATF New York) were too much for him. Dos Santos, the year's fastest man coming into the meet, came off the final hurdle with a lead on Benjamin that was just a bit too big. The young Brazilian crossed the line in 46.29, the third fastest time in history and a meet record, with Benjamin earning silver in a season best 46.89, the fourth-fastest ever by an American. Possibly the biggest surprise of the event was Trevor Bassitt (Bluffton, Ohio/USATF Ohio), who made a stunning stretch run from lane eight to overtake three men in the final 100m and claim bronze in a lifetime best of 47.39. Bassitt, the World Indoor Championships silver medalist at 400m, moved to No. 10 on the all-time U.S. performer list, while only Benjamin himself and former world record holder Kevin Young have run faster than Benjamin's 46.89. Khallifah Rosser (Fontana, California/USATF Southwestern) ran near his lifetime best in fifth with a 47.88.
Kristjan Ceh of Slovenia launched a meet record 71.13m/233-4 to increase his lead in round three after a 69.02m/226-5 on his previous throw and he was never challenged after that as he took gold. NCAA champion Mykolas Alekna of Lithuania and the University of California improved to 69.27m/227-3 in the fourth round for the silver, and his countryman Andrius Gudzius grabbed the bronze at 67.55m/221-7. Alekna is the youngest discus medalist in meet history, and it was his dad's World Championships record that Ceh broke. Sam Mattis (East Brunswick, New Jersey/USATF New York) managed a best of 63.19m/207-3 in the second round and was 11th.
As shocking an upset as there could be at this World Championships saw Britain's Jake Wightman knock off Olympic champion Jakob Ingebrigtsen of Norway and 2019 world champion Timothy Cheruiyot of Kenya with a 3:29.23 that put him across the line first by .24. Even more special was that his father, Geoff, was the stadium announcer. Spain's Mohamed Katir earned the bronze in 3:29.90, while Josh Thompson (Hillsboro, Oregon/USATF Oregon) was 12th in 3:35.57.
Smashing all previous records for semifinal times at the World Championships, nine women ran faster than the previous semi best of 22.12 and the time qualifiers were 21.97 and 22.05. Two of the three Team USATF athletes advanced to the final. Chasing defending world champion Dina Asher-Smith of Britain and Olympic champion Elaine Thompson-Herah of Jamaica in the second semi, Tamara Clark (High Point, North Carolina/USATF Texas Southern) edged past that duo in the final strides to win in 21.95. USATF champion Abby Steiner (Dublin, Ohio/USATF Kentucky) lined up in the final semi one lane inside of Jamaica's 100m world champion, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, who powered around the bend and came into the straight with a big lead, going on to win in 21.82. Steiner knew she had to place in the top two to make the final, and she did just that to take second in 22.15 Jenna Prandini (Pflugerville, Texas/USATF Central California) had this year's fastest woman, Shericka Jackson of Jamaica, to her outside in the first semi and Jackson held nothing back on her way to a stellar 21.67. Prandini was in second until the final 20m and ended up fourth in 22.08, missing out on the final.
Three Americans advanced to the final, but 100m champion Fred Kerley was hampered by a cramp and did not qualify. Drawn together in the second semi, the matchup between Noah Lyles (Clermont, Florida/USATF Potomac Valley) and Kenny Bednarek (Minneola, Florida/USATF Wisconsin) was almost certain to produce fireworks, and it did. Lyles blitzed a 19.62 after a powerfully quick bend, winning by .22 over Bednarek, who took second in 19.84. Only Lyles and eight other men have ever run 19.62 or faster, and his time was by far the fastest ever in a World Championships semifinal. Teen sensation Erriyon Knighton (Riverview, Florida/USATF Florida) left no doubts with a sizzling curve that put him far ahead entering the homestretch, cruising in to win the final semi in 19.77, the third fastest U20 time ever. Knighton now owns the five fastest times by a U20 athlete and eight of the top 10, with only Usain Bolt in his company. Fred Kerley (Taylor, Texas/USATF Gulf) never looked comfortable in the first semi and eased up down the straight, finishing sixth in 20.68.
World record. Olympic gold. All that's left for Sydney McLaughlin (Playa Vista, California/USATF Southern California) is World Championships gold, and she started her journey to that goal with a very relaxed 53.95 to win the first heat by almost a full second from lane eight. Defending world champion Dalilah Muhammad (Fort Worth, Texas/USATF Southern California) put to rest any questions about her fitness with a masterful 54.45 to win heat four. Muhammad hadn't raced since May 21 prior to tonight's heat, but showed no signs of rustiness. NCAA champion Britton Wilson (Henrico, Virginia/USATF Virginia) didn't step on the gas down the backstretch, biding her time until she came off the final turn and moved into the lead down the homestretch to win the final heat in 54.54. 2015 World Championships silver medalist Shamier Little (Louisville, Kentucky/USATF Arkansas) was also in lane eight in the second heat and stormed through the first 200m with little trouble. She settled in around the final bend and had a slight bobble over the eighth barrier, but maintained her composure and finished second in 54.77 to advance to the semifinal. Click here to find out how to watch. A full list of results and schedule of events can be found here. Join the conversation with USATF on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook using the hashtag #JourneyToGold.