We’re a little over a week from the USATF Championships. No more competitions to watch. The time has finally arrived. And after months of meets – we still don’t know much!

With Worlds being so late, some athletes have been very cautious. Then there are the collegiate kids that have already peaked for a championship. Following are my best guess at who will emerge for Doha.

Men’s 100
Justin Gatlin has a bye and only needs to show up and run once. Christian Coleman is the leader in the clock and the track. Noah Lyles has decided against the double so now it’s pot luck after Coleman – we get what we get as there are no clear runner ups.
1. Christian Coleman
2. Isaiah Young
3. Cravon Gillespie

Men’s 200
Noah Lyles is IT in this event. No one else is close. That includes Coleman who is going to double and has twice run 19.9x so far . Once again, after that it’s wide open.
1. Noah Lyles
2. Christian Coleman
3. Cravon Gillespie

Men’s 400
Another event with a clear favorite. This time Michael Norman. He’s a second better than anyone else all year in every race. After that Montgomery has competed best in what’s been a lackluster group so far.
1. Michael Norman
2. Khamari Montgomery
3. Will London

Men’s 110H
Oddly the two top hurdlers in America are college kids with CR setter Grant Holloway and NCAA runner up Daniel Roberts leading the way. After that it’s young vet Devon Allen in what’s strangely a lackluster field otherwise.
1. Grant Holloway
2. Daniel Roberts
3. Devon Allen

Men’s 400H
This starts and ends with Rai Benjamin. After Rai it’s a bit bleak as our number two guy looks like he just took the event up on a dare. We’ve never been so good, and so thin, at the same time.
1. Rai Benjamin
2. Quincy Hall
3. Amere Latin

Women’s 100
Like Gatlin, Tori Bowie is the defending champion, and therefore gets a bye. Sha’Carri Richardson is by far the best on the clock, but CFat (college fatigue) rears it’s ugly head around this time of year. Aleia Hobbs has been solid if not spectacular. As has Teneah Daniels.
1. Aleia Hobbs
2. Sha’Carri Richardson
3. Teneah Daniels

Women’s 200
This race is going to be interesting. If it were held the week or two after NC’s I could tell you the outcome. Now I don’t know. Experience is really going to count in this one with vets having the upper hand.
1. Jenna Prandini
2. Sha’Carri Richardson
3. Kayla White

Women’s 400
I have no idea. None. Our women just haven’t been here yet this year in this event. Maybe this meet will get things started, but so far nothing to write home about. Actually right now our best quartermilers are our hurdlers. So a shake of the dice, and….
1. Phyllis Francis
2. Courtney Okolo
3. Chloe Abbott

Women’s 100H
We’re scary deep in the hurdle events. Here we have the WR holder and defending Olympic champion, and a few global medalists. Whoever makes this team has a shot at the final and a medal in Doha.
1. Keni Harrison
2. Brianna McNeal
3. Nia Ali

Women’s 400H
This race is going to be hot! The defending Olympic champion (Delilah Mohammed) looked unbeatable early until young Sydney McLaughlin said hold on. She defeated Delilah after an early loss and has since set a couple of World leads. They’ll be racing for mental dominance heading to Doha qwhich is always fun to watch.
1. Sydney McLaughlin
2. Delilah Mohammed
3. Shamier Little

My favorite field events

Men’s Triple Jump
Christian Taylor had won both World and Olympic gold. He’s once again competing at that level. College teammate Will Claye recently became #3 all time behind Taylor and WR holder Jonathon Edwards. Everyone else is far behind them.
1. Christian Taylor
2. Will Claye
3. Omar Craddock

Women’s Long Jump
Brittney Reece is an Olympic and World gold medalist. She’s back to that level and ready for more. Behind her are several women competing in a range of sorts.
1. Brittney Reece
2. Kate Hall
3. Kentura Orji

This championship meet us going to be interesting because of the lateness of this year’s World Championships. The US selection meet has also been moved back. We’ll see how much this affects performance. My guess is that this will be one cracker of a meet as the British say.

Tags: Claye, Coleman, Gatlin, Harrison, Lyles, McLaughlin, Norman, Richardson, Taylor, USATF