The 2023 USA Track & Field (USATF) championships will be held July 6–9 at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon. It’s the most important meet of the year for most elite U.S. track and field athletes.
Below, you’ll find three key details for each day of the meet—TV and streaming info, the race schedule, and the three most enticing races of the day. We’ll update these categories every day of the meet so that you’re set to enjoy that day’s action. Of course, you’ll also want to follow our coverage, which will include flash results, videos, analysis, and break-out stories on the most interesting athletes and developments of the meet.
Here’s what you need to know.
What’s at Stake?
In addition to determining this year’s national champions, the meet serves as the qualifier for the World Athletics World Championships, to be held August 19–27 in Budapest, Hungary. In most events, the top three finishers will be named to the U.S. roster for the world meet.
In some events, however, one or more of the top three finishers might lack a world championship qualifying standard, which can be achieved either with a fast enough time (in races) or mark (in field events), or a high enough World Athletics ranking in the event. The World Athletics ranking system is too complex to briefly address in this meet overview, so in our daily coverage we’ll go into detail as warranted by events.
The top finishers will earn spots on Team USA for Augusts world championships, USATF’s stated guidelines for completing the team roster appear to give athletes until August 2 to achieve a world qualifying standard (again, either by time or ranking). If a top-three finisher doesn’t achieve a world standard by then, USATF will fill the roster with the highest-placing finisher or finishers at the national meet who have the world standard.
Note: Defending world champions receive a bye to the world meet; USATF doesn’t require them to contest the event at the national championships. For example, Athing Mu won’t race the 800 meters and Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone won’t race the 400-meter hurdles in Eugene. Countries can send four athletes in events in which one of the team members is the defending world champion.
How to Watch the USATF Outdoor Championships (Day 4/July 9)
Day 4 action will be split among Peacock, CNBC, and USATF.tv. The main racing of the day will be broadcast live on Peacock and CNBC between 9 p.m. and 11 p.m. Eastern/ 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Pacific. (You can purchase a Peacock subscription for $4.99 a month.) Races occurring at other times and all field events will be streamed live on USATF.tv, which requires a subscription that you can sign up for here.
Full Race Schedule (Eastern Time)
8:30 p.m.—Men’s 200 meters, semi finals
8:45 p.m.—Women’s 200 meters, semi finals
9:02 p.m.—Men’s 110-meter hurdles, semi finals
9:18 p.m.—Women’s 800 meter final
9:34 p.m.—Women’s 400-meter hurdles final
9:42 p.m.—Men’s 400-meter hurdles final
9:50 p.m.—Men’s 5,000 meters final
10:10 p.m.—Women’s 200 meters final
10:20 p.m.—Men’s 200 meters final
10:10 p.m.—Women’s 5,000 meters final
10:25 p.m.—Men’s 110-meter hurdles final
Three Key Races Sunday
Women’s 800 meters final (9:18 p.m. ET)
American Distance Olympians Are SetAt Last Athing Mu having an automatic entry to the world meet and not running her specialty in Eugene, this race lacks a clear favorite. Which is good! The 800 finals are always among the most exciting races at any championship, with positions often changing dramatically over the final 100 meters. Former U.S. record-holder Ajee’ Wilson has the fastest time of the year in the field and knows how to make teams. Olympic and world medalist Raevyn Rogers is the best kicker of the entrants and has shown good fitness in Eugene after a slow start to her season. Sage Hurta-Klecker should be a factor in a fast race.
Men’s 5,000 meters final (9:50 p.m. ET)
Tons of story lines here: Olympic medalist Paul Chelimo will seek redemption after not making the 10k team on Thursday night. Similarly, last year’s 1500-meter champion, Cooper Teare, will have something to prove after failing to make the final in that event this year. The top three 10K finishers—Woody Kincaid, Joe Klecker, and Sean McGorty—will hope for a slow early pace that will allow them to kick like they did in the 10K. Abdi Nur made this team last year and, unlike the rest of the top competitors, will contest the race on fresh legs. U.S. record-holder Grant Fisher, who placed fourth in the 10K on Thursday, withdrew from the race on Sunday because of injury.
Women’s 5,000 meters final (10:29 p.m. ET)
As in the men’s 5K, the top finishers from Thursday’s 10K are doubling back, led by Olympians Elise Cranny and Alicia Monson. Look for Monson to set an honest pace for at least the second half of the race to blunt others’ finishing kicks. Two key entrants—Emily Infeld, who won world 10K bronze in 2015, and Josette Andrews, second fastest American this year behind Monson—are running only this race in Eugene. Don’t be surprised if one of them capitalizes on being rested with a top-three finish.
Scott is a veteran running, fitness, and health journalist who has held senior editorial positions at Runner’s World and Running Times. Much of his writing translates sport science research and elite best practices into practical guidance for everyday athletes. He is the author or coauthor of several running books, including Canadian Women Break 100 x 1 Mile World Record, Advanced Marathoning, and American Distance Olympians Are SetAt Last. Zoo Animals Cheers for Runners at Historic Race Slate, The Atlantic, the Washington Post, and other members of the sedentary media. His lifetime running odometer is past 110,000 miles, but he’s as much in love as ever.
