By: Tyler Pounds, Athletics Communications
EUGENE, Ore. – Two-time Tokyo Olympic gold medalist Athing Mu added the USATF 800m championship to her resume, while All-American Brandon Miller (800m) and Tokyo Olympic 100m silver medalist Fred Kerley (200m) placed third in their respective events, Sunday afternoon at Hayward Field.
Mu, representing Nike, pushed the pace early clocking the first 400m at 57.25 before finishing at 1:57.16, edging Ajee Wilson by .07 seconds. The victory secures a spot for 20-year-old on Team USA for the World Athletics Championships on July 15-24 in Eugene.
Shortly after, Miller earned his spot on Team USA after diving to a third place finish in the men’s 800m at 1:45.19. Miller started strong running the first 400m at 51.62, before falling back in the second lap running it in 53.57.
Already with a spot on Team USA after winning the men’s 100m title, Fred Kerley secured a spot in the 200m after finishing third at 19.83 (-0.3w). The Nike professional is the lone sprinter to make the team in both the 100m and 200m.
Natosha Rogers registered a fifth place finish in the women’s 5000m at 15:57.85. Despite falling out of the top three, the Brooks professional made the team after placing third in the 10,000m qualifying race in late May.
In other national championship action, Charokee Young will represent Jamaica at the world championships in the 400m after placing third at 50.76. Heather Abadie won the Canadian women’s U20 pole vault national championship at 13-7.25/4.15m, earning her a spot on Team Canada for the U20 World Athletics in Championships Santiago de Cali, Colombia on August 1-6.