The USATF New York Grand Prix was the final major tune-up event before the U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials, which begin in less than two weeks.
On Track Sydney McLaughlin Levrone He recorded a time of 48.75 seconds in the 400m, showing he is ready for the trials. Noah Lyles He ran 19.77 seconds against the wind and was an unknown Eric Holt Gave Jake Wightman He sprinted to the finish line in the 1500m, but the biggest news was what happened to the reigning Olympic 100m champion Fred Currie and Elaine Thompson Heller(Click here to watch the race video)
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First, Thompson-Heller limped and visibly slowed in the final stages of the 100 meters, finishing last in 11.48 seconds and having to be carried off the track, putting her Olympic defence in serious jeopardy.
Meanwhile, Curly showed up to the track in Puma cleats (he was sponsored by Asics). After the race was stopped once for a false start, Curly had the worst false start I've ever seen. He said his blocks had slipped (which they had), but instead of waiting for the blocks to be fixed, he walked off the track barefoot with his Puma cleats in hand. Curly told the press that he was wearing his Puma cleats because there had been a luggage mix-up, but after the event it was announced that he and Asics had mutually parted ways, which was clearly not the case.
Former US national sprinter Ray Edwards Fred said, “I don't like Asics cleats,” and Ray said Fred had previously shared a video with Ray of his Asics cleats breaking during practice. Fred later posted a video of himself practicing in Puma cleats on Instagram, with the caption, “What is understood doesn't need to be explained.”
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Meanwhile, many questions remain about Carly's condition. This was her first race since tweeting on May 14 that she would “set a world record in the next 100 meters.” Carly has not run faster than 10.03 seconds in any of her four 100 meters this year.
Below are 11 short thoughts on the New York Grand Prix. Noah Jampol.
1 Fred Carley dramatically leaves New York with more questions than answers
Coming into the meet, Fred was showing great confidence in the training he had done and his ability to run lightning-fast times like Usain Bolt's world records. When he lined up, it looked like we might get an answer as to whether that confidence was justified or if Fred's unique and unwavering self-confidence was justified in his actions. But we never got an answer. After a series of issues with Brock and a fear of a false start, Fred elected to skip the race, explaining that he was getting cold and that all the delays had become a business decision. In between, he was clearly furious as he spoke to us and to Louis Johnson. He was seen loudly calling Brock a “f***er” and trying to avoid speaking to the NBC camera. To Fred's credit, he spoke to Louis, said hello to the young fans, and even spoke in the mixed zone. He was a great athlete, and he … Rye Benjamin and Michael Normanhe has nothing to worry about when it comes to visible results. He claimed that he broke the “basic” blocks and made the decision himself not to run, not to be disqualified. At least, “Sprint” season 2 has a moment for viewers to talk about. And, even more dramatic, Fred and Asics officially parted ways after the race. Fred was seen wearing Puma spikes at the meet, but in the mixed zone, he said this was due to a luggage mix-up. Considering that the 100m race was literally sponsored by Asics, read between the lines as to how that affected his mindset to jump out of the race.
2 Elaine Thompson-Heller's Olympic year magic seems to have worn off
Trackside spectators were eager to see if ETH's tough pre-Classic weather was simply rusty or if she would truly struggle to compete for a place on Team Jamaica, let alone a double gold medal. Today, things were looking bad. On her last step, Thompson-Heller appeared to twist her leg and visibly stumbled afterwards. She was carried by support staff through the mixed zone, and her chances of racing again in 2024 are now in real doubt.
3 Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone is on another level
Going into the race, SML was cautious about her goals for the day, but after the race she spoke frankly: Sanya Richards Ross' American record of 48.70. She fell just short, but agreed with me that the wind may have played a role. She also acknowledged that the plans for the Trials hadn't changed – that is, just the 400m hurdles. She said it would take something “crazy” to change that, and when asked about it, she said she didn't think today's performance was it. It's no surprise that a 50.68 400mHer is not easily impressed.
4. Eric Holt is no longer a dark horse
Eric Holt was contrite and honest after coming within a few hundredths of a second of pulling off a major upset over Jake Wightman. The more surprising emotion to read from him was the heartfelt disappointment after what many are calling the best race of his career. He said before the race that he was afraid of failing and letting his Empire Elite team down. When I asked Hobbs Kessler about Holt, he dismissed the idea that Eric Holt was a “dark horse” anymore, claiming that the only thing that separates Holt from many of the other flashy names is his sponsorship situation. It's hard to argue with that after watching Holt work his way up front and nearly win despite fending off a number of attacks.
5 Sage Harta-Klecker is exactly where you need him
The women's 800 meters was a strategic test for the Americans, as a gusty day left no one able to keep up with the pace. Sage Harta Klecker He won in 2:00.33 and passed the test. Olivia Baker and Sammy Watson. She announced today that she will be committing to the 800m, with question marks hanging over Azzie Wilson (DNS today). Raevyn Rogers Forms, and Asing Moo Given her current health, she seems likely to make the team. Juliet Whittaker But it cannot be underestimated.
The U.S. men's 800m is a close race apart from Hoppel
Coming into this race, Isaiah Jewett Or maybe Clayton Murphy Asserting themselves as a favorite to win, they aim to join the team alongside the big favorites Bryce Hoppel. The script has been completely flipped, and behind Mr. ConsistencyTonatiuh Lopez In Mexico, Wes Ferguson and Josh Hoey both ran strong races, beating the big names and setting new personal bests. After the race, Clayton Murphy was upset with his tactics, saying he “ran like an idiot.” He admitted he was training hard and doing well, but knew he didn't give himself a chance today. Never underestimate a veteran, but the college geniuses are Shane Cohen and Sam Whitmarsh I have to think that a top three finish is very realistic for them.
7 Devin Charlton scores a stunning win
Devin Charlton Indoors, she set a world record and won the World Indoor Gold Medal, enjoying the best season of her life. Outdoors, she won in 12.56 seconds in -1.9°C headwind and now seems to be regaining her momentum. Somewhat surprisingly for a star 60m hurdles athlete, she cited her starts as an area for improvement. Behind her, Tobi Amusan and Aleisha Johnson I was very happy with the race Keni Harrison She was confident she would bounce back.Tonea Marshall, He had a fantastic season, posting seven times under 12.50 seconds, but DNSed.
8 Trey Cunningham is definitely back
Trey Cunningham “It was nice to win two straight races after running 13.12 in Jamaica. His caution was palpable when I asked him about some of the NCAA guys who ran in the 13.20s on Friday. He knew it was going to be tough to get on this team, with a lot of names in the mix after the big names.” Grant Holloway and Daniel Roberts.
9 Wayde van Niekerk is on the right track and Kirani James looks ageless
I didn't have a chance to talk Kirani James But his longevity is impressive. For the last 13 years, if he was healthy, he was likely to finish first or second in any race. Compared to the other competitors, Wayde van Niekerk's His season-opening 400m race was a strong 44.74 seconds, despite a windy day. Last year, van Niekerk was performing well on the track before struggling in Budapest. This year, he and his coach, Lance Braumann, are training together all season, with the aim of peaking at the World Championships. It was enlightening to hear Wade talk about finding the fun in the sport and dealing with having to work so hard to achieve times that once seemed easy.
10 Gabby Thomas is doing well
Gabby Thomas She ran a great 100m today, running 11.34s (-2.1s) and 22.42s in a 3.1s headwind. After the race she admitted she was very happy to bounce back from her disappointing result at the LA Grand Prix, where she said she never competed well in that particular training block. Tamara Clark She's been riding well this season (SB22.21) so the 0.37 second win was huge. Gabby also mentioned that after running 21.6s twice in Eugene but falling just short at Worlds, she's been fine-tuning her plan with her coach this year and aiming to improve on her fastest time in Paris.
11 Noah Lyles is unquestionable
The crowd, who missed Fred Curley, was thrilled with Noah's performance. Despite similar issues with his blocks, Noah remained unfazed and was top-class from start to finish. Even more frightening for his rivals, he admitted to being cautious and holding back on his turns before slowing down in the final 50 meters. The wind was not helping him achieve his target of 19.4-5 seconds, but Noah said he expects to improve his time significantly in Eugene, even though he has his eye on Paris.
Missed the event and just want to watch the race video? You can watch the 2024 NYC Grand Prix race video here.
