The most important juncture of the 2025 track and field season is upon us as the USATF Outdoor Championships arrive on Thursday at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon. The four-day meet will determine the U.S. roster for the upcoming World Championships, which will take place from September 13-21 at Japan National Stadium in Tokyo.
Per the USATF selection process, athletes who finish within the top three places across individual events at USAs will qualify for the World Championships, assuming they are in the world rankings quota or have achieved the World Championship standard. Returning winners from the Budapest World Championships in 2023 will receive automatic byes in their events. Below are our choices for the top races to watch each day.
How To Watch the 2025 USATF Outdoor Championships
The 2025 USATF Outdoor Championships will broadcast live on NBC and Peacock on Saturday, August 2 and Sunday, August 3 from 4:00-6:00 p.m. ET. The rest of the coverage, including the action on day one (Thursday) and day two (Friday) of the meet, will stream only on USATF.TV.
Which Athletes Will Receive Automatic Byes Into The 2025 World Championships
Noah Lyles (100/200 meters), Grant Holloway (110 meter hurdles), and Ryan Crouser have earned automatic bids to the World Championships by virtue of their wins in Budapest in 2023. Sha’Carri Richardson (100 meters), Katie Moon (pole vault), Chase Jackson (shot put) and Laulauga Tausaga-Collins (discus) will receive automatic byes on the women’s side.
Lyles clarified after his runner-up finish in the men’s 100 meters at the London Diamond League that he will focus on the 200 meters at USAs and that he doesn’t “believe in giving up titles.”
Races to Watch
July 31 – The men’s and women’s 10,000 meters
The final two races of the night will be the main attraction, as the men’s and women’s 10,000 meters will decide the first world qualifiers on the track. Olympic bronze medalist Grant Fisher leads the men’s field alongside the likes of Graham Blanks, Nico Young, and Woody Kincaid. On the women’s side, five athletes enter with seed times under 31 minutes, headlined by Elise Cranny, Weini Kelati, and Karissa Schweizer.
August 1 – The women’s 100 meters
One of the biggest questions surrounding USAs is the form of 2023 world champion Sha’Carri Richardson in the women’s 100 meters. Has the U.S. star improved since her last outing at the Prefontaine Classic, where she finished dead last in 11.19 seconds? Her teammate, Melissa Jefferson-Wooden, may be the world’s most in-form sprinter at the moment, with a world lead of 10.73 seconds.
August 2 – The men’s and women’s 400 meters
With Olympic champion Quincy Hall not competing, all eyes will be on 17-year-old Quincy Wilson in the men’s 400 meters. Can the high schooler and Olympian from Maryland qualify for Worlds? On the women’s side, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone will aim for her second national title in the 400 meters following her win in 2023. The four-time Olympic champion and 400-meter hurdles world record-holder could be targeting Sanya Richards-Ross’ American record of 48.70.
August 3 – The women’s and men’s 800 meters
The women’s 800 meters is wide open. After a couple of races to ramp up her season, 2022 world champion Athing Mu-Nikolayev is in the field, but questions loom over whether or not she can contend. Meanwhile, returning champion Nia Akins has been shaky. That could leave the door open for any number of women to grab spots for Tokyo, including reigning NCAA champion Roisin Willis, Addison Wiley, or 2024 Olympian Juliette Whittaker.
The most uplifting story of USAs may be that of Donavan Brazier. The 28-year-old will arrive on just the fourth race of his 800-meter comeback tour following a three-year hiatus from the sport due to injuries. He’s been epic in his return, clocking a best of 1:43.08 at the London Diamond League on July 19. You have to go all the way back to 2019 when Brazier last won a U.S. title, but he’ll be in the hunt this weekend.
Cory Mull is a reporter and editor living in Austin, Texas. He’s run three marathons, completed a 50K, and has a beer mile best somewhere in the nine-minute range. His work has appeared in Forbes, FloTrack, MileSplit, and Runner’s World.
