Fierce & Fast 💨
The U.S. Olympic Track & Field trials are here, and it’s time to find out who will run, jump, and throw their way to the Paris Olympics. With athletes like Sha’Carri Richardson, Raven Saunders, and Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone set to compete, these trials will be must-see tv. We passed the baton to Olympian Alysia Montaño to help get you up to speed on the week ahead in Tracktown USA.
How to Watch
June 21-30, 2024
📍Eugene, OR
⚡Tune in on NBC, USA, and Peacock
Nia Akins
Nia Akins is the defending U.S. champion in the 800m and had a pretty powerful year last year. She is also an incredible recording artist and has a good balance of the two. She’s in a good position as an underdog. I enjoy her music and watching her run.
Elle Purrier St. Pierre
Elle Purrier St. Pierre had her first baby just over a year ago and has come back stronger than ever. She’s poised to make her second Olympic team and possibly contend for a medal in Paris.
Nia Akins
Nia Akins is the defending U.S. champion in the 800m and had a pretty powerful year last year. She is also an incredible recording artist and has a good balance of the two. She’s in a good position as an underdog. I enjoy her music and watching her run.
Elle Purrier St. Pierre
Elle Purrier St. Pierre had her first baby just over a year ago and has come back stronger than ever. She’s poised to make her second Olympic team and possibly contend for a medal in Paris.
Kara Winger
In the field, keep an eye out for javelin superstar Kara Winger. She retired four years ago and came out just a few weeks ago to give it one more go. If she succeeds, this will be her fifth Olympic qualification!
Gabby Thomas
Gabby Thomas finished up school with a Master of Public Health degree last May and is poised to have a good run at making the Olympic Team in more than one event (and is also a medal contender in both).
Kara Winger
In the field, keep an eye out for javelin superstar Kara Winger. She retired four years ago and came out just a few weeks ago to give it one more go. If she succeeds, this will be her fifth Olympic qualification!
Gabby Thomas
Gabby Thomas finished up school with a Master of Public Health degree last May and is poised to have a good run at making the Olympic Team in more than one event (and is also a medal contender in both).
Q&A w/ an Olympic Bronze Medalist 💭
TOGETHXR: Describe the environment of the Olympic Trials from the perspective of an Olympic hopeful. What are they like?
ALYSIA: Going into the trials hoping to make the Olympic Team is a wildly electrifying experience that is only a fraction of what is experienced at the Olympics. It feels like all of the eyes of the country are on you and that anything good and not so great is amplified. That may be true to some degree, but you can’t let those emotions take more energy than the actual performance you’re capable of. The way I’d always frame it for myself is I already recorded everything I needed in practice, now all I have to do is hit play. Find things that keep you grounded and confident in your capabilities, and find your stress deterrent, whether it be music, meditation, or a show before the big show. Dial that in, take it in, reign it in, and let the show begin.
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TOGETHXR: Which event do you think will be the most exciting and why?
ALYSIA: I’d say look out for the Dalilah Muhammad and Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone rivalry. The duo went back and forth on the 400m world record in 2021, where Sydney ultimately lowered the world record to a sub-51 — the first ever by a female athlete! She also grabbed the 400m hurdles gold medal over Muhammad, the reigning champion. Both Muhammad and McLaughlin sustained injuries last year and weren’t at their best during the World Championships this year, so it will be interesting to see where they are this year.
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TOGETHXR: Which female athlete has the most interesting storyline or backstory coming into qualifiers?
ALYSIA: The women’s side is about to be THE main event. There are so many interesting stories in every event and that’s what makes it so magical, exhilarating, and heartbreaking. That’s why you’ll have to tune into the action and start following along if you haven’t already!
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TOGETHXR: What's one prediction you have for Team USA in Paris?
ALYSIA: Team USA is going to come away with the highest medal count at the Paris Olympics — I said it here first!
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TOGETHXR: What are your thoughts on the surging popularity of women's sports? ㅤ
ALYSIA: We gonna make it do what it do baby, and that’s on PERIODT.
Spotlight: Legends of the Past 🔦
Wyomia Tyus
Games: Tokyo 1964, Mexico City 1968
Event(s): 100m, 4x100 relay
Total Medals: Three gold, one silver
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At only 19 years old, Wyomia Tyus competed in her first Olympic games in Tokyo. After winning her first three preliminary heats, Tyus was confident and came out hot, winning her first-ever gold medal.
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At the 1968 games, Tyus once again sprinted her way to gold — becoming the first person to ever repeat as a gold medalist in the 100m.
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Tyus wasn’t just a trailblazer on the track. She was outspoken and passionate about the Olympic Human Rights Project, a mission that led her to wear black shorts instead of her team-issued white shorts as an act of protest.
Jackie Joyner-Kersee
Games: Los Angeles 1984, Seoul 1988, Barcelona 1992, Atlanta 1996
Event(s): Heptathlon, long jump
Total Medals: Three gold, one silver, two bronze
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Jackie Joyner-Kersee’s Olympic debut came in 1984 when earned a silver medal in the heptathlon and placed fifth in the long jump.
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When it came time for the 1988 games, Joyner-Kersee was so dominant in the heptathlon that she owned the top five scores in heptathlon history.
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Joyner-Kersee dominated the heptathlon and long jump for years to come, winning her final Olympic medal for the long jump at 34 years old.
Wyomia Tyus
Games: Tokyo 1964, Mexico City 1968
Event(s): 100m, 4x100 relay
Total Medals: Three gold, one silver
ㅤ
At only 19 years old, Wyomia Tyus competed in her first Olympic games in Tokyo. After winning her first three preliminary heats, Tyus was confident and came out hot, winning her first-ever gold medal.
ㅤ
At the 1968 games, Tyus once again sprinted her way to gold — becoming the first person to ever repeat as a gold medalist in the 100m.
ㅤ
Tyus wasn’t just a trailblazer on the track. She was outspoken and passionate about the Olympic Human Rights Project, a mission that led her to wear black shorts instead of her team-issued white shorts as an act of protest.
Jackie Joyner-Kersee
Games: Los Angeles 1984, Seoul 1988, Barcelona 1992, Atlanta 1996
Event(s): Heptathlon, long jump
Total Medals: Three gold, one silver, two bronze
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Jackie Joyner-Kersee’s Olympic debut came in 1984 when earned a silver medal in the heptathlon and placed fifth in the long jump.
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When it came time for the 1988 games, Joyner-Kersee was so dominant in the heptathlon that she owned the top five scores in heptathlon history.
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Joyner-Kersee dominated the heptathlon and long jump for years to come, winning her final Olympic medal for the long jump at 34 years old.
Can't-Miss Storylines 👀
The Brightest Star 💫
Sha’Carri Richardson is arguably the biggest star, and all eyes will be on the speedster as she vies for her first Olympic roster spot. In 2020, Richardson was deemed ineligible after testing positive for cannabis. Richardson is ready for the moment and proved it at the 2023 World Championships in Budapest, where she won the gold medal in the 100m and the 4x100 relay.
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The 100m finals will be on Saturday, June 22, at approximately 7:50 p.m.
Shot Put Showdown 💪
Jaida Ross is coming off an incredible year in collegiate track & field, having just become the first collegiate woman to throw over 20m. Ross was also recently named the National Women’s Field Athlete of the Year. She’ll face tough competition from Raven Saunders, who won the silver medal in the 2020 Tokyo Games.
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The women’s shot put finals will be on Saturday, June 29, at approximately 5:50 p.m.
The Brightest Star 💫
Sha’Carri Richardson is arguably the biggest star, and all eyes will be on the speedster as she vies for her first Olympic roster spot. In 2020, Richardson was deemed ineligible after testing positive for cannabis. Richardson is ready for the moment and proved it at the 2023 World Championships in Budapest, where she won the gold medal in the 100m and the 4x100 relay.
ㅤ
The 100m finals will be on Saturday, June 22, at approximately 7:50 p.m.
Shot Put Showdown 💪
Jaida Ross is coming off an incredible year in collegiate track & field, having just become the first collegiate woman to throw over 20m. Ross was also recently named the National Women’s Field Athlete of the Year. She’ll face tough competition from Raven Saunders, who won the silver medal in the 2020 Tokyo Games.
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The women’s shot put finals will be on Saturday, June 29, at approximately 5:50 p.m.
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