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USATF OUTDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS | DAY 4 REACTION SHOW: DONAVAN BRAZIER IS BACK, NOAH LYLES & KENNY BEDNAREK BEEFING + COLE HOCKER BEATS GRANT FISHER
The next time someone complains that track and field is boring, tell them about August 3, 2025.
Today's epic conclusion to the 2025 USATF Outdoor Championships were so packed to the gills with drama that it extended beyond the start and finish lines. You want rivalries? Got ‘em. Records? check. Emotions? Certainly. Controversy? You bet.
After finishing a surprise third in the 1500m, the event that delivered an Olympic title, Cole Hocker found redemption in the 5000m, where he closed off a slow early pace in an astonishing 51.76 seconds to win his first U.S. title in the longer event. NCAA champion Roisin Willis won her first U.S. senior title in the 800m a few steps after national leader Addy Wiley got tripped up.
Two World champions weren’t even present for their event finals: Grant Holloway qualified for the 110m hurdles final but, for the third time in his career, leaned on his wild card entry to Worlds and skipped the last round of racing. Sha’Carri Richardson missed qualifying for the final of the 200m by 0.01 seconds, but her training partner Melissa Jefferson-Wooden added a second U.S. title to her resume with a personal-best 21.84 run.
Behind Jefferson-Wooden and runner-up Anavia Battle, who’s having a helluva season of her own, the last spot on the 200m team couldn’t have been tighter. The three women who represented Team USA at the Paris Olympics were all credited with a 22.20 finish, meaning the critical result came down to one thousandth of a second as Gabby Thomas (22.197) barely beat out Brittany Brown (22.198) and McKenzie Long (22.199).
And yet somehow, that wasn’t even the most dramatic 200m race of the day. In the men’s final, Noah Lyles defended his title over Kenny Bednarek in a world-leading 19.63 to Bednarek’s 19.67, but a little post-race shoving and strongly-worded jawing occurred in plain sight of the TV cameras and Hayward fans. It’s safe to say that Lyles and Bednarek are friendly rivals — except for the friendly part.
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Hosts: Chris Chavez, Eric Jenkins, Aisha Praught-Leer, Paul Hof-Mahoney & Anderson Emerole
Produced by: Mac Fleet & Jasmine Fehr
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Find everything you need to know about the 2025 USATF Outdoor Championships here:
Listen: Day 3 Recap Show
Listen: Day 2 Recap Show
Listen: Day 1 Recap Show
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Read: Distance preview | Sprints + hurdles preview | Throws + heptathlon preview | Published on 3 months ago