U.S. Olympic track and field trials: what to know and which Ohio athletes to watch
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- With a little over one month until the Paris Olympics get underway, the centerpiece team for the United States will be determined in Oregon.
The U.S. Olympic track and field trials begin Friday from Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon. The trials will run through June 30 as multiple potential Olympic gold medalists begin their quests for glory.
The top three in most events will clinch their tickets to Paris, but athletes outside the top three could still qualify once the standard Olympic times and distances are determined in the weeks ahead.
Among the names are several Ohio natives and former Ohio State athletes who can add to their budding legacies in the sport. The trials will also give Americans a chance to see the favorites for arguably the most popular event in the Olympics, the 100-meter dash.
Here is what you need to know heading into the track and field trials.
Ohio athletes to watch
Abby Steiner: The Dublin native comes to Oregon looking to make her first Olympic team. After an injury sidelined her last year, the former world champion will race in the 100 and 200 meter events, the latter being her specialty.
Anavia Battle: The 25-year-old from Michigan raced collegiately at Ohio State and is eyeing a spot in her second Olympics. Battle is also set to race in a loaded 100m and 200m field.
Adelaide Aquilla: The former Buckeye and Strongsville native is looking to make the Olympic shot put team for a second time. Aquilla is a former NCAA champion and placed 20th at the Tokyo Olympics.
Katie Moon: Moon, of Lakewood, is the current Olympic and world champion in the pole vault. She could become the first female repeat pole vault gold medalist since 2008.
Micaela Hazlewood: Hazlewood is a volunteer assistant coach at Ohio State and will compete in the discus throw at the trials. She missed the Tokyo games after not reaching the required qualifying distance.
Star athletes to watch
Noah Lyles: The world champion in the 100m and 200m will compete in both sprints. Lyles is trying to become the first American to be declared the fastest man in the world since 2004.
Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone: The 24-year-old might be Team USA's best athlete in any sport. McLaughlin-Levrone will focus on her specialty the 400m hurdles at trials after scratching out of the 200m and 400m races.
Sha'Carri Richardson: The women’s 100m world champion has yet to fulfill her Olympic dreams. After winning the 100m race at the 2021 Olympic trials, Richardson tested positive for cannabis after the race and was ineligible to make the team.
Christian Coleman: Lyles' fiercest rival in the sprints will be Christian Coleman. The Atlanta native enters trials with the joint fastest 100m time alongside Lyles and won the world title in 2019.
Rai Benjamin: The 26-year-old from New York is the men's star in the 400m hurdles as he chases Olympic glory. Benjamin is aiming for his first individual gold in an Olympic or world championships in the event.
Athing Mu: The defending Tokyo gold medalist in the women's 800m enters as the heavy favorite to win the event at trials. Mu is vying to be the first American woman to win back-to-back 800m Olympic golds.
How to watch, finals schedule
NBC4 will have live coverage of every evening session of the track and field trials. Because of the three-hour time difference, most track finals will not start until after 9:30 p.m.
Friday, June 21: Men's 10,000m
Saturday, June 22: Women's Triple Jump, Men's Shot Put, Decathlon ends, Women's 100m
Monday, June 23: Women's Hammer Throw, Men's Pole Vault, Men's Javelin Throw, Women's 400m, Men's Steeplechase, Men's 100m
Tuesday, June 24: Women's High Jump, Men's Long Jump, Men's 1500m, Heptathlon concludes, Men's 400m, Women's 5000m, Women's 800m
Thursday, June 27: Women's Discus Throw, Women's Steeplechase
Friday, June 28: Men's 110m Hurdles
Saturday, June 29: Men's Discus Throw, Women's Long Jump, Women's 200m, Women's Shot Put, Women's 10,000m, Men's 200m
Sunday, June 30: Women's Pole Vault, Men's Hammer Throw, Men's High Jump, Men's Triple Jump, Women's Javelin Throw, Men's 5000m, Men's 800m, Women's 100m Hurdles, Women's 1500m, Men's 400m Hurdles, Women's 400m Hurdles