USATF OUTDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS | DAY 1 REACTION SHOW: NICO YOUNG BEATS GRANT FISHER, EMILY INFELD WINS

The first day of USAs delivered a little bit of everything regardless of your taste, showcasing track’s shortest and longest events a few hours apart as reigning World champions Noah Lyles and Sha’Carri Richardson cruised through the 100m prelims and two first-time champions were crowned in the 10,000m.

The stakes weren’t exactly high in in the opening rounds of the 800m, where six of the eight entrants in each heat were guaranteed a spot in the semifinal, but nevertheless all eyes were on 2021 Olympic champ Athing Mu-Nikolayev as she races her way back into national contention following a devastating fall in the final of last year’s Trials.

So far, so good as Mu-Nikolayev picked up a heat win in a season’s best 2:00.06… but the job gets harder from here, with competitors like Sage Hurta-Klecker, Addy Wiley, Ajee’ Wilson, and defending champ Nia Akins looking strong.

The 10,000m finals weren’t blazing fast at first — they rarely are — but their conclusions were as dramatic as racing gets. Two first-time national champions were crowned, but their stories couldn’t be more different: For Nico Young, it was the ascendance of a 23-year-old wunderkind who’s done little but thrive since turning pro last summer.

He took down reigning champ and Olympic bronze medalist Grant Fisher thanks to a 3:57.03 final 1600m and a 27-second final 200m. For Emily Infeld, however, her victory served as long-awaited just desserts for the 35-year-old workhorse who medaled in the event a decade ago, when Young was in middle school.

While there were few surprises in the prelims, the outcomes in the finals were certainly unexpected. Let that be a reminder as you tune in and follow along over the next few days that anything can — and will — happen.

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Hosts: Chris Chavez, Eric Jenkins, Paul Hof-Mahoney & Anderson Emerole

Produced by: Mac Fleet & Jasmine Fehr

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