Winner of the USATF Champs/Olympic Trials 1500 the past two years, Nikki Hiltz is a logical favorite this time. (KEVIN MORRIS)
FEARLESS FORECASTING by Roy Conrad as of July 29
TEAM USA for September’s World Championships in Tokyo will be chosen at the later-than-usual USATF Championships starting this week. The listing of an athlete in a discipline doesn’t guarantee she’ll contest that event (or events).
Athletes who have met the Tokyo qualifying standard are noted with an asterisk. Achieving a Q isn’t mandatory for making the team, as WA will fill out about half the fields in each event from its world rankings.
The U.S. will have 5 Wild Card slots (meaning 4 can qualify instead of the standard 3): Sha’Carri Richardson (100), Katie Moon (PV), Chase Jackson (SP), Lagi Tausaga (DT), Michelle Atherley (hept).
Here’s our Top 10s (the number in the right-hand column represents the athlete’s placing in last year’s U.S. Rankings as compiled by T&FN):
100 METERS
1.
*Melissa Jefferson-Wooden
(Nike)
2
2.
*Jacious Sears
(Nike)
nr
3.
*Aleia Hobbs
(adidas)
5
4.
*Anavia Battle
(adidas)
nr
5.
*TeeTee Terry
(Nike)
4
6.
*Gabby Thomas
(New Balance)
nr
7.
*Tamari Davis
(adidas)
3
8.
*Samirah Moody
(USC)
nr
9.
*JaMeesia Ford
(South Carolina)
nr
10.
*Sha’Carri Richardson (WC)
(Nike)
1
200 METERS
1.
*Gabby Thomas
(New Balance)
1
2.
*Melissa Jefferson-Wooden
(Nike)
nr
3.
*McKenzie Long
(adidas)
3
4.
*Brittany Brown
(Nike)
2
5.
*Anavia Battle
(adidas)
6
6.
*JaMeesia Ford
(South Carolina)
7
7.
*Madison Whyte
(USC)
nr
8.
*Tamari Davis
(adidas)
nr
9.
*Deajah Stevens
(unattached)
nr
10.
*Jenna Prandini
(Puma)
nr
400 METERS
1.
*Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone
(New Balance)
3
2.
*Bella Whittaker
(On )
7
3.
*Aaliyah Butler
(Georgia)
5
4.
*Lynna Irby-Jackson
(adidas)
9
5.
*Alexis Holmes
(Nike)
1
6.
*Bailey Lear
(unattached)
nr
7.
*Rachel Joseph
(Iowa State)
nr
8.
Sami Oblad
(BYU)
nr
9.
*Britton Wilson
(adidas)
nr
10.
*Rosey Effiong
(Arkansas)
10
800 METERS
1.
*Addy Wiley
(adidas)
1
2.
*Raevyn Rogers
(Nike)
10
3.
*Roisin Willis
(Stanford)
nr
4.
*Meghan Hunter
(BYU)
nr
5.
*Sage Hurta-Klecker
(On AC)
5
6.
*Ajee Wilson
(unattached)
nr
7.
*Michaela Rose
(LSU)
6
8.
*Maggie Congdon
(Northern Arizona)
nr
9.
*Nia Akins
(HOKA)
2
10.
Athing Mu-Nikolayev
(Nike)
nr
1500 METERS
1.
*Nikki Hiltz
(lululemon)
1
2.
*Sinclaire Johnson
(Nike)
4
3.
*Emily Mackay
(New Balance)
3
4.
*Heather MacLean
(New Balance)
7
5.
*Helen Schlachtenhaufen
(unattached)
9
6.
Riley Chamberlain
(BYU)
nr
7.
Dani Jones
(New Balance)
8
8.
Laurie Barton
(Atlanta TC)
nr
9.
Gracie Morris
(Puma)
nr
10.
Margot Appleton
(Virginia)
nr
STEEPLE
1.
*Gabbi Jennings
(adidas)
3
2.
*Courtney Wayment
(On AC)
2
3.
*Kaylee Mitchell
(Nike)
6
4.
*Lexy Halladay-Lowry
(BYU)
8
5.
*Val Constien
(Nike)
1
6.
*Angelina Napoleon
(NC State)
nr
7.
*Olivia Markezich
(On AC)
5
8.
Angelina Ellis
(Under Armour/Dark Skies)
nr
9.
Krissy Gear
(HOKA)
nr
10.
Gracie Hyde
(Puma)
nr
5000 METERS
1.
*Josette Andrews
(On AC)
10
2.
*Shelby Houlihan
(unattached)
nr
3.
*Bailey Hertenstein
(Nike)
nr
4.
*Weini Kelati
(Under Armour/DS)
5
5.
*Taylor Roe
(Puma Elite)
9
6.
*Karissa Schweizer
(Nike)
2
7.
Allie Buchalski
(Brooks Beasts)
7
8.
Alicia Monson
(On AC)
nr
9.
Ella Donaghu
(Nike)
8
10.
Katelyn Tuohy
(adidas)
nr
10,000 METERS
1.
Elise Cranny
(Nike)
nr
2.
Weini Kelati
(Under Armour/Dark Skies)
1
3.
Karissa Schweizer
(Nike)
3
4.
Taylor Roe
(Puma Elite)
nr
5.
Emily Infeld
(Brooks)
nr
6.
Jessica McClain
(Brooks)
4
7.
Katie Camarena
(Saucony)
nr
8.
Amanda Vestri
(Brooks)
6
9.
Abby Nichols
(HOKA Northern Arizona)
nr
10.
Elly Henes
(adidas)
9
100 HURDLES
1.
*Masai Russell
(Nike)
1
2.
*Grace Stark
(adidas)
2
3.
*Keni Harrison
(adidas)
6
4.
*Alaysha Johnson
(unattached)
3
5.
*Alia Armstrong
(unattached)
nr
6.
*Tonea Marshall
(Nike)
4
7.
*Christina Clemons
(unattached)
7
8.
Destiny Huven
(unattached)
nr
9.
Alexandra Webster
(unattached)
nr
10.
Aaliyah McCormick
(Oregon)
nr
400 HURDLES
1.
*Dalilah Muhammad
(Nike)
6
2.
*Anna Cockrell
(Nike)
2
3.
*Jasmine Jones
(unattached)
3
4.
*Akala Garrett
(Texas)
7
5.
Bianca Stubler
(Tonja Buford-Bailey TC)
nr
6.
Abbey Glynn
(unattached)
10
7.
Cassandra Tate
(adidas)
8
8.
Sanaa Hebron
(Miami)
nr
9.
Jessica Wright
(Tonja Buford-Bailey TC)
nr
10.
Allya Garozzo
(Duke)
nr
20K WALK (compiled by Michael J. Roth)
1.
Lauren Harris
(Walk USA)
nr
2.
Katie Burnett
(Harrier TC)
4
3.
Maria Michta-Coffey
(Oiselle/Walk USA)
nr
4.
Miranda Melville
(NYAC)
2
5.
Stephanie Casey
(Tracksmith)
5
6.
Lydia McGranahan
(HART)
6
7.
Ruby Ray
(Walk USA)
8
8.
Izabelle Trefts
(unattached)
nr
9.
Katie Miale
(New England Walkers)
nr
10.
Angelica Harris
(Chicago Walkers)
nr
HIGH JUMP
1.
Vashti Cunningham
(Nike/Red Bull)
1
2.
Charity Hufnagel
(unattached)
4
3.
Jenna Rogers
(Nebraska)
3
4.
Emma Gates
(Arizona)
10
5.
Alyssa Jones
(Stanford)
nr
6.
Cierra Allphin
(unattached)
9
7.
Sanaa Barnes
(unattached)
5
8.
Liz Evans
(unattached)
nr
9.
Inika McPherson
(unattached)
nr
10.
Paris Mikinski
(Arizona)
nr
POLE VAULT
1.
*Katie Moon (WC)
(Nike)
1
2.
*Sandi Morris
(Puma)
2
3.
*Amanda Moll
(Washington)
9
4.
*Hana Moll
(Washington)
5
5.
*Brynn King
(Roberts Wesleyan)
4
6.
*Emily Grove
(unattached)
6
7.
Chloe Timberg
(Rutgers)
7
8.
Gabriela Leon
(Puma)
8
9.
Kristen Leland
(unattached)
nr
10.
Molly Haywood
(Baylor)
nr
LONG JUMP
1.
*Tara Davis-Woodhall
(Nike)
1
2.
*Claire Bryant
(adidas)
5
3.
*Jasmine Moore
(Puma)
2
4.
*Monae’ Nichols
(Puma)
3
5.
*Lexi Brown
(Baylor)
6
6.
Alyssa Jones
(Stanford)
10
7.
Quanesha Burks
(unattached)
4
8.
Sinclair Savage
(Louisville)
nr
9.
Tacoria Humphrey
(Illinois)
nr
10.
Sydney Willits
(unattached)
nr
TRIPLE JUMP
1.
*Jasmine Moore
(Puma)
1
2.
Agur Dwell
(Oklahoma)
nr
3.
Imani Oliver
(Tracksmith)
4
4.
Mylana Hearn
(unattached)
8
5.
Ashley Moore
(Oklahoma)
nr
6.
Ryann Porter
(Oregon)
9
7.
Euphenie Andre
(unattached)
7
8.
Christina Warren
(Miami)
nr
9.
Ciynamon Stevenson
(unattached)
nr
10.
Asha Fletcher
(UCLA)
nr
SHOT
1.
*Chase Jackson (WC)
(Nike)
1
2.
*Jaida Ross
(Nike)
2
3.
*Maggie Ewen
(Nike)
4
4.
*Mya Lesnar
(Colorado State)
7
5.
*Abby Moore
(Rodhe)
nr
6.
*Jessica Ramsey
(adidas)
6
7.
*Abria Smith
(Illinois)
nr
8.
Jessica Woodard
(Iron Wood TC)
8
9.
MyeJoi Williams
(Alabama)
nr
10.
*Akaoma Odeluga
(Ole Miss)
nr
DISCUS
1.
*Valarie Allman
(Asics/New York AC)
1
2.
*Cierra Jackson
(Fresno State)
nr
3.
*Lagi Tausaga (WC)
(unattached)
4
4.
*Gabi Jacobs
(unattached)
nr
5.
*Veronica Fraley
(unattached)
2
6.
Shelby Frank
(Texas Tech)
6
7.
*Jayden Ulrich
(Louisville)
3
8.
Elena Bruckner
(unattached)
7
9.
Micaela Hazlewood
(unattached)
8
10.
*Erika Beistle
(Grand Valley State)
5
HAMMER
1.
*Brooke Andersen
(Nike)
1
2.
*DeAnna Price
(Nike/NYAC)
3
3.
*Janee’ Kassanavoid
(Nike)
4
4.
*Rachel Richeson
(EAN)
5
5.
*Annette Echikunwoke
(Nike)
2
6.
Erin Reese
(Velaasa)
6
7.
Janeah Stewart
(New York AC)
7
8.
Jalani Davis
(unattached)
nr
9.
Jillian Shippee
(EAN)
nr
10.
Shelby Moran
(unattached)
10
JAVELIN
1.
Madison Wiltrout
(unattached)
3
2.
Maddie Harris
(Nebraska)
5
3.
Evelyn Bliss
(Bucknell)
6
4.
Kelsi Oldroyd
(Utah Valley)
nr
5.
Arianna Ince
(unattached)
8
6.
Emma Yungberg
(Michigan)
nr
7.
Sarah Blake
(unattached)
7
8.
Jada Green
(unattached)
9
9.
Casey Bogues
(Dayton)
10
10.
Erin Tack
(Kansas)
nr
HEPTATHLON
1.
*Anna Hall
(adidas)
1
2.
*Michelle Atherley (WC)
(unattached)
2
3.
Taliyah Brooks
(Asics)
3
4.
Allie Jones
(unattached)
5
5.
Jadin O’Brien
(Notre Dame)
7
6.
Erin Marsh
(VS Athletics)
nr
7.
Timara Chapman
(unattached)
6
8.
Lexie Keller
(VS Athletics)
nr
9.
Melanie Winters
(unattached)
nr
10.
Ashtin Mahler
(Tracksmith)
10
About the author: we’re never quite sure where reclusive Special Projects Editor Roy Conrad will show up next, although he is halfway to retirement at this point.
