By David Monti, @d9monti
(c) 2025 Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved
EUGENE (01-Aug) — The brutal nature of the American trials system was on full display on day-two of the Toyota USATF Championships at Hayward Field at the University of Oregon today. Of the six athletes who represented the American team at last summer’s Paris Olympics in the 800m, only three will run in the finals here. Moreover, 2021 Olympic champion Athing Mu-Nikolayev was unable to advance to the final meaning that she will miss her second major championships in two years.
BRAZIER BACK IN THE MIX
Donavan Brazier, the 2019 world champion, ran a well-executed heat today finishing second in heat-one behind Brandon Miller, 1:44.25 to 1:44.39. The 28 year-old, who spent three years away from elite competition due to injury, was only in sixth position at the bell, but steadily worked his way up on the back stretch and emerged out of the final bend in third place. He was able to pass Isaiah Harris in the homestretch to take second (Harris also advanced on time, running a season’s best 1:44.53).
“It feels good,” said Brazier, who got a warm reception from the crowd when he was introduced. “I think I didn’t get in good position so I had to work a little harder the last two (hundred). I didn’t panic, felt pretty comfortable the last part. I knew Brandon and Isaiah can close pretty good.”
While Brazier looked relaxed, he said he wasn’t sure if he had another gear for Sunday’s final.
“It’s hard to tell until you’re tested and really need it,” he told reporters. He added: “I felt like I just wanted to get in those top two positions and guarantee my spot in the final.”
Bryce Hoppel, the 2024 world indoor champion, controlled the second heat from the front and won in 1:45.31. But the most impressive run from that section came from high schooler Cooper Lutkenhaus from Justin, Texas. The 16 year-old –who nearly fell just past the 400m mark after touching feet with another competitor– moved from fourth to second place in the homestretch, clocking 1:45.57 to advance to the final. One of the two men he passed, Isaiah Jewett, was a Tokyo 2020 Olympian, who did not advance.
“That was a special race,” said Lutkenhaus, who will now be the youngest-ever man to make a USATF Championships 800m final. “I didn’t really expect myself to make the finals. Getting that opportunity in the next two days, I’m not going to let it go.”
The third heat saw reigning world indoor champion Josh Hoey continue his front-running –and winning– ways. Hoey, 25, led from gun to tape and won in 1:44.47. Behind him, Colin Sahlman of the University of Northern Arizona (wearing Hoka kit), passed Abraham Alvarado in the homestretch to take second in a personal best 1:44.80. Alvarado and fourth place Camden Marshall both advanced on time, running 1:45.11 and 1:45.38, respectively.
“I like going through the effort stages of the race,” Hoey said. “Just kind of get out, feel good, start to focus, and make sure you don’t get in trouble the last 100. I’m definitely not trying to bottom out here for the semi; excited for Sunday.”
Hobbs Kessler, who was on the USA Olympic 800m team last year with Hoppel and Brandon Miller, is only competing in the 1500m at these championships.
MU-NICOLAYEV DOES NOT ADVANCE
Athing Mu-Nicolayev came into these championships on the back of a bare-bones racing schedule where she only ran the 800m twice with a best time of 2:00.42. She won her prelim yesterday in 2:00.06, and when she moved out into lane two with about 200 meters to go in her semi today it looked like she was going to pass the three athletes in front of her. Instead, she started to tie-up and Nia Akins (1:58.09), Ajee’ Wilson (1:58.30), and Meghan Hunter (1:58.42) all finished ahead of her and advanced to the final. Mu-Nikolayev, 23, ran a season’s best of 1:59.79, but that time was 39/100ths of a second behind the third and final time qualifier. Speaking to reporters she seemed at peace with her result.
“You know, it was my fastest time of the year this year so I have to give myself some credit for that,” Mu-Nikolayev said. “I think I was more competitive than I had been in my past couple of races, so I’m really happy with that.”
Mu-Nikolayev said that she didn’t feel her usual energy in the final 100 meters.
“I wanted to make sure I was in the mix when things got faster, but I really didn’t have anything left in my legs towards the end,” she said.
Sage Hurta-Klecker and Maggi Congdon went one-two in the second heat running 1:58.40 and 1:58.42, respectively. Raevyn Rogers, the 2021 Olympic bronze medalist, led for most of the race but ended up third when Congdon passed her in the final 50 meters. Both she and fourth place Valery Tobias ran fast enough to advance to the final, running 1:58.78 and 1:59.40, respectively.
Congdon, who just finished up her NCAA career at Northern Arizona University, was elated with her time, a personal best and the second sub-1:59 of her career.
“Running 1500’s so much I have a lot of strength, Congdon told Race Results Weekly when asked about her final 100-meter sprint. “My last two hundred is always my strongest one, so I knew to stay patient and really close it down.”
The third and final heat was won by Stanford’s Roisin Willis (wearing New Balance kit). She passed race leader Addy Wiley inside of the last 10 meters and they clocked 1:59.60 and 1:59.71, respectively. Skylyn Webb was only one tenth of a second behind in 1:59.81, but her time wasn’t fast enough to be one of the three time qualifiers.
“I knew I was going to have to bring it,” said Willis, whose mother Breeda was an Irish Olympian. “I was seeing 1:58’s and 1:59’s. My coach and I knew I was just going to run it today, so I just trusted that.”
Both Allie Wilson and Juliette Whittaker, who competed in the Paris Olympics last summer, did not advance to the final. Whittaker finished sixth in heat-one, while Wilson finished in the same position in heat-two.
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Middle and long distance action continues at Hayward Field tomorrow when finals for the 1500m and 3000m steeplechase will take place for both men and women. The men’s 1500 should be particularly exciting featuring reigning Olympic champion Cole Hocker –who competed for the University of Oregon during his NCAA career– and Olympic bronze medalist Yared Nuguse.
PHOTO: Bryce Hoppel (right) winning his 800m semi-final at the 2025 Toyota USATF Outdoor Track & Field Championships in Eugene; 16 year-old Cooper Lutkenhaus (left) finished second (photo by Jane Monti for Race Results Weekly)
PHOTO: Sage Hurta-Klecker and Maggi Congon finished one-two in their 800m semi-final at the 2025 Toyota USATF Outdoor Track & Field Championships in Eugene (photo by Jane Monti for Race Results Weekly)
PHOTO: Brandon Miller (right) winning his 800m semi-final at the 2025 Toyota USATF Outdoor Track & Field Championships in Eugene; Donavan Brazier (left) finished second (photo by Jane Monti for Race Results Weekly)
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ENDS
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