Small town, big dreams: USA banks on hosting worlds to boost athletics

15.07.2022 - 10:45 theguardian.com

They call it TrackTown USA: a magical oasis where track and field is respected and revered, and given near-equal billing to the major sports.

And for the next 10 days Eugene, Oregon will seek to conjure up an even greater feat: by making the rest of America follow suit.

To the outsider, Eugene appears a baffling choice to host America’s first world athletics championships. Especially when its population is only 170,000.

But this is where the American jogging craze was born in the 1960s, when the Oregon coach Bill Bowerman introduced it to the masses after a trip to New Zealand.

Sporting athletics jogging Dreams on Sydney Maclaughlin Allyson Felix Sebastian Coe Usa New Zealand state Oregon

Oregon): The United States collected their third successive women's 4x400 metres relay world title in emphatic fashion on Sunday, finishing well clear in 3:17.79 ahead of Jamaica and Britain to close out the Eugene World Championships with a 13th home gold. Talitha Diggs got the Americans off to a solid start and Abby Steiner edged further ahead of Jamaican Janieve Russell in the second leg a day after helping the United States win gold in the sprint relay. Britton Wilson opened even more daylight before anchor Sydney McLaughlin, who shattered the 400m hurdles world record on Friday, brought it home for gold with a remarkable 47.91 final leg, finishing some 20 metres clear.

Dina Asher-Smith suffers mystery leg injury, Great Britain men claim bronze at World Athletics Championships

Dina Asher-Smith pulled up sharply during the 4x100 relay race at the World Championships, costing Great Britain’s women a shot at a medal – but there was better luck for the men who claimed bronze. Asher-Smith is now a doubt for the Commonwealth Games after she suffered a mystery leg injury around the final bend and although she bravely managed to hobble the final 15m to pass the baton to Daryll Neita, Great Britain’s chance of a podium place was gone.

Felix returns to help US women into worlds relay final

EUGENE, Oregon: Allyson Felix helped the United States through to the 4x400 metres relay final in a surprise return to Hayward Field on Saturday (Jul 23), days after running what was supposed to be her farewell race at the World Championships.

Matt Hudson-Smith wins 400m bronze, Sydney McLaughlin demolishes 400m hurdles record at World Athletics Championships

Matt Hudson-Smith won bronze in the 400m at the World Athletics Championships medal in Eugene, while Sydney McLaughlin obliterated her own 400m hurdles world record. Hudson-Smith held his nerve to hold off USA champion Allison and South Africa’s world record holder Wayde van Niekerk to finish third and clock 44.66s. Ad/> American Michael Norman took home gold in a time of 44.29s, while Grenada’s Kirani James won the silver medal.

World Athletics Championships: Sydney McLaughlin smashes world record to win world 400m hurdles

The 22-year-old American prodigy left rivals trailing in her wake at Hayward Field as she took gold in a stunning time of 50.68sec -- the first time any woman has ducked under the 51-second barrier.