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Allyson Felix Earns 19th Medal in Final Race at World ChampionshipsPublished by
Day One Concludes With a Bronze For The U.S. In the Mixed Relay As Crowd Of Americans Moves To Next Rounds By Doug Binder, DyeStat Editor Photos by Tim Healy and John Nepolitan EUGENE – Allyson Felix Appreciation Night kicked off a 10-day run of the World Athletics Championships, Oregon 22 edition. The 36-year old teamed up with veteran Vernon Norwood and collegians Elija Godwin (Georgia) and Kennedy Simon (Texas) in a bronze-medal effort in the 4x400 mixed relay. It was Felix's final professional race and it netted her 19th medal at her eighth World Championships over a span of 17 years. "There's been a lot of special moments and memories and it's really cool to have it at home," Felix said. "Along the way in my career, I was always a little envious of the athletes in front of their home crowd, and you hear that roar, and tonight it was cool because we got that and it felt really special to be at home." Simon, thrust into the anchor role, went out hard to put pressure on the competition and her lead coming off the final turn evaporated in the final 50 meters. The Dominican Republic, which got a 48.47 split from Olympic silver medalist Marileidy Paulino on the second leg, got past Simon to take the win in 3:09.92. The Netherlands, with Femke Bol splitting 48.95, got the silver. Simon's split wasn't bad, 50.50, and the lineup that the U.S. sent out to the track "ran with heart," Felix said. Hayward Field's stands were packed with more people than at any time since the stadium was rebuilt, and the climax to Day 1 of the global meet was the roar for Felix as she carried the baton. "I felt a lot of love out there," Felix said. "I wasn't sure what to expect, running at home. But it met every expectation and it's a night that I'll really cherish." The first day was filled with qualifying rounds and and preliminary heats in an assortment of events. Fred Kerley sped to a first-round win in the 100 meters with 9.79 seconds, just off his fastest times (9.76 and 9.77) at the USATF Outdoor Championships three weeks ago. He advanced to the next round along with Trayon Bromell (9.89), Marvin Bracy (10.05) and Christian Coleman (10.08). Botswana's Letsile Tebogo broke the World U20 record by running 9.94 in his heat. Evan Jager advanced to the final of the men's 3,000-meter steeplechase for the first time since 2017 and it will be his seventh global final (five worlds, two Olympics). Jager finished second in the third of three heats, in 8:18.44. U.S. champion Hillary Bor also advanced. All three U.S. women in the 1,500 meters advanced to the semfinal round: Cory McGee (4:03.61), Elle St. Pierre (4:04.94) and Sinclaire Johnson (4:07.68). In the field events, the U.S. successfully got most of its top athletes advanced to the finals: Ryan Crouser, defending champion Joe Kovacs, Josh Awotunde and Adrian Piperi all advanced; Maggie Ewen, Jessica Woodard and Chase Ealey advanced in the women's shot put; Sandi Morris, Katie Nageotte and Gabriela Leon made the final of the women's pole vault; Marquis Dendy and Steffin McCarter made it to the final of the men's long jump; all six American hammer throwers advanced; Shelby McEwen and JuVaughn Harrison moved to the final of the men's high jump.
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