US athletic stars escape routine at national meet

CHICAGO, June 21, (AFP): Several American athletic stars will compete outside their feature events when the US Outdoor Track and Field Championships begin Thursday at Drake University Stadium in Des Moines, Iowa.

With no Olympic or world championship team berths at stake for the only time in a four-year cycle, many big names are sitting out and others are using the meet as a way to spice up their season schedules.

Rising sprint star Noah Lyles, unbeaten at 200m in two years, will run the 100. Phyllis Francis, the reigning 400 world champion, will run the 200 while Kori Carter, the reigning 400 hurdles world champion, is in the 100 hurdles against world record-holder Kendra Harrison.

Olympic champions Allyson Felix, Justin Gatlin, Tori Bowie, LaShawn Merritt, Brianna McNeal, Kerron Clement and Dalilah Muhammad are among those not in the four-day event.

Reigning world 100m champion Gatlin and world runner-up Christian Coleman will not run the 100 but Lyles, 20, will chase the crown in a change-up from his usual 200s.

Also in the 100 is Ronnie Baker, who beat Coleman in the 100 last month in Diamond League meets at Rome and Eugene, Oregon. Baker also won at Jamaica and Mt SAC this season. His 9.93-second career best from Rome three weeks ago matches Lyles’ 100 best from a Jamaica meet earlier this month.

Norman, a 2016 world 200 junior champion, won this year’s US college indoor and outdoor 400 crowns.