2025 USATF Outdoor Championships: Three Storylines To Watch In Eugene

In just two weeks, a contingent of the best athletes in the world will once again converge on Tracktown USA, as Hayward Field hosts the US Championships.

Jul 18, 2025 by Maxx Bradley

2025 USATF Outdoor Championships: Three Storylines To Watch In Eugene

The 2025 USATF Outdoor Championships are shaping up to be some of the most competitive in recent history, and anticipation is at an all-time high.

From a logjam of elite hurdlers in the 110mH to the return of Shelby Houlihan, to Donovan Brazier’s resurgence in a loaded 800m field, every event is bursting at the seams with talent.

Here's a closer look at three of the many storylines that could define the meet.

There Are Way Too Many Cooks In The 110mH Kitchen

As it stands, the four fastest short hurdlers in the world are all fighting for three spots and a chance to don the red, white, and blue in Tokyo this fall, as Cordell Tinch, Trey Cunningham, Dylan Beard, and Ja'Kobe Tharp have dominated everywhere they go.

Tinch, who is the lone man to break 13 seconds this season, is one of the most talented hurdlers in the field and has gone as quickly as 12.87, which is the fourth-fastest time in world history.

Not only is the former Division II superstar at the top of the global leaderboard, but after finishing fourth at the U.S. Olympic Trials a year ago, he's got vengeance on the brain.

Alongside Tinch and the other Americans at the top of the world lists is 2024 Olympic silver medalist Daniel Roberts, who is no stranger to the big stage, having won the national title three times since 2021.

Last but certainly not least is Grant Holloway, the man who has solidified himself as the greatest hurdler in the world. Holloway, the reigning world and Olympic champion, has yet to dip below 13.10, but if there's one thing I'm not going to do, it's bet against the second-fastest man in world history.

What Does The Return Of Shelby Houlihan Mean For The 1500m and 5000m?

After serving a four-year doping ban, the 12-time national champion didn't miss a beat in her return, running 8:48.43 over 3000m in February, her first race back.

In the months since, Houlihan has notched SB's of 4:02.38 in the 1500m and 14:45.29 over 5000m, the eighth and third fastest times in the country this year. Four years later, Houlihan is picking up where she left off, but the competition around her has skyrocketed.

For starters, the likes of Weini Kelati Frezghi, Parker Valby, Josette Andrews, and Whittni Morgan weren't in the picture, but in 2025, this quartet can pack a punch. Not to mention Karissa Schweizer and Elise Cranny, two stars who have dominated in recent years.

On the other hand, the 1500m is somehow even more jam-packed with talent, including Nikki Hiltz, Sinclaire Johnson, Emily Mackay, and Heather Maclean, who have all broken 4:00 already this season.

There have been rumors that the Iowa native will once again tackle the 1500m/5000m double in Eugene, and while that's not out of the question, the path to the top of both podiums will be anything but easy.

Donovan Brazier Is Back, & We're In A New Era Of The Men's 800m

I don't know about you, but Donovan Brazier running 1:44.7 in his first 800m of 2025 was not on my bingo card, but I'm so glad it happened.

After dealing with multiple injuries that led to at least four different surgeries, the 2019 World Champion and former American record holder is finally back and isn't wasting any time.

Just eight days removed from one of the greatest returns to racing we've seen, Brazier shaved nearly a second off of his SB at the Portland Track Festival last month, stopping the clock at 1:43.81, the fifth-fastest time run by an American man this year.

However, things have changed since Brazier was the king of the 800m, but that might not be a bad thing for the 28-year-old. Before his injuries, Brazier was either the favorite or one of the contenders in every single race he entered. Now, Brazier has a few guys ahead of him that he'll get to chase alongside one of the three coveted spots.

For example, both Josh Hoey and Bryce Hoppel have established themselves as two of the greatest half-milers in the world, and they've been racing like it. Hoey, who is in the midst of his breakout season, nearly broke 1:42 (1:42.0`) in Monaco, while Hoppel clocked 1:43.11 less than a month ago.

Throw in Jonah Koech and Brandon Miller, two men who both ran under 1:43.55 towards the end of May, and you've got yourself an uber-competitive field that will force world-class athletes to watch the championships from home.

It might seem like Brazier is an underdog heading into the US Championships, especially considering what Hoey and Hoppel have been up to, but I've got a feeling that it won't stay that way for long.

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