Last week, I ran you through the rates at which US athletes competing at U20 World’s are able to translate that toward making a Global Team. I listed Tate Taylor as my top athlete on that watch list, but with his performances this past weekend - I think we need to have a different conversation altogether.

The next generation of rising stars shined this weekend, putting trackflation on full display. Between the World Athletics U20 Championships at Hayward Field and the AAU Junior Olympic Games at Drake University, young athletes delivered incredible performances. Rising stars were born as countless world records were broken and champions were crowned.

The spotlight was on Hayward Field this weekend, as the world’s best gathered for the iconic Prefontaine Classic to put on a show for the 4th of July. Fireworks were not the only spectacle of the weekend, as athletes lit up the track and field with multiple meeting and national records.

We are in the heat of the Championship season for the 2026 outdoor track season. This past weekend, we had two high school championship meets, two diamond league meets, and two continental tour meets.

From Oregon to Boston to Florida, this weekend was long, but the performances made it all worth it.