
EUGENE, Oregon — Melissa Jefferson upset a very strong field to run a wind-aided 10.69 seconds (+2.9 m/s) to win the women’s 100 meters at the 2022 USATF Championships here at Hayward Field in Oregon, on Friday. The men’s race went to Olympic silver medalist Fred Kerley, who clocked 9.78 seconds.
Jefferson, who finished eighth at the recently concluded NCAA Championships here at the same venue, rebounded from that performance to produce her best form at the senior nationals to punch her ticket to the 2022 World Championships, to be held also in Oregon, next month.
The Coastal Carolina University standout has been in great form this season, but even she was surprised to be the first person breaking the tape tonight. Read more: Shericka Jackson stuns Thompson-Herah; Yohan Blake beats Oblique Seville in 100m at Jamaica Championships
Aleia Hobbs ran 10.72 seconds for second place with Twanisha Terry completing the team to the World Championships with a third-place finish at a time of 10.74.
Talented junior sprinter Tamari Davis just missed making the team to the world championships, but she ran a quick 10.78 secs for fourth.
Meanwhile, Fred Kerley, the silver medal winner at the Tokyo Games last summer, clocked 9.77 seconds (finals and semi-finals winning times corrected) (1.8 m/s) to win the men’s 100m title. He ran personal best time of 9.76 seconds to win his semi-final heat earlier in the day.
Marvin Bracy-Williams finished strongly in the closing meters to take second place and equaled his lifetime best of 9.85. Trayvon Bromell ran 9.88 secs for third.
“It’s all about pacing and training and stuff and continuing to do what I’ve got to do,” said Kerley.
The top three finishers will join defending world champion Christian Coleman, who has a bye to the world championships and didn’t show up for the final.
The USATF Championships continues on Saturday with Day 3 action. The women’s and men’s 400m finals are among the must-watch events on the schedule.