Final Day 5 Minute Recap: Sydney WR, Grant Fisher Double, Nikki Leads 3 Sub 3:55, Rai Benjamin WL, and Much More!
Catch all the action from the U.S. Olympic Trials last day here!
By Harper Clark
The final day of the U.S. Olympic Trials offered the only day of straight finals, and they did not disappoint as meet records were set in all 6 finals.
Sydney Mclaughlin-Levrone broke her own world record to win another U.S. title in dominant fashion, Rai Benjamin ran a WL to set the stage for yet another epic battle at the Olympics, and Nikki Hiltz ran the second-fastest time in American history to win their (Nikki is a biological female who prefers the they/them pronouns) second U.S. title. We broke down the action below with short recaps, but the Women’s 400H, Men’s 800, Women’s 1500, and Men’s 5,000 got their own separate articles–deservedly so.
Men’s 5000: Grant Fisher Completes The Double
Coming into the 2024 US Olympic Track and Field Trials, American Grant Fisher had accomplished an awful lot. In addition to being the American record-holder at 3000 (7:25.47), 2 miles (8:03.62), 5000 (12:46.96) and 10,000 (26:33.84), three times Fisher has finished in the top 6 in the world on the track. But surprisingly there was a big hole on his CV – he’d only won one US outdoor title (the 5000 in 2022).
He’s got three now as this afternoon Fisher ran his final 1600 in 3:59.97 to win the men’s 5000 in a championship record of 13:08.85, 9 days after he captured the men’s 10,000 on the opening days of the Trials. Fisher narrowly won a thrilling sprint duel over Abdihamd Nur (13:09.01). Behind them, the collegians Parker Wolfe (UNC) and Graham Blanks (Harvard) were dueling themselves for the 3rd spot which Wolfe took in a new personal best of 13:10.75 as Blanks was 4th in 13:12.61.
Wolfe does not have the 13:05 Olympic standard but we are projecting his world rank will jump to #46 on the Road To Paris list and they take 42 so he might be able to get in if there are some scratches. If not, Blanks will go.
| Position | Name | Affiliation | Time | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Grant Fisher | NIKE [27] OLY STD | 13:08.85 | MR |
| 2 | Abdihamid Nur | NIKE [25] OLY STD | 13:09.01 | |
| 3 | Parker Wolfe | North Carolina [20] | 13:10.75 | PB |
| 4 | Graham Blanks | New Balance [22] OLY STD | 13:12.61 | SB |
| 5 | Dylan Jacobs | On [24] | 13:17.26 | |
| 6 | Sean McGorty | NIKE/Bowerman TC [29] OLY STD | 13:18.27 | |
| 7 | Cole Hocker | NIKE [23] OLY STD | 13:20.99 | |
| 8 | Ahmed Muhumed | HOKA NAZ Elite [26] | 13:29.23 | |
| 9 | Woody Kincaid | NIKE [31] | 13:31.40 | |
| 10 | Olin Hacker | HOKA NAZ Elite [27] | 13:32.10 | |
| 11 | Morgan Beadlescomb | adidas [26] OLY STD | 13:37.69 | |
| 12 | Cooper Teare | NIKE [24] OLY STD | 13:42.50 | |
| 13 | Willy Fink | Under Armour [30] | 13:43.32 | |
| 14 | Eric van der Els | ZAP Endurance [26] | 13:50.66 | |
| 15 | Kasey Knevelbaard | Under Armour [27] | 13:51.29 | |
| 16 | Sam Prakel | adidas [29] | 14:17.87 |
Men’s 800: VNTC Goes 1-2 as Hoppel joins 1:42 club
World indoor champ Bryce Hoppel pulled away in the last 100 to run an almost half-second PB of 1:42.77 to capture his third straight US title this afternoon at the 2024 US Olympic Track and Field Trials and make his second-straight Olympic team. Training partner Hobbs Kessler finished in second in 1:43.64 and Brooks Beast Brandon Miller who went for the win was third in 1:43.97.
Clayton Murphy, the winner of the last two Trials, finished in 7th. Longer recap on 800 here.
| Position | Name | Affiliation | Time | Note |
| 1 | Bryce Hoppel | adidas [26] OLY STD | 1:42.77 | MRPB |
| 2 | Hobbs Kessler | adidas [21] OLY STD | 1:43.64 | PB |
| 3 | Brandon Miller | Brooks/BROOKS Beasts TC [22] OLY STD | 1:43.97 | |
| 4 | Josh Hoey | adidas [24] OLY STD | 1:44.12 | PB |
| 5 | Jonah Koech | Under Armour [27] OLY STD | 1:44.32 | PB |
| 6 | Shane Cohen | Virginia [23] OLY STD | 1:44.65 | PB |
| 7 | Clayton Murphy | NIKE [29] | 1:44.80 | SB |
| 8 | Abraham Alvarado | Unattached [28] OLY STD | 1:44.90 | |
| 9 | Tinoda Matsatsa | Georgetown [19] | 1:45.70 |
Women’s 100 Hurdles: Masai Russell Runs WL & MR For The Win
Masai Russell has been a force since graduating from the University of Kentucky, she finished third at last year’s U.S. championships and had recently finished fourth at the World Indoor Championships–and was on a mission this week. Her mission culminated this afternoon with her first U.S. title; running 12.25–a new personal best, meet record, world lead, and the fifth-fastest mark ever.
Behind Russell was Alaysha Johnson, a woman who had come painstakingly close to representing the United States at last year’s world championship. Grace Stark, the NCAA champion just three weeks ago rounded out the team, tying Alaysha Johnson at the line–both finished in 2.31.
Keni Harrison, the former WR holder, and 2021 Olympic silver medalist finished in sixth place.
Women’s 1500: Nikki Hiltz Goes Back-To-Back and Leads 3 Women Sub 3:56
Nikki Hiltz defended their U.S. title running over a four-second PB of 3:55.33, as Hiltz kicked by New Balance Boston’s Elle St. Pierre who led the entire race until the homestretch. St. Pierre was also passed by her training partner Emily Mackay right before the line as they went 3:55.90 and 3:55.99 to round out the Olympic spots with all 3 women going sub 3:56 in a historically fast race, when this had only been done once previously in the US.
Cory McGee joined the sub 4 club by going 3:57 and was only 5th as 2021 Olympian Heather MacLean PRd but was only 7th.
Results
- Nikki Hiltz – lululemon – 3:55.33 (PB)
- Emily Mackay – New Balance Boston – 3:55.90 (PB)
- Elle St. Pierre – New Balance Boston – 3:55.99 (PB)
- Sinclaire Johnson – NIKE/Nike Union AC – 3:56.75 (PB)
- Cory McGee – New Balance – 3:57.44 (PB)
- Elise Cranny – NIKE – 3:57.87 (PB)
- Heather MacLean – New Balance/New Balance Boston – 3:58.31 (PB)
- Helen Schlachtenhaufen – NIKE – 3:59.71 (PB)
- Dani Jones – New Balance – 4:04.14
- Christina Aragon – NIKE/Bowerman TC – 4:06.54
- Addy Wiley – adidas – 4:06.59
- Maggi Congdon – Northern Arizona – 4:08.45
Men’s 400 Hurdles: Rai Benjamin Runs 46.46 For Another U.S. Title
At the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, the 400-meter hurdles race was the event to watch. It delivered a historic clash of the Titans, Rai Benjamin vs. Karston Warholm.
Rai Benjamin is doing his part to make 2024 just as exciting, as for the fifth straight year, he has claimed the U.S. title. But this time he ran 46.46, a time that is 0.37 seconds faster than his mark to win the 2021 Olympic trials–the year he ran 46.17 to finish second in the greatest 400-meter hurdle race ever. Accompanying Benjamin to Paris are two men who have donned the United States uniform before, CJ Allen and Trevor Bassitt–both of whom broke 48 seconds to book their ticket in a month’s time.
| Place | Athlete | Result |
| 1 | Rai Benjamin NIKE [26] OLY STD | 46.46 |
| 2 | C J Allen ASICS [29] OLY STD | 47.81 |
| 3 | Trevor Bassitt Unattached [26] OLY STD | 47.82 |
| 4 | Chris Robinson Alabama [23] OLY STD | 47.96 |
| 5 | James Smith Arizona Flames TC [24] | 49.18 |
| 6 | Aldrich Bailey U.S. Army [30] OLY STD | 49.73 |
| 7 | David Kendziera Unattached [29] | 49.84 |
| 8 | Khallifah Rosser NIKE [28] | 53.18 |
| DNF | Caleb Dean Texas Tech [23] OLY STD |
Sydney Gets World Record #5
For the fourth straight time that she’s raced in Eugene, Oregon, the world’s greatest 400m hurdler has set a world record. Today the clockstopped at 50.65 in the final of women’s 400 hurdles at the 2024 US Olympic Track and Field Trials, breaking the 50.68 she ran on the same track at the 2022 World Championships. All together it’s McLaughlin-Levrone’s 5th world record as she also set won in Tokyo when she won Olympic gold in 2021.
Results
-
- Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone 50.65 (WR)
- Anna Cockrell 52.64 (PB)
- Jasmine Jones 52.77 (PB)
- Shamier Little 52.98 (SB)
- Rachel Glenn 53.46 (PB)
- Dalilah Muhammad 54.27
- Akala Garrett 55.01
- Cassandra Tate 55.37
- Sydni Townsend 55.47
If you missed the action but want to join the discussion, check out our world-famous message board.
Olympic Trials – Official Final Day Discussion Thread
