As the grueling track and field season continues, most of the best American talent converged on Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon for USA Track and Field's Outdoor Championships and Para National Championships from July 31 to August 3.
In a first, the national and para national championships were staged as a single meet and part of a united effort from USATF to govern both divisions under one body with equal resources — a move that began in January. Those selected to Team USA will head to Tokyo in mid-September and New Delhi, India in late-September, respectively.
But the battles waged on the track and in the field events on all four days were another reminder of how committed each athlete was to making sure they booked their tickets to the next stage, knowing that the few team spots per event would only be awarded to the best performances — and no exceptions.
