USA's world shot put record-holder Ryan Crouser (© Getty Images)
Led by gold medallists Ryan Crouser and Katie Nageotte, 21 Olympians from last summer’s Tokyo Games highlight the 53-strong United States team for the World Athletics Indoor Championships Belgrade 22 on March 18-20.
Crouser won the men’s shot put in Tokyo with an Olympic record throw, set world indoor and outdoor records in 2021, and is undefeated over the past two seasons, while Nageotte was the women’s pole vault victor with a dramatic second-attempt clearance and cleared a PB of 4.95m earlier in the season.
Like Crouser, Holloway made history in 2021 by clocking 7.29 to break the men’s world 60m hurdles record. He went on secure silver in the 110m hurdles in Tokyo, where Chris Nilsen claimed a medal of the same colour in the men’s pole vault. Holloway is undefeated in the 60m hurdles since 2014, and Nilsen has already twice bettered the US men’s pole vault record in 2022, recently clearing 6.05m in France. With Holloway having won the World Athletics Indoor Tour last year, he received a wild card to compete in Belgrade and so will be joined in the event by his teammates Jarret Eaton and Aaron Mallett.
The 2018 world indoor champion Sandi Morris joins Nageotte in the women's pole vault, while Nilsen's fellow six metre-plus athlete KC Lightfoot is entered in the men's event. Alicia Monson, who has run 8:31.62 this season, goes in the women's 3000m, while Bryce Hoppel, who like Monson is also third on this season's top list in his event, runs the 800m.
USATF for World Athletics
USA team for Belgrade
Women
60m: Mikiah Brisco, Marybeth Sant Price
400m: Jessica Beard, Lynna Irby
800m: Olivia Baker, Ajee' Wilson
1500m: Heather MacLean, Josette Norris
3000m: Alicia Monson, Elle Purrier St. Pierre
60m hurdles: Gabbi Cunningham, Alaysha Johnson
Pole vault: Sandi Morris, Katie Nageotte
Long jump: Quanesha Burks, Tiffany Flynn
High jump: Rachel McCoy
Triple jump: Tori Franklin, Keturah Orji
Shot put: Chase Ealey, Maggie Ewen
Pentathlon: Chari Hawkins, Kendell Williams
4x400m: Brittany Aveni, Natashia Jackson, T'Sheila Mungo, Na'Asha Robinson
Men
60m: Marvin Bracy, Christian Coleman
400m: Trevor Bassitt, Marqueze Washington
800m: Isaiah Harris, Bryce Hoppel
1500m: Sam Prakel, Josh Thompson
3000m: Dillon Maggard
60m hurdles: Jarret Eaton, Grant Holloway, Aaron Mallett
Pole vault: KC Lightfoot, Chris Nilsen
Long jump: Marquis Dendy, Jarrion Lawson
High jump: Darryl Sullivan
Triple jump: Will Claye, Donald Scott
Shot put: Josh Awotunde, Ryan Crouser
Heptathlon: Steve Bastien, Garrett Scantling
4x400m: Donavan Brazier, Amere Lattin, Noah Williams
