2023 LA Grand Prix: Crouser Breaks WR as the Stars No-Show in Women’s 100

Prior to the meet, the first USATF LA Grand Prix made noise for the number of big stars that did not show up as none of the LA-based big names – Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, Rai Benjamin, Michael Norman or Athing Mu — competed. Then today, that theme continued in the middle of the meet as the three biggest names in the women’s 100 – Sha’Carri Richardson, Aleia Hobbs, and Marie-Josee Ta Lou – didn’t show for the women’s 100 final after putting up the top three times in the prelims.

We can talk about those negatives later as the athletes that did show up produced seven world leads, including a world record. Ryan Crouser led the way with another WR in the men’s shot put (23.56) but world leads also came in the women’s shot (Maggie Ewen 20.45), men’s pole vault (Mondo Duplantis 5.91), women’s 100 hurdles (Jasmine Camacho-Quinn 12.31), women’s 1500 (Diribe Welteji 3:57.84), men’s 1500 (Timothy Cheruiyot 3:31.47), and women’s 400 (Marileidy Paulino 48.98).

We recap the meet for you below starting with the distance events. The men’s 1500, in which Hobbs Kessler had a breakout 3:32 run, gets its own recap: Timothy Wins Battle of Cheruiyots in LA as 20-Year-Old Hobbs Kessler Arrives with 3:32 PB.

Men’s 800: Clayton Murphy makes a statement

Clayton Murphy with the win and salute (Kevin Morris photo)

With many of America’s top 800 runners in this field – including all three 2021 Olympians – there was an opportunity for one of them to make a statement and Clayton Murphy did just that, timing his kick perfectly to go from 4th to 1st in the final 100 to win in 1:44.75 – his fastest time since the 2021 Olympic semifinals in Tokyo. Kenya’s Festus Lagat got up for 2nd in 1:44.98 as Jewett was 3rd in 1:45.10 and Harris faded to 6th in 1:45.41.

Quick Take: You only get one move in the 800, and Murphy used his wisely

This race was a great example of why the 800 is such an exciting race: there were five lead changes on the last lap, and Murphy moved up from 7th at the bell to win. Those two facts are related. Isaiah Harris and Isaiah Jewett, who took the lead twice each, spent much of the final lap battling each other. 

But our go-to saying about the 800 meters is that you only get one move. Rather than getting caught up in the action up front, Murphy moved up gradually and hung back on the final turn before exploding to the lead on the home straight. By then, Harris and Jewett had both used two moves and had nothing left to respond to Murphy, who streaked to victory and saluted the crowd.

Quick Take: A big run by Kameron Jones and impressive depth for the Americans

Last year was a very poor one for American 800m men. For the first time in history, no Americans made it to the semifinals at Worlds, and the fastest time by an American was just 1:44.60 – the first time since 2008 that no American had broken 1:44.

Things are off to a better start in 2023. Today, four Americans ran 1:45.41 or faster – something only six Americans managed in all of 2022. That number includes Kameron Jones, who finished 4th in a PB of 1:45.20. Jones, the 2021 ACC champ for Clemson, has never made it out of the first round at USAs, but beating the likes of Harris, Brandon Miller, and Bryce Hoppel will be a big confidence boost.

Quick Take: A disaster for Bryce Hoppel

Hoppel, the reigning US indoor/outdoor champion, went out near the back and stayed there, finishing last in 1:48.19 in a race in which he was never competitive. Hoppel looked good in winning the Trials of Miles meet in New York last weekend in 1:46.07 and is one of the most consistent guys on the circuit so this was a strange result to see.

PLACE NAME BIRTH DATE NAT. MARK
1. Clayton MURPHY 26 FEB 1995 USA 1:44.75
2. Festus LAGAT 10 OCT 1996 KEN 1:44.98
3. Isaiah JEWETT 06 FEB 1997 USA 1:45.10
4. Kameron JONES 1997 USA 1:45.20
5. Noah KIBET 12 APR 2004 KEN 1:45.39
6. Isaiah HARRIS 18 OCT 1996 USA 1:45.41
7. Brandon MILLER 27 JUN 2003 USA 1:46.79
8. Rajay HAMILTON 25 AUG 1995 JAM 1:48.16
9. Bryce HOPPEL 05 SEP 1997 USA 1:48.19

Women’s 1500: Welteji shows her class

21-year-old Diribe Welteji of Ethiopia, who was 4th at Worlds in the 800 last year, pulled away over the final 400, closing in 59.34 to win in a world-leading 3:57.84.

British Olympian Katie Snowden, 29, had the next best last 400, running 60.95, to move from 5th to 2nd. She ended up with a huge pb of 4:00.04 (previous pb of 4:02.77). Josette Andrews tried to hang with Welteji but only managed a 62.04 final 400 and was third in 4:00.87.

American Emma Coburn, who had a disastrous outdoor opener in Doha where she fell in the steeple and finished 10th in 9:29, was much better today, going from 9th to 6th on the last lap to 4:05.35. That being said, in each of the last two years, she’s run 4:04 for a seasonal best (4:04.28 in 2021, 4:04.44 in 2022).

Quick Take: A solid run by Josette Andrews, but the top of the women’s 1500 is very tough right now

Last year, there was a six-second gap between the medalists at Worlds and everyone else in the women’s 1500, and it looks like it could be even tougher to get a medal in 2023. That’s because Welteji, who ran the 800 at Worlds in 2022, will probably be in the 1500 this year, as could Sifan Hassan, who is returning to the track after her win at the London Marathon. 4:00 is a solid run for Andrews, but there’s still a gap to the very best women in the world.

PLACE NAME BIRTH DATE NAT. MARK
1. Diribe WELTEJI 13 MAY 2002 ETH 3:57.84
2. Katie SNOWDEN 09 MAR 1994 GBR 4:00.04
3. Josette ANDREWS 15 DEC 1995 USA 4:00.77
4. Lucia STAFFORD 17 AUG 1998 CAN 4:02.03
5. Susan Lokayo EJORE 09 NOV 1995 KEN 4:02.20
6. Emma COBURN 19 OCT 1990 USA 4:05.35
7. Netsanet DESTA 26 OCT 2000 ETH 4:05.86
8. Whittni MORGAN 22 OCT 1997 USA 4:05.97
9. Danielle JONES 21 AUG 1996 USA 4:09.74
10. Taryn RAWLINGS 17 APR 1996 USA 4:13.85
Anna CAMP BENNETT 1998 USA DNF

Women’s 800: Wilson wins (again)

Ajee’ Wilson has raced eight times in 2023 and now won eight times as she came from behind to defeat 2019 world champ Halimah Nakaayi, winning in a seasonal best 1:59.01 to Nakaayi’s 1:59.35. The former front-runner Wilson came from behind as she has in recent years as she was the fourth racer at the bell (58.32). It’s worth noting they said on the broadcast that Nakaayi has relocated to the US to train under Tim Rowberry. 

PLACE NAME BIRTH DATE NAT. MARK
1. Ajee WILSON 08 MAY 1994 USA 1:59.01
2. Halimah NAKAAYI 16 OCT 1994 UGA 1:59.35
3. Kaela EDWARDS 08 DEC 1993 USA 2:00.22
4. Allie WILSON 31 MAR 1996 USA 2:00.57
5. Samantha WATSON 10 NOV 1999 USA 2:00.84
6. McKenna KEEGAN 31 AUG 1998 USA 2:01.34
7. Susan ANENO 27 JUL 1996 UGA 2:01.65
8. Lindsey BUTTERWORTH 27 SEP 1992 CAN 2:03.09
9. Olivia BAKER 12 JUN 1996 USA 2:04.63
Kaylin WHITNEY 09 MAR 1998 USA DNF

Sprints

Women’s 100: Akinosun wins after the big names no-show

Sha'Carri was in the prelims (Kevin Morris photo) Sha’Carri was in the prelims (Kevin Morris photo)

With the two fastest women in the world this year, Sha’Carri Richardson and Marie-Josee Ta Lou, and US indoor 60 champ Aleia Hobbs, the women’s 100 was set to be the race of the day in Los Angeles on Saturday. And while all three women ran the prelims – a race that was shown on USATF.TV but not during the NBC TV window – all three would scratch the final, leaving two empty lanes in the middle of the track as Morolake Akinosun won in 10.97. NBC’s Lewis Johnson reported that Richardson was dealing with cramps after her prelim (which she won in 10.90). Ta Lou claimed the same excuse; no explanation was given yet for Hobbs’ absence.

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Heat 1, Wind: -0.8

PLACE NAME BIRTH DATE NAT. MARK
1. Sha’Carri RICHARDSON 25 MAR 2000 USA 10.90
2. Morolake AKINOSUN 17 MAY 1994 USA 11.12
3. Alana REID 20 JAN 2005 JAM 11.12
4. Celera BARNES 02 DEC 1998 USA 11.13
5. Melissa JEFFERSON 21 FEB 2001 USA 11.16
6. Gabrielle THOMAS 07 DEC 1996 USA 11.23
7. Javianne OLIVER 26 DEC 1994 USA 11.29
8. English GARDNER 22 APR 1992 USA 11.34

Heat 2, Wind: +1.3

PLACE NAME BIRTH DATE NAT. MARK
1. Marie-Josée TA LOU 18 NOV 1988 CIV 10.88
2. Aleia HOBBS 24 FEB 1996 USA 10.95
3. Shashalee FORBES 10 MAY 1996 JAM 11.20
4. Mikiah BRISCO 14 JUL 1996 USA 11.21
5. Shannon RAY 31 DEC 1995 USA 11.25
6. Ashanti MOORE 07 NOV 2000 JAM 11.28
7. Kiara GRANT 08 OCT 2000 JAM 11.52
Briana WILLIAMS 21 MAR 2002 JAM DNF

Final, Wind: +0.2

PLACE NAME BIRTH DATE NAT. MARK
1. Morolake AKINOSUN 17 MAY 1994 USA 10.97
2. Melissa JEFFERSON 21 FEB 2001 USA 11.07
3. Alana REID 20 JAN 2005 JAM 11.08
4. Celera BARNES 02 DEC 1998 USA 11.11
5. Shashalee FORBES 10 MAY 1996 JAM 11.13
6. Mikiah BRISCO 14 JUL 1996 USA 11.18
Marie-Josée TA LOU 18 NOV 1988 CIV DNS
Sha’Carri RICHARDSON 25 MAR 2000 USA

Quick Take: USATF tried to put on a big-time meet, but they can’t force athletes to compete in the regular season

The two empty lanes in the women’s 100 was an embarrassing sight but an appropriate end to a meet that produced some great performances but also underlined some of track & field’s biggest problems. There have long been calls (some of them from athletes) for USATF to stage a major track meet in Los Angeles – the nation’s second-largest city and host of the upcoming 2028 Olympics. The organizers dreamed big, pursuing America’s biggest talents, but in the end the list of athletes who pulled out of the meet was arguably more impressive than the list of athletes who competed.

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, Erriyon Knighton, Michael Norman, Rai Benjamin, Jake Wightman, and Cole Hocker were all entered initially but wound up withdrawing. Athing Mu was never on a public entry list but reportedly had been planning on running before getting COVID a few weeks ago (she did make it to the meet, though – she was dancing in the stands while training partner Jenna Prandini was being interviewed after winning the 200). And on Saturday, Richardson, Hobbs, and Ta Lou all pulled out after running the prelims. 

Most likely, at least some of those athletes truly were too injured to run this weekend. But it is hard to convince someone to become a track fan if they buy a ticket to see some of the sport’s biggest stars and half of them wind up not competing.

The problem is the same one track & field has battled for decades: for the very best athletes in the sport, the World Championships/Olympics are the only thing that matters. For the athletes who have the biggest contracts, there is not a huge incentive to compete outside of those meets and USAs – and there is no penalty for withdrawing at the last minute. You can’t get too mad at athletes for acting in their own self-interest, but when everyone does that, the fans are often the ones who lose out.

PLACE NAME BIRTH DATE NAT. MARK
1. Ackeem BLAKE 21 JAN 2002 JAM 9.89
2. Cravont CHARLESTON 02 JAN 1998 USA 9.91
3. Christian COLEMAN 06 MAR 1996 USA 9.91
4. Ronnie BAKER 15 OCT 1993 USA 10.01
5. Marvin BRACY-WILLIAMS 15 DEC 1993 USA 10.03
6. Kendal WILLIAMS 23 SEP 1995 USA 10.09
7. Ryiem FORDE 23 MAY 2001 JAM 10.11
8. Brandon CARNES 06 MAR 1995 USA 10.14

Men’s 100: Blake springs the upset

The surprise winner in the 100m was Ackeem Blake of Jamaica in a PB of 9.89. Blake, 21, trains with former world champ Yohan Blake, but has no relation to him. The top American was also a surprise. Cravont Charleston ran a 9.91 PB to edge out 2019 world champion Christian Coleman, who was given the same 9.91 time. 2022 World Championship silver medalist Marvin Bracy-Williams was only 5th in 10.03.

PLACE NAME BIRTH DATE NAT. MARK
1. Ackeem BLAKE 21 JAN 2002 JAM 9.89
2. Cravont CHARLESTON 02 JAN 1998 USA 9.91
3. Christian COLEMAN 06 MAR 1996 USA 9.91
4. Ronnie BAKER 15 OCT 1993 USA 10.01
5. Marvin BRACY-WILLIAMS 15 DEC 1993 USA 10.03
6. Kendal WILLIAMS 23 SEP 1995 USA 10.09
7. Ryiem FORDE 23 MAY 2001 JAM 10.11
8. Brandon CARNES 06 MAR 1995 USA 10.14

Women’s 100 hurdles: Jasmine Camacho-Quinn runs a WL of 12.31

Olympic champion Jasmine Camacho-Quinn won the stacked 100m hurdles that also included the world champion and current #1 ranked woman Tobi Amusan and former world record holder Keni Harrison. Harrison finished second in 12.35. Amusan had a very poor race, finishing last in 12.69. That being said, 12.69 doesn’t normally place you last in a hurdles race. The only other race with a faster last-place finish was the 2007 Worlds (8th was 12.66).

PLACE NAME BIRTH DATE NAT. MARK
1. Jasmine CAMACHO-QUINN 21 AUG 1996 PUR 12.31
2. Kendra HARRISON 18 SEP 1992 USA 12.35
3. Tia JONES 08 SEP 2000 USA 12.50
4. Alaysha JOHNSON 20 JUL 1996 USA 12.52
5. Tonea MARSHALL 17 DEC 1998 USA 12.55
6. Danielle WILLIAMS 14 SEP 1992 JAM 12.59
7. Nia ALI 23 OCT 1988 USA 12.65
8. Tobi AMUSAN 23 APR 1997 NGR 12.69

Women’s 400: Paulino runs world leader

Marileidy Paulino, the world and Olympic silver medalist, dipped under 49 seconds for the second time in her life, taking .01 off her pb to run a world-leading 48.98. Behind her, 2019 world champ Salwa Eid Naser, returning in 2023 after a two-year ban for whereabouts failures, ran her fastest time since 2019 to finish 2nd in 50.27.

POS. ATHLETE DATE OF BIRTH COUNTRY MARK
1. Marileidy PAULINO 25 OCT 1996 DOM 48.98
2. Salwa Eid NASER 23 MAY 1998 BRN 50.27
3. Lynna IRBY-JACKSON 06 DEC 1998 USA 50.38
4. Sada WILLIAMS 01 DEC 1997 BAR 51.00
5. Stephenie Ann MCPHERSON 25 NOV 1988 JAM 51.69
6. Alexis HOLMES 28 JAN 2000 USA 51.74
7. Kendall ELLIS 08 MAR 1996 USA 51.85
8. Fiordaliza COFIL 27 OCT 2000 DOM 51.91

Men’s 200: Laird steals it at the line

It’s not often you see a 200m race won from lane 8, but Terrance Laird, the 2021 NCAA 100 champ for LSU, did it today. Only 4th with 50m to go, Laird mowed down the field on the home straight, including runner-up Jereem Richards, to win at the line in 20.06 to Richards’ 20.08.

PLACE NAME BIRTH DATE NAT. MARK
1. Terrance LAIRD 12 OCT 1998 USA 20.06
2. Jereem RICHARDS 13 JAN 1994 TTO 20.08
3. Elijah MORROW 30 OCT 1995 USA 20.22
4. Aaron BROWN 27 MAY 1992 CAN 20.22
5. Kyree KING 09 JUL 1994 USA 20.52
6. Brendon RODNEY 09 APR 1992 CAN 20.76
7. Daniel STOKES 20 AUG 1997 MEX 20.87
Emmanuel MATADI 15 APR 1991 LBR DNF

Women’s 200: Prandini wins

In the women’s 200, which only featured American runners, Jenna Prandini got the win in 22.34 in her first 200 of the year as former USC Trojan Twanisha Terry PR’d in second (22.44). Olympic medalist Gabby Thomas was only 4th in 22.85.

PLACE NAME BIRTH DATE NAT. MARK
1. Jenna PRANDINI 20 NOV 1992 USA 22.34
2. Twanisha TERRY 24 JAN 1999 USA 22.44
3. Anavia BATTLE 28 MAR 1999 USA 22.57
4. Gabrielle THOMAS 07 DEC 1996 USA 22.85
5. Kyra JEFFERSON 23 SEP 1994 USA 23.02
6. Cambrea STURGIS 27 MAR 1999 USA 23.36
7. Kortnei JOHNSON 11 AUG 1997 USA 23.44
Symone MASON 31 AUG 1999 USA DQ

Men’s 400: Sean Bailey PRs (again)

Former UTEP runner Sean Bailey of Jamaica had never broken 45.00 until this year (45.04 pb). This year, he’s raced the 400 three times and broken 45 in all three races, but today’s run was the most significant as he ran down Kirani James late and got the win in 44.43 to James’  44.50. Bailey is the younger brother of two-time Olympic 200m champ Veronica Campbell Brown.

PLACE NAME BIRTH DATE NAT. MARK
1. Sean BAILEY 15 JUL 1997 JAM 44.43
2. Kirani JAMES 01 SEP 1992 GRN 44.50
3. Quincy HALL 31 JUL 1998 USA 45.09
4. Lidio Andres FELIZ 26 JUN 1997 DOM 45.37
5. Alonzo RUSSELL 08 FEB 1992 BAH 45.41
6. Trevor STEWART 20 MAY 1997 USA 45.44
7. Paul DEDEWO 05 JUN 1991 USA 46.23
8. Wilbert LONDON 17 AUG 1997 USA 46.80

Men’s 400 hurdles: Allen stays hot

After Kyron McMaster bit it on hurdle #8, there was nobody close to American CJ Allen, who won in a pb of 47.91. Allen, who was 4th last year at USAs, PR’d for the second straight race as he ran 47.93 in Doha where he was 2nd. American Trevor Bassitt, who earned the bronze medal at the World Championships last year, finished in 3rd in a time of 48.62.

PLACE NAME BIRTH DATE NAT. MARK
1. CJ ALLEN 14 FEB 1995 USA 47.91
2. Khallifah ROSSER 13 JUL 1995 USA 48.60
3. Trevor BASSITT 26 FEB 1998 USA 48.62
4. Gerald DRUMMOND 05 SEP 1994 CRC 49.05
5. Jaheel HYDE 02 FEB 1997 JAM 49.80
6. David KENDZIERA 09 SEP 1994 USA 49.81
7. Quivell JORDAN-BACOT 08 AUG 1999 USA 49.88
Kyron MCMASTER 03 JAN 1997 IVB DNF

Field Events

Men’s Shot Put: Ryan Crouser WR

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Ryan Crouser extended his own world record to an amazing 23.56 meters. With the shot put area at Drake Stadium only being 24 meters long, his throws were almost reaching the wall. Moving forward, stadiums might need to elongate their rings to accommodate for Crouser’s greatness. Crouser credits his greater ability to the new technique people have dubbed the “Crouser slide.” 

His series was absolutely magnificent – the finest ever by a men’s shot putter – as he went beyond 23m three times on the day: 23.23, 23.31, 22.94, 23.56, 22.80, 22.86. All told, Crouser had the #1, #3, and #5 throws in history all in the same series today.

PLACE NAME BIRTH DATE NAT. MARK
1. Ryan CROUSER 18 DEC 1992 USA 23.56
2. Tom WALSH 01 MAR 1992 NZL 22.12
3. Payton OTTERDAHL 02 APR 1996 USA 21.99
4. Uziel MUÑOZ 08 SEP 1995 MEX 21.88
5. Chukwuebuka Cornnell ENEKWECHI 28 JAN 1993 NGR 21.69
6. Adrian PIPERI 20 JAN 1999 USA 21.49
7. Josh AWOTUNDE 12 JUN 1995 USA 20.91
8. Darrell HILL 17 AUG 1993 USA 19.56

Men’s pole vault:  Business as usual for Mondo

World record holder Mondo Duplantis jumped a world lead of 5.91m. American Sam Kendricks tied Duplantis’ mark but took an extra attempt at 5.91m to take home 2nd place, while both vaulters failed all three attempts at 6.01m.

PLACE NAME BIRTH DATE NAT. MARK
1. Armand DUPLANTIS 10 NOV 1999 SWE 5.91
2. Sam KENDRICKS 07 SEP 1992 USA 5.91
3. Christopher NILSEN 13 JAN 1998 USA 5.71
4. Sondre GUTTORMSEN 01 JUN 1999 NOR 5.71
5. KC LIGHTFOOT 11 NOV 1999 USA 5.71
5. Jacob WOOTEN 22 APR 1997 USA 5.71
7. Ethan CORMONT 29 SEP 2000 FRA 5.61
8. Renaud LAVILLENIE 18 SEP 1986 FRA 5.46
9. Clayton FRITSCH 29 DEC 1998 USA 5.46
Anthony AMMIRATI 16 JUL 2003 FRA NM

Women’s shot put: Ewen pulls the upset

Crouser wasn’t the only athlete to throw far in the shot on Saturday. Maggie Ewen, who was only 5th at USAs last year, threw a massive pb of 20.45m in round 3 – almost a meter better than her previous outdoor best of 19.47 (she threw 19.79 indoors last year) – to take down world champ Chase Ealey (2nd, 19.98) and move to #3 on the all-time US list, behind only Michelle Carter (20.63) and Ealey (20.51). She showed it was no fluke by going 20.12 in round 5 and 19.75 in round 6.

PLACE NAME BIRTH DATE NAT. MARK
1. Maggie EWEN 23 SEP 1994 USA 20.45
2. Chase EALEY 20 JUL 1994 USA 19.98
3. Danniel THOMAS-DODD 11 NOV 1992 JAM 19.77
4. Jiayuan SONG 15 SEP 1997 CHN 19.39
5. Maddison-Lee WESCHE 13 JUN 1999 NZL 19.18
6. Linru ZHANG 23 SEP 1999 CHN 18.55
7. Adelaide AQUILLA 03 MAR 1999 USA 17.62

Women’s javelin: Sun wins

There were three Chinese athletes and three Americans in this field, and in the end it was China that earned bragging rights as Xiaomei Sun won with a best toss of 55.67m.

PLACE NAME BIRTH DATE NAT. MARK
1. Xiaomei SUN 02 DEC 1996 CHN 55.67
2. Ariana INCE 14 MAR 1989 USA 55.58
3. Shiying LIU 24 SEP 1993 CHN 55.30
4. Qiaohui GE 22 DEC 2000 CHN 54.80
5. Maggie MALONE 30 DEC 1993 USA 53.97
6. Rebekah WALES 02 OCT 1995 USA 53.09

Men’s javelin: World champ Peters wins easily

Two-time world champ Anderson Peters of Grenada was the big name in this one and had no problem with a mostly American field as he won with a best throw of 83.16m in round 1, easily better than runner-up Curtis Thompson (72.27m).

PLACE NAME BIRTH DATE NAT. MARK
1. Anderson PETERS 21 OCT 1997 GRN 83.16
2. Curtis THOMPSON 08 FEB 1996 USA 75.27
3. Capers WILLIAMSON 13 OCT 1992 USA 75.02
4. Ethan SHALAWAY 28 SEP 1994 USA 72.88
5. Michael SHUEY 02 FEB 1994 USA 70.54
6. Donavon BANKS 15 APR 1997 USA 68.68

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More: Timothy Wins Battle of Cheruiyots in LA as 20-Year-Old Hobbs Kessler Arrives with 3:32 PB Kessler took down US champ Cooper Teare, running 3:32.61. Only one American has run faster before their 21st birthday.

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