Tokyo : The 2025 USA Track and Field Championships delivered electric performances in the 100-meter finals, as Melissa Jefferson-Wooden and Kenny Bednarek emerged as national champions, each solidifying their spots among the world’s sprinting elite ahead of the World Championships in Tokyo.
Melissa Jefferson-Wooden put on a sizzling show in the women’s 100m final, clocking an astonishing 10.65 seconds. The time marks the joint fifth-fastest performance in world history and stands as the fastest women’s 100m time recorded globally this year. With this performance, Jefferson-Wooden extended her flawless record in 2025, remaining unbeaten in the 100m and claiming her second national title. She will now head to Tokyo as one of the top contenders for gold.
Joining her on Team USA for the world stage are Kayla White, who secured second place, and Aleia Hobbs, who crossed the line third—both delivering strong finishes to claim their spots on the plane to Japan.
On the men’s side, Kenny Bednarek stunned the field with a blistering 9.79-second run—a new personal best. With this time, he became just the eighth American in history to dip below the 9.80-second barrier. The victory marked Bednarek’s first national 100m title, establishing him not only as a 200m specialist but now a serious threat in the shorter sprint as well.
Courtney Lindsey and T’Mars McCallum also earned qualification for the World Championships by finishing second and third, respectively. Notably absent from the final was reigning world champion Noah Lyles, who withdrew before the semifinals to focus on his signature event, the 200m.
With these performances, the U.S. sprint squad heads into the global championships with enormous momentum. Jefferson-Wooden and Bednarek have now positioned themselves as key figures in the race for world titles later this season.
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