Kentucky track and field making presence known at USA Outdoor Championships

Two athletes with ties to the University of Kentucky turned in star performances during the opening night of the 2023 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Eugene, Ore.

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone and Christian Coleman, running in the women’s 400 meters and the men’s 100, respectively, posted the best times in their events in Thursday’s preliminaries at Hayward Field.

McLaughlin-Levrone, who was an NCAA champion in her one season at Kentucky in 2017-18 before turning professional, won the night’s second heat in a time of 49.79 seconds, the only runner under the 50-second mark.

The semifinals in the 400 were set for Friday night with the finals scheduled to go off Saturday at 9:19 p.m. (CNBC).

The top three finishers in every event this weekend qualify for the world championships in Budapest, Hungary, Aug. 19-27.

McLaughlin-Levrone is testing herself in the 400 meters this week after winning an Olympic gold medal and a world championship in the 400-meter hurdles, previously.

“I’m just trying to see where my flat speed’s at, comparatively, and trying something new, trying something fun, in a year where it’s not the Olympics yet,” McLaughlin-Levrone told USA Today last month in explaining her decision.

McLaughlin-Levrone, 23, is not entered in the 400 hurdles this weekend in Eugene.

Ex-Cat Alexis Holmes (class of 2022) was to join McLaughlin-Levrone in the 400 semifinals after running a qualifying time of 51.51 seconds, the 11^th-best time of the night.

Coleman, a former Tennessee star who most recently served as a volunteer assistant coach at UK, posted the best time in Thursday night’s 100-meter preliminaries. The 2019 world champion in the event finished in 9.95 seconds, the only sprinter under 10 seconds.

“I’ve got to earn my spot,” the 27-year-old Coleman told FloTrack after the race. “That’s all I’m thinking about. It’s anybody’s game when you get out there on the line. So I’ve got to earn it.”

Coleman said recently he plans to leave Kentucky for South Carolina, joining former UK associate head coach Tim Hall who was named head coach of the Gamecocks last month.

The semifinals and finals in the 100 meters were scheduled for late Friday night.

In the men’s 400 meters, UK’s Brian Faust qualified seventh in 45.41 seconds. Arkansas’ Chris Bailey was the top qualifier at :45.04. Faust, who earned All-America and All-Southeastern Conference honors in 2023 at Kentucky, was set to take part in the 400 semifinals Friday night looking to earn a spot in Saturday’s finals (9:26 p.m., CNBC).

Also Thursday, former Wildcat Andrew Evans (class of 2014) finished 14^th in the men’s discus throw at 184 feet, 4 inches. Former Penn All-American Sam Mattis produced the winning distance of 216 feet, 3 inches.

Javianne Oliver (UK class of 2016) ran the women’s 100 meters in 11.39 seconds Thursday, the 28^th-best time among 33 sprinters separated by 1.49 seconds from top to bottom. Sha’Carri Richardson’s :10.71 was the best among the four heats.

On Friday, current and former Wildcats Masai Russell and Keni Harrison were to begin competition in the women’s 100 hurdles, and Charity Griffith, a recent UK transfer from Ball State, was set to participate in the women’s high jump. Griffith was the 2023 NCAA outdoor national champion.

Saturday, former UK All-American Abby Steiner will be among the athletes to watch in the women’s 200 meters.