USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships

The USA Track & Field Outdoor Championships is an annual track and field competition organized by USA Track & Field, which serves as the American national championships for the sport. Since 1992, in years which feature a Summer Olympics, World Athletics Championships or an IAAF Continental Cup, the championships serve as a way of selecting the best athletes for those competitions.

USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships

Current season, competition or edition: 2020 United States Olympic Trials (track and field)
Sport	Track and field
Founded	1980
Country	United States
Related competitions	U.S. Olympic Trials
Official website	USATF Official website

History

The history of the competition starts in 1876, when the New York Athletic Club (NYAC) decided to organize a national championships.[1] Having previously held the NYAC Spring and Fall Games, the seventh edition of the Fall Games became the country's first national track and field championships. The National Association of Amateur Athletes of America (NAAAA), began sponsoring the meeting in 1879, and organised the championships up to 1887. At this point, the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU), a more powerful athletic organisation, began to hold their own version of the national championships. Two national championships were held in 1888, but the NAAAA disbanded after this. The AAU was the sole organizer of the event for the next ninety years.[1] In 1923, the AAU also sponsored the first American Track & Field championships for women.

As a result of the Amateur Sports Act of 1978, the AAU no longer had power over Olympic sports in the United States. A spin-off group, The Athletics Congress, held its first national track and field championships in 1980. The Athletics Congress was renamed USA Track & Field in 1993, and they have organized the annual championships ever since.[1]

Events

The following athletics events are currently featured on the national championships' program:

• Sprint: 100 m, 200 m, 400 m
• Middle distance track events: 800 m, 1500 m
• Long distance track events: 5000 m, 10,000 m
• Hurdles: 100 m hurdles, 110 m hurdles, 400 m hurdles, 3000 m steeplechase
• Jumps: long jump, triple jump, high jump, pole vault
• Throws: shot put, discus, hammer, javelin
• Combined events: heptathlon, decathlon
• Walks: 20 km walk (road) / 20000 m walk (track)

In earlier editions before 1974, running distances were often measured in yards. All races were in yards until 1928. From then on, races were measured in meters for Olympic years and yards for other years, except 1933 to 1951 inclusive and 1959.

Editions

Hayward Field has hosted the championships over 10 times, the most of all venues.

The Cobb Track and Angell Field stadium has played host to the championships on two occasions.

Edition	Venue	Stadium	Date
2020	Eugene, Oregon	Hayward Field, University of Oregon	June 18–27, 2021
2019	Des Moines, Iowa	Drake Stadium, Drake University	July 25–28, 2019
2018	Des Moines, Iowa	Drake Stadium, Drake University	June 21–24, 2018
2017	Sacramento, California	Hornet Stadium, California State University, Sacramento	June 22–25, 2017
2016	Eugene, Oregon	Hayward Field, University of Oregon	July 1–10, 2016
2015[2]	Eugene, Oregon	Hayward Field, University of Oregon	June 25–28, 2015
2014[3]	Sacramento, California	Hornet Stadium, California State University, Sacramento	June 25–29, 2014
2013	Des Moines, Iowa	Drake Stadium, Drake University	June 19–23, 2013
2012	Eugene, Oregon	Hayward Field, University of Oregon	June 21–July 1, 2012
2011	Eugene, Oregon	Hayward Field, University of Oregon	June 23–26, 2011
2010	Des Moines, Iowa	Drake Stadium, Drake University	June 23–27, 2010
2009	Eugene, Oregon	Hayward Field, University of Oregon	June 25–28, 2009
2008	Eugene, Oregon	Hayward Field, University of Oregon	June 27–July 6, 2008
2007	Indianapolis, Indiana	IU Michael A. Carroll Track & Soccer Stadium, IUPUI	June 20–24, 2007
2006	Indianapolis, Indiana	IU Michael A. Carroll Track & Soccer Stadium, IUPUI	June 21–25, 2006
2005	Carson, California	Home Depot Center	June 23–26, 2005
2004	Sacramento, California	Hornet Stadium, California State University, Sacramento	July 9–18, 2004
2003	Palo Alto, California	Cobb Track and Angell Field, Stanford University	June 19–22, 2003
2002	Palo Alto, California	Cobb Track and Angell Field, Stanford University	June 21–23, 2002
2001	Eugene, Oregon	Hayward Field, University of Oregon	June 21–24, 2001
2000	Sacramento, California	Hornet Stadium, California State University, Sacramento	July 14–23, 2000
1999	Eugene, Oregon	Hayward Field, University of Oregon	June 24–27, 1999
1998	New Orleans, Louisiana	Tad Gormley Stadium	June 17–21, 1998
1997	Indianapolis, Indiana	IU Michael A. Carroll Track & Soccer Stadium, IUPUI	June 12–15, 1997
1996	Atlanta, Georgia	Centennial Olympic Stadium	June 14–23, 1996
1995	Sacramento, California	Hornet Stadium, California State University, Sacramento	June 15–18, 1995
1994	Knoxville, Tennessee	Tom Black Track, University of Tennessee	June 15–18, 22, 1994
1993	Eugene, Oregon	Hayward Field, University of Oregon	June 16–19, 1993
The Athletics Congress of the USA
1992	New Orleans, Louisiana	Tad Gormley Stadium	June 19–28, 1992
1991	New York, New York	Downing Stadium	June 12-15, 1991
1990	Norwalk, California	Cerritos College
1989	Houston, Texas	University of Houston
1988	Tampa, Florida	Pepin-Rood Stadium, University of Tampa[4]
1987	San Jose, California	San Jose City College
1986	Eugene, Oregon	Hayward Field, University of Oregon
1985	Indianapolis, Indiana	IUPUI Track and Soccer Stadium, IUPUI
1984	San Jose, California	San Jose City College
1983	Indianapolis, Indiana	IUPUI Track and Soccer Stadium, IUPUI
1982	Knoxville, Tennessee	Tom Black Track, University of Tennessee
1981	Sacramento, California	Charles C. Hughes Stadium Sacramento City College
1980	Walnut, California	Hilmer Lodge Stadium, Mt. San Antonio College
Amateur Athletic Union
1979	Walnut, California	Hilmer Lodge Stadium, Mt. San Antonio College
1978	Westwood, California	Drake Stadium, UCLA[5]
1977	Westwood, California	Drake Stadium, UCLA
1976	Westwood, California	Drake Stadium, UCLA

Split gender editions

Edition	Men's Venue	Stadium	Date	Women's Venue	Stadium	Date	Events
1975	Eugene, Oregon	Hayward Field, University of Oregon	June 25–27, 1975	White Plains, New York	White Plains High School		14 + NY Mar.
1974	Westwood, Los Angeles, California	Drake Stadium UCLA	June 21–23, 1974	Bakersfield, California	Memorial Stadium		15
1973	Bakersfield, California	Memorial Stadium	June 15–17, 1973	Irvine, California	Anteater Stadium		14
1972	Seattle, Washington	Husky Stadium	June 16–18, 1972	Canton, Ohio	Citizens Field		13
1971	Eugene, Oregon	Hayward Field, University of Oregon	June 25–27, 1971	Bakersfield, California	Memorial Stadium		13
1970	Bakersfield, California	Memorial Stadium	June 26–28, 1970	Westwood, Los Angeles, California	Drake Stadium UCLA		13
1969	Miami, Florida	Miami Dade College North Stadium	June 27–29, 1969	Dayton, Ohio	Welcome Stadium		12
1968	Sacramento, California	Charles C. Hughes Stadium, Sacramento City College	June 19–21, 1968	Aurora, Colorado	Aurora Public School Stadium	August 14–18, 1968	12
1967	Bakersfield, California	Memorial Stadium	June 22–23, 1967	Santa Barbara, California	La Playa Stadium	July 1–2, 1967	12
1966	New York City	Downing Stadium	June 25–26, 1966	Frederick, Maryland			12
1965	San Diego, California	Balboa Stadium		Columbus, Ohio			12
1964	New Brunswick, New Jersey	Rutgers Stadium	June 26–28, 1964	Hanford, California	Hanford Bowl		11
1963	St. Louis, Missouri	Public School Stadium		Dayton, Ohio	Welcome Stadium		11
1962	Walnut, California	Mt. San Antonio College, Hilmer Lodge Stadium		Los Angeles			11
1961	New York City	Downing Stadium		Gary, Indiana			11
1960	Bakersfield, California	Memorial Stadium		Corpus Christi, Texas			11
1959	Boulder, Colorado			Cleveland, Ohio			12
1958	Bakersfield, California	Memorial Stadium		Morristown, New Jersey			11
1957	Dayton, Ohio	Welcome Stadium		Shaker Heights, Ohio			10
1956	Bakersfield, California	Memorial Stadium		Philadelphia	Franklin Field		10
1955	Boulder, Colorado	Folsom Field	June 24-25, 1955	Ponca City, Oklahoma			10
1954	St. Louis, Missouri	Public School Stadium	June 18-19, 1954	Harrisburg, Pennsylvania			10
1953	Dayton, Ohio	Welcome Stadium		San Antonio, Texas			10
1952	Long Beach, California	Veterans Memorial Stadium		Waterbury, Connecticut			10
1951	Berkeley, California	Edwards Stadium		Waterbury, Connecticut			10
1950	College Park, Maryland	Byrd Stadium	June 23–25, 1950	Freeport, Texas	Hopper Field		10
1949	Fresno, California	Ratcliffe Stadium		Odessa, Texas			9
1948	Milwaukee, Wisconsin			Grand Rapids, Michigan			9
1947	Lincoln, Nebraska			San Antonio, Texas			9
1946	San Antonio, Texas			Buffalo, New York			9
1945	New York City	Downing Stadium		Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
1944	New York City	Downing Stadium		Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
1943	New York City	Downing Stadium		Lakewood, Ohio
1942	New York City	Downing Stadium		Ocean City, New Jersey	Carey Stadium
1941	Philadelphia	Franklin Field		Ocean City, New Jersey	Carey Stadium
1940	Fresno, California	Ratcliffe Stadium		Ocean City, New Jersey	Carey Stadium
1939	Lincoln, Nebraska
1938	Buffalo, New York
1937	Milwaukee, Wisconsin	Marquette Stadium	July 2-3, 1937
1936	Princeton, New Jersey
1935	Lincoln, Nebraska
1934	Milwaukee, Wisconsin
1933	Chicago, Illinois	Stagg Field
1932	Palo Alto, California	Stanford Stadium		Evanston, Illinois	Dyche Stadium
1931	Lincoln, Nebraska
1930	Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
1929	Denver, Colorado
1928	Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Cambridge, Massachusetts	Franklin Field Harvard Stadium	July 3–5, 1928 July 6–7, 1928	Newark, New Jersey	City Field	July 4, 1928
1927	Lincoln, Nebraska
1926	Philadelphia, Pennsylvania	Franklin Field
1925	San Francisco, California	Kezar Stadium
1924	West Orange, New Jersey
1923	Chicago, Illinois	Stagg Field		Newark, New Jersey	Weequahic Park	September 29, 1923

Note that the track surface changed over these years. Synthetic tracks were used in the men's editions in 1963 (rubber), 1965, 1969, 1971, 1972 and from 1974 on. The tracks in the other years were cinders, sometimes with a mix of brick (1967, 1970 and 1973).

Men only editions

Edition	Venue	Stadium	Date	Events
1922	Newark, New Jersey
1921	Pasadena, California	Tournament Park
1920	Cambridge, Massachusetts	Harvard Stadium
1915	San Francisco, California
1913	Chicago, Illinois	Stagg Field
1904	St. Louis, Missouri	Francis Field
1898	Chicago, Illinois	Marshall Field
1893	Chicago, Illinois	Marshall Field

Records

Championships records[6]

Event	Men						Women
	Athlete	Record	Date	Championship	Ref	Video	Athlete	Record	Date	Championship	Ref	Video
100 m	Tyson Gay	9.77 (+1.6 m/s) [note 1]	28 June 2008	2008 Eugene	[9]		Marion Jones	10.72	20 June 1998	1998 New Orleans
200 m	Justin Gatlin	19.57 (+0.4 m/s)	28 June 2015	2015 Eugene	[10]		Allyson Felix	21.69 (+1.0 m/s)	30 June 2012	2012 Eugene	[11]
400 m	Michael Johnson	43.44	19 June 1996	1996 Atlanta			Sanya Richards	49.27	24 June 2006	2006 Indianapolis
800 m	Duane Solomon	1:43.27	23 June 2013	2013 Des Moines	[12]		Meredith Rainey	1:57.04	17 June 1996	1996 Atlanta
1500 m	Matthew Centrowitz Jr.	3:34.09	10 July 2016	2016 Eugene	[13]		Regina Jacobs	4:01.01	16 July 2000	2000 Sacramento
3000 m	-	-					Mary Decker	8:38.36	19 June 1983	Indianapolis, Indiana
5000 m	Paul Chelimo	13:08.62	23 June 2017	2017 Sacramento	[14]		Regina Jacobs	14:45.35	21 July 2000	2000 Sacramento
10000 m	Galen Rupp	27:25.33	22 June 2012	2012 Eugene	[15]		Shalane Flanagan	30:59.97	23 June 2011	2011 Eugene	[16][17]
100 m hurdles	—	—					Brianna Rollins	12.26 (+1.2 m/s)	22 June 2013	2013 Des Moines	[18]
110 m hurdles	Allen Johnson	12.92	23 June 1996	1996 Atlanta			—	—
400 m hurdles	Bryan Bronson	47.03	21 June 1998	1998 New Orleans			Dalilah Muhammad	52.20	28 July 2019	2019 Des Moines	[19]
3000 m steeplechase	Evan Jager	8:12.29	28 June 2015	2015 Eugene	[20]		Emma Coburn	9:15.59	27 June 2015	2015 Eugene	[21]
High jump	Jesse Williams	2.37 m	26 June 2011	2011 Eugene	[22]
	Erik Kynard		26 June 2015	2015 Eugene	[23]		Chaunte Howard	2.05 m	26 June 2010	2010 Des Moines	[24]
Pole vault	Sam Kendricks	6.06 m	27 July 2019	2019 Des Moines	[25]		Jennifer Stuczynski	4.92 m	6 July 2008	2008 Eugene	[26]
Long jump	Carl Lewis	8.79 m	19 June 1983	Indianapolis, Indiana			Brittney Reese	7.31 m (+1.7 m/s)	1 July 2016	2016 Eugene	[27]
Triple jump	Willie Banks	17.97 m	16 June 1985	Indianapolis, Indiana			Keturah Orji	14.59 m (+1.9 m/s)	22 June 2018	2018 Des Moines	[28]
Shot put	Ryan Crouser	22.65 m	25 June 2017	2017 Sacramento	[29]		Michelle Carter	20.24 m	22 June 2013	2013 Des Moines	[18]
Discus throw	John Powell	71.26 m	9 June 1984	San Jose, California			Ria Stalman  Netherlands	67.58 m	8 June 1984	San Jose, California
Hammer throw	Lance Deal	82.50 m	17 June 1994	Knoxville, Tennessee			DeAnna Price	78.24 m	27 July 2019	2019 Des Moines	[25]
Javelin throw	Breaux Greer	91.29 m	21 June 2007	2007 Indianapolis	[30]		Kara Patterson	66.67 m	25 June 2010	2010 Des Moines	[31]
Decathlon Heptathlon	Ashton Eaton	9039 pts	22–23 June 2012	2012 Eugene	[32]		Jackie Joyner-Kersee	6979 pts	23–24 June 1987	San Jose, California
10000 m walk (track)	Nick Christie	41:56.61	28 July 2019	2019 Des Moines			Katie Burnett	46:12.45	28 July 2019	2019 Des Moines
20000 m walk (track)	Trevor Barron	1:23:00.10	22 June 2012	2012 Eugene	[11]		Teresa Vaill	1:33:28.15	2005		[33]
20 km walk (road)	Curt Clausen	1:23:34					Michelle Rohl	1:32:39	2000	2000 Sacramento	[33]
10 km walk (road)	-	-					Teresa Vaill	45:01	1995		[33]

1. Tyson Gay ran 9.75 at the 2013 Des Moines edition, but his performance was annulled after the race for doping.[7][8]

Most successful athletes

By event

Event	Male athlete	Most wins	Female athlete	Most wins
50 metres	Not contested		Alice Coachman	5
100 metres	Carl Lewis Justin Gatlin	5	Evelyn Ashford	5
200 metres	Ralph Metcalfe Michael Johnson	5	Stella Walsh	11
400 metres	Lon Myers	6	Sanya Richards-Ross	6
800 metres	Mark Everett	8	Madeline Manning	6
1500 metres	Joie Ray	8	Regina Jacobs	11
3000 metres	Not contested		Jan Merrill	4
5000 metres	Bernard Lagat	8	Regina Jacobs Marla Runyan	3
10,000 metres	Lou Gregory Galen Rupp	7	Lynn Jennings	7
110/100 m hurdles	Allen Johnson	7	Gail Devers	10
200 m hurdles	John Eller	5	Pat Hawkins	4
400 m hurdles	Oris Erwin Edwin Moses Bershawn Jackson	5	Kim Batten	6
3000 m s'chase	Joe McCluskey Henry Marsh	9	Elizabeth Jackson Emma Coburn	4
20,000 m walk	Kevin Eastler Tim Seaman	4	Maria Michta	5
High jump	Dwight Stones Charles Austin	6	Alice Coachman	10
Pole vault	Bob Richards	9	Stacy Dragila	9
Pole vault for distance	Platt Adams	4	Not contested
Long jump	DeHart Hubbard Ralph Boston Arnie Robinson Carl Lewis Mike Powell	6	Willye White	12
Triple jump	Dan Ahearn	8	Sheila Hudson	7
Shot put	George Gray	10	Connie Price-Smith	11
Discus throw	Fortune Gordien Al Oerter Mac Wilkins	6	Frances Kaszubski	7
Hammer throw	Hal Connolly Lance Deal	9	Dawn Ellerbe	6
Javelin throw	Breaux Greer	8	Dorothy Dodson	11
Weight throw	James Mitchel	11	Not contested
Baseball	Not contested		Babe Didrikson Zaharias Marion Barone Juanita Watson Marion Brown	3
Pentathlon	Eulace Peacock	6	Not contested
Heptathlon	Not contested		Jane Frederick	9
Decathlon	Dan O'Brien Tom Pappas	5	Not contested
All around	Bill Urban	5	Not contested

See also

• USA Track & Field Indoor Championships
• United States Olympic Trials (track and field)
• USA Marathon Championships
• USA Half Marathon Championships
• USA Cross Country Championships

References

1. The United States' National Championships In Track & Field Athletics: Introduction. Track and Field News. Retrieved on 2009-09-19.
2. "USA Track & Field - 2015 USA Outdoor Track & Field Championships in Eugene". Usatf.org. June 15, 2015. Retrieved June 15, 2015.
3. "USA Track & Field - 2014 USA Outdoor Track & Field Championships in Sacramento". Usatf.org. October 29, 2013. Retrieved June 28, 2014.
4. https://articles.latimes.com/1988-06-17/sports/sp-5631_1_track-and-field-championships
5. "Los Angeles Sports Council – L.A. Facilities". Lasports.org. Retrieved June 28, 2014.
6. "USA Outdoor Track & Field Championships Records". USATF. January 1, 2017. Retrieved April 25, 2019.
7. Kirby Lee (June 22, 2013). "World-leading wins from Gay, Gardner and Day at US Championships". IAAF. Retrieved June 24, 2013.
8. Nick Zaccardi (May 2, 2014). "Tyson Gay returns Olympic silver medal with doping ban". NBC Sports. Retrieved April 26, 2019.
9. Gene Cherry (June 30, 2008). "Tyson Gay taking sprinting to new level says coach". Reuters. Retrieved April 25, 2019.
10. "200m Dash Results". flashresults.com. June 28, 2015. Retrieved June 28, 2015.
11. Ed Gordon (July 1, 2012). "Marritt hurdles world-leading 12.93, Felix blazes 21.69 in Eugene – U.S. Olympic Trials, Day 7". IAAF. Retrieved July 1, 2012.
12. Kirby Lee (June 24, 2013). "World leads from Gay and Solomon highlight final day of US Championships". IAAF. Retrieved June 24, 2013.
13. Roy Jordan (July 11, 2016). "Records broken on final day of US Olympic Trials". IAAF. Retrieved July 11, 2016.
14. Roy Jordan (June 24, 2017). "Claye sails 17.91m in Sacramento - US Championships day 2". IAAF. Retrieved June 24, 2017.
15. "Rupp wins trials 10K with meet-record 27:25.33, Tegenkamp and Ritzenhein also make US team". The Washington Post. June 22, 2012. Retrieved June 23, 2012.
16. Kirby Lee (June 24, 2011). "Carter prevails in epic women's Shot Put battle in Eugene – USA champs, Day 1". IAAF. Retrieved June 25, 2011.
17. "10000 Metres Results". www.flashresults.com. June 23, 2011. Retrieved June 25, 2011.
18. Kirby Lee (June 23, 2013). "National records for Rollins, Carter and Bingson at US Championships". IAAF. Retrieved June 24, 2013.
19. Roy Jordan (July 29, 2019). "Muhammad breaks world 400m hurdles record at US Championships". IAAF. Retrieved August 6, 2019.
20. "3000m Steeplechase Results". flashresults.com. June 28, 2015. Retrieved June 28, 2015.
21. "3000m Steeplechase Result". flashresults.com. June 27, 2015. Retrieved June 28, 2015.
22. "High Jump Results". www.flashresults.com. June 26, 2011. Retrieved June 26, 2011.
23. "High Jump Results". flashresults.com. June 26, 2015. Retrieved June 27, 2015.
24. Parker Morse (June 27, 2010). "Lowe jumps 2.05m, wins over Iowa: USATF Nationals Day 3". IAAF. Retrieved July 1, 2010.
25. Roy Jordan (July 28, 2019). "Kendricks tops 6.06m in Des Moines". IAAF. Retrieved July 29, 2019.
26. USA Outdoor Track & Field Champions Women's Pole Vault Archived 2009-12-09 at the Wayback Machine. USATF. Retrieved 2009-09-28.
27. Roy Jordan (July 3, 2016). "Reese's big leap highlights early action at US Olympic Trials". IAAF. Retrieved July 3, 2016.
28. Roy Jordan (June 23, 2018). "Lyles clocks 9.88 world lead to take US 100m title". IAAF. Retrieved June 27, 2018.
29. Roy Jordan (June 25, 2017). "Muhammad wins historic 400m hurdles race at US Championships". IAAF. Retrieved June 26, 2017.
30. USA Outdoor Track & Field Champions Men's Javelin Throw Archived 2012-09-18 at the Wayback Machine. USATF. Retrieved on 2009-09-28.
31. Parker Morse (June 26, 2010). "Patterson, Felix steal the show: USATF Nationals, Day 1 & 2". IAAF. Retrieved July 1, 2010.
32. "Decathlon Results". USATF. June 23, 2012. Retrieved June 24, 2012.
33. "USA Outdoor Track & Field Champions Women's 20 km Race Walk". USATF. Archived from the original on June 11, 2011. Retrieved June 27, 2011.

Champions

• United States Championships (Women). GBR Athletics. Retrieved on 2015-06-28.
• United States Championships (Men 1876-1942). GBR Athletics. Retrieved on 2015-06-28.
• United States Championships (Men 1943-). GBR Athletics. Retrieved on 2015-06-28.

External links

• Official website from USATF
• A brief history of the US national championship from Track & Field News
• Past results from Track & Field News
• Past champions from USATF