Highlights and disappointments during the track selections at the Olympic Games in the United States

EUGENE, Ore. — Olympians have been born and a world record has been broken. The U.S. Olympic track and field team is finalized after a 10-day meet at Hayward Field. It was a preview of the feats to come when the Paris Games begin in less than a month.

Here are some of the highlights from the Olympic trials that concluded Sunday.

Stars to watch out for in Paris

Sydney McLaughlin-LevroneThe biggest competitor of , is herself. She On Sunday, she broke her own world record in the 400-meter hurdles with a time of 50.65 seconds. That’s just below his time of 50.68 set two years ago at the same track.

After crossing the finish line, his face expressed surprise.

“I was a little shocked that it didn’t happen with the best stride pattern,” she told reporters after her feat. “But I’m still grateful to know that the fitness is there and we can work on other things.”

She will aim to raise the bar even higher at the Paris Games.

“I would love to go below 50 (seconds) at some point,” she said. “There’s something really exciting about trying to figure out how to improve the story, you know, in whatever capacity.”

The 24-year-old began her Olympic journey in Rio eight years ago and in Tokyo she won a gold medal in the 400 metres hurdles and another in the 4×400 metres team.

Representing the United States as an Olympic athlete doesn’t get old, she said.

“It’s like reliving that childhood dream over and over again. I don’t take it for granted.”

Sprinter Sha’Carri Richardson came to Hayward with a lot to prove. She was banned from competing at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics after testing positive for THC. She attributed her marijuana use to her mother’s recent death and the pressures she was under to perform: “I’m human,” she said on social media at the time.

And prove it, she did. In Eugene, her 100-meter run secured her spot on the U.S. team. Her attempt to make the 200 meters her second event, however, fell short after she finished fourth.

It was Gabby Thomas, Brittany Brown And McKenzie Long in this order who dominated the 200 meters to earn their place at the Paris Games.

Thomas won bronze in Tokyo in the 200 meters and silver with the 4×100 meters relay team. What’s new for her this time is that a crowd will be there to cheer her on.

“I’m a bit of an introvert, so I get easily distracted and overwhelmed by a lot of people, but hey, I think it’ll be fun,” she said after Saturday’s final.

But she also says she has always thrived under pressure – a skill she has honed since Tokyo.

“I take comfort in knowing that when I showed up today, I said to myself, ‘You know what, I proved to myself that I could do this,'” she said.

Brown and Long, meanwhile, are going to the Olympics for the first time. Long draws strength from her late mother, who died suddenly in February.

“Knowing that I’m an Olympian now is surreal,” she told reporters after the race. “And I know my mom is smiling with all her teeth.”

Noah Lyles, Kenny Bednarek And Fred Kerley all qualified for the United States in the 100 meters. Lyles leads the pack so far in speed and personality; the 26-year-old seized the spotlight to share his love for anime by releasing a growing sequel to Yu-Gi-Oh! exchange cards of their color after each round.

Lyles will do a double in Paris: he also won the 200 meters final during the selections. But he doesn’t plan to celebrate fully until he wins gold.

“It’s like everything’s good, great, I’ve done the job, I’m excited, let’s keep going, let’s keep pressing,” he told reporters.

At the 110 hurdles, Grant Holloway, Daniel Roberts And Freddie Crittenden made history. It was the first time three men crossed the finish line in the 110 meter hurdles in less than 13 seconds.

There is already talk among the trio of an Olympic podium.

“I mean, we’ve already done the work,” Holloway told reporters after posting his second-fastest time of all time in Saturday’s finale. “I think, for me, we’re exactly where we need to be.”

The stylish shot put specialist Raven Saunders donned what they described as a Day of the Dead mask while appearing at the trial.

“It’s a way to show people that I’m back, that I never left,” Saunders, who identifies with they/they pronouns, said after finishing second.

A fan favorite in Tokyo, the Olympic silver medalist was suspended last year after failing to appear for a few drug tests.

Saunders took advantage of the enforced break to focus on himself.

“I definitely took more time to get to work, more time to just focus on building this Olympic team, more time to focus on my mental health,” they said.

Chase Jacksona shot putter known for wearing elaborate eye makeup on the field and sharing her love of cartoons with Lyles, placed first ahead of Saunders. It’s her first time on an Olympic team.

A big break

Saturday evening, Wine Gelati She sprinted down the track in the final stretch of the women’s 10,000 meters race, taking the lead, losing it and then regaining the lead one last time to win.

“I had to stay patient because I knew I had that speed, I had that kick, because I had worked on it,” Kelati said, speaking to reporters after her victory.

It’s the latest chapter in the 27-year-old’s remarkable journey. In 2014, Kelati was on that same track competing for her native Eritrea, an East African country. While competing internationally, Kelati sought asylum, fleeing political unrest in her country. As a teenager, she moved to the United States as a refugee, leaving family and friends behind. A decade later, Kelati’s victory cemented her spot on Team USA for the Summer Olympics.

“It’s crazy, I’ll take care of it soon,” she said. “Right now I can’t believe it. I’m speechless.”

Kelati says she is proud to compete for her adopted country, but her family back in Eritrea will also support her.

“They watch me. Every time I run, everywhere I go, they follow me, they watch my run,” she said.

A sadness

A fall in a single race costs Athing Mu her bid for the Olympics. A quarter of the way through the 800 meters, the reigning gold medalist tripped and fell, ending her chances of making the U.S. team. Nia Akins won in a personal best time of 1:57.36.

“It’s hard to see, especially for someone like Athing, who you know could win a gold medal,” said the 400-metre hurdler. Ray Benjamin “We feel for her, because she’s supposed to be here, you know? But it’s just the U.S. track and field team. It’s the toughest team to make and anything can happen here,” the player told NBC from the sidelines Monday.

NPR’s Brian Mann contributed to this story.