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Women’s 100 Meter Hurdles

Last year, this was the hardest team to make. It’s a phrase that was plastered all over Eugene regarding team USA but more specifically, it was best applied to the women’s 100m hurdles. The United States swept the medals in Rio with Brianna Rollins, Nia Ali and Kristi Castlin while Keni Harrison set the world record after missing the team. The U.S. squad could have a new look while keeping the same dominance. Rollins is out after missing three drug tests and being handed down a suspension.

Star/Favorite to watch

Harrison is the favorite in the event but she already has a lane at the world championships due to the Diamond League Wildcard. If she only decides to run one round, which is what she needs to claim her spot in London. Sharika Nelvis is just .02 seconds behind Harrison’s world leading 12.56 on the year.

Dark horse pick

Dawn Harper-Nelson is a veteran in this event and one of the last remaining members of that old guard from the 2012 Olympics. Lolo Jones is still training but is focused on preparing for bobsled in the 2018 Olympics. Harper-Nelson hasn’t posted the fastest of times but in a championship setting, she can never be counted out.

Fun fact/Stat

Last year, the top seven fastest women in this event were all American.

Predictions of who makes the team:

1. Keni Harrison (Wild Card)

2. Sharika Nelvis

3. Jasmin Stowers

4. Dawn Harper-Nelson

Men’s 110 Meter Hurdles

It’s going to take a lot to catch Olympic Omar McLeod, who remains one of the most dominant hurdlers on the circuit. The top U.S. hurdler at the moment is the Olympic trials champion and former Oregon football player Devon Allen, who is in his first season as a pro. Aries Merritt and Aleec Harris are the only two other Americans in the world top 10.

Star/Favorite to watch

Devon Allen has run 13.11 on the season and is now fully focused on track and field. It was a slight surprise for him to make the team last year but he showed no problem against professional and top competition and so we’ll pick him as the man to beat.

Dark Horse Pick

Aries Merritt looks to be back in top form since undergoing a kidney transplant less than two years ago. He ran 13.13 at the Prefontaine Classic and if his body can handle the rounds then he could make a return to the same track where he won gold in 2012.

Fun fact/Stat

At last summer’s Olympics, the new core of hurdlers failed to medal and ended the United States’s streak of medaling in the event in every Olympics that it has participated in.

Predictions of who makes the team

Devon Allen and Aries Merritt could be close for the win. Aleec Harris could hold onto the third spot based on times since there’s a bit of a gap between his 13.18 on the year and Devon Williams’ 13.37.

Women’s 400 Meter Hurdles

Dalilah Muhammad is the United States’ golden girl after winning last summer’s gold medal in Rio. Team USA is going to be so strong in this event since four of the top five times on the year have been run by Americans and Muhammad isn’t even one of them.

Star/Favorite to watch

You can’t count out Muhammad but Olympic bronze medalist Ashley Spencer has the fastest time of the year with her 53.38. Spencer has not lost a 400-meter hurdle race on the season and downed a loaded field at the Prefontaine Classic.

Dark horse pick

With all of the media attention that she’s received for her high school accolades, Sydney McLaughlin would appear not to be dark horse. She does have the third-fastest time of the year with her World Junior Record of 54.03 from a high school meet but she’s been going for such a long time. Maybe she gets tired on the big stage? She’ll finally be challenged by pros for the first time since last year’s trials and Olympics.

Fun fact/Stat

Sidney McLaughlin has PR’ed seven times in 2017.

Predictions of who makes the team:

1. Ashley Spencer

2. Shamier Little

3. Dalilah Muhammad

Men’s 400 meter hurdles

The men’s 400 meter hurdles is one of the toughest events and there is much carnage in aftermath. The final 100 meters is always thrilling. Before the season Bershawn Jackson announced that this would be his final season. 2016 Olympic champion Kerron Clement finds himself outside of the world top 20 list. We could see several new faces in a team USA uniform in London.

Star/Favorite to watch

Former LSU Tiger Quincy Downing has the second fastest time of the year after running a 48.13 personal best at the Racers Grand Prix in Kingston, Jamaica. Last summer, he missed out on a spot on the Olympic team because he finished sixth in the trials final. Look for him to make up for that disappointment.

Dark horse pick

Johnny Dutch is still around. The longtime hurdler has contemplated retirement before and has suffered many national team misses in his career. That 49.00 season’s best from that meet in Kingston keeps him on the radar. Can he finally put it together on the U.S. Championship stage? We’ll find out in the coming days.

Fun fact/Stat

Bershawn Jackson has been competing in the 400-meter hurdles since 2000 and his personal best of 47.30 is from 2005. He went undefeated in 13 races at the distance from July 2005 to June 2006.

Predictions of who makes the team:

1. Quincy Downing

2. Michael Sigler

3. Eric Futch