EUGENE, Ore. — Grant Fisher triumphed in the men’s 10,000-meter race at Hayward Field on Friday, becoming the first American track and field athlete to secure a spot at the Paris Olympics.
Fisher’s winning time of 27:49.47 was accompanied by strong performances from Woody Kincaid and Nico Young, who finished second and third respectively. “It feels really good,” Fisher shared after his victory. “There’s always a lot of anticipation going into the trials, and you never know how it will turn out.”
Fisher, who holds the American records for both the 5,000 and 10,000 meters, will compete in the 5,000 meters next week, seeking to qualify in that event as well. “Paris is going to be incredibly challenging,” Fisher remarked. “With so many talented athletes this year, anything can happen. I want to get in there and compete. The 10k is a straight final, so I just need one great day. I’ve been close to medals before but have never won one. Hopefully, this is my time.”
Fisher finished fifth in the 10,000 meters at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and fourth at the 2022 World Athletics Championships. In Paris, he aims to be the first American to win an Olympic medal in the 10,000 meters since Galen Rupp in 2012.
Earlier on Friday, several U.S. athletes excelled in their respective events. Sha’Carri Richardson advanced in the 100 meters with a time of 10.88. Richardson, who missed the Tokyo Olympics due to a positive cannabis test, is now a favorite for gold in Paris. She will compete in the semifinals on Saturday at 5:58 p.m. PT, with the finals scheduled for 7:50 p.m. PT if she progresses.
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Athing Mu, the Olympic 800-meter champion from Tokyo, qualified for Sunday’s semifinal with a time of 2:01.73 in her opening heat. “For the most part, I think it was pretty smooth,” Mu said. “It felt like my first race back, so my legs were getting a little wake-up. It was nice.” Michaela Rose, the 2023 NCAA 800-meter champion from LSU, led all runners with a time of 1:59.57.
Ryan Crouser, the two-time reigning Olympic champion in the men’s shot put, continued his winning streak, qualifying for Saturday’s final with a throw of 21.44 meters. “It was great to be back at Hayward Field,” Crouser said. “I’ve been dealing with an elbow issue and a pec issue, but you don’t feel it in front of the crowd.”
A remarkable performance came from Quincy Wilson, a 16-year-old high school sophomore from the Bullis School near Washington D.C., who set a new American high school record in the men’s 400 meters with a time of 44.66. This time surpasses the 42-year-old record of 44.69 set by Darrell Robinson and qualifies as an under-18 world record, pending certification by World Athletics. “I’ve been waiting for this moment,” Wilson said. “I’ve always dreamed of this. I told myself I would come out here and be ready for a big moment… I’m just trying to execute each race as best as I can.”
These standout performances underscore the depth of American talent as athletes gear up for the Paris Olympics.
