Masai Russell opens up on Olympic pressure and personal growth
Hurdler Masai Russell reflects on how winning the Olympics brought pressure and shaped her confidence.
- Team USA led all nations with 26 total medals, including 16 golds, at the 2025 World Track and Field Championships.
- Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone won gold in the 400-meter and the 4×400-meter relay, setting a championship record in both events.
- Melissa Jefferson-Wooden became the first American woman to win the sprint double, earning gold in the 100-meter and 200-meter races.
Team USA’s Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone and Melissa Jefferson-Wooden stole the show at the 2025 World Track and Field Championships in Tokyo.
The USA won a world-leading 26 total medals, including a championship-high 16 gold medals. Kenya finished second, winning 11 total medals, including seven golds.
There were several athletes who performed well at this year’s World Championships. USA TODAY Sports has the highlights of the track and field competition:
Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone best female athlete in US?
McLaughlin-Levrone ran a jaw-dropping championship record time of47.78 to win the women’s 400. It’s the second fastest time in the history of the event and also lowered her own American record.
McLaughlin-Levrone is the first person to win world championship gold medals in the women’s 400 and women’s 400-meter hurdles.
McLaughlin-Levrone is now the world record holder, two-time Olympic gold medalist and 2022 world champion in the 400 hurdles. In addition to American record holder and 2025 world champion in the 400. Accolades that set her apart from everyone else.
McLaughlin-Levrone also anchored the women’s 4×400-relay to team and led the squad to a gold medal with a championship record time of 3:16.61.
Melissa Jefferson-Wooden wins sprint double
Jefferson-Wooden became the first American woman to accomplish the sprint double at the World Championships.
The American sprinter ran a sizzling 10.61 to win gold in the women’s 100. Her time was the fourth-fastest time in the history of the event.
Jefferson-Wooden then stepped on the track in the 200 and dominated the field, running a world-leading time of 21.68 to take first place.
Jefferson-Wooden ran the first leg of Team USA’s gold-medal winning 4×100-relay squad that clocked in at 41.75.
Jefferson-Wooden and McLaughlin-Levrone were the top two American athletes at this year’s world championships.
Noah Lyles wins fourth gold in 200
As soon as Lyles crossed the finish line in the men’s 200 he put four fingers in the air to represent his four world titles in the event.
Lyles ran a 19.52 to win gold in the men’s 200. His fourth world title matched track and field legend Usain Bolt’s four world championships in the 200. Lyles entered this year’s championships with the No. 1 time in the world this year in the event (19.51).
Lyles got third in the men’s 100, but he did get his second gold of the meet in the 4×100 relay.
Fairytale story for Cordell Tinch
After taking a three-year hiatus and not making the Team USA for the Paris Olympics, Tinch can call himself a world champion.
Tinch had one of the more remarkable stories at this year’s world championships. He was selling cellphones during his break from track and field. He decided to come back to the sport, and made the most of the opportunity.
Tinch crossed the finish line at 12.99 and was the only hurdler to run under 13 seconds to win the men’s 110 hurdles. It was his first ever world title. His win even got a shoutout from his former AAU basketball teammate and Indiana Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton.
Faith Kipyegon remains unbeatable in 1,500
Kipyegon continued her dominant ways in the women’s 1,500. Kipyegon ran a 3:52.15 to easily win the race.
The Kenyan is making a strong case for the best distance runner of all time. She is the first woman to win four world titles in any distance-running event.
The three-time Olympic champion in the 1,500 is also the world-record holder in the event.
Switzerland’s Ditaji Kambundji pulls off huge upset in 100 hurdles
Kambundji shocked American Olympic champion Masai Russell and world-record holder Tobi Amusan of Nigeria to win the women’s 100-meter hurdles with a national record time of 12.24. Kambundji was even in disbelief after she crossed the line in first.
Kambundji had a great start and was able to carry her momentum over all 10 hurdles for the victory. She won Switzerland’s first ever world championship medal in the event.
Valarie Allman adds world championship to two Olympic titles
Allman tossed the discus 227 feet, 11 inches to win her first ever world title in the event. The American discus thrower came into the meet as a two-time Olympic gold medalist in the event.
Ryan Crouser best shot put thrower in history
Injuries forced Crouser to make his season debut at the World Championships. But the layoff didn’t impact his status as the best shot putter in the world.
Crouser tossed the shot put 73 feet, 3½ inches to third world championship title.
Crouser is the world-record holder and three-time Olympic champion in the shot put. He’s the best shot putter in history.
Rai Benjamin wins gold
The 2024 Paris Olympic champion captured another gold in Tokyo.
Benjamin ran away from the other sprinters to win the men’s 400 hurdles with a season-best time of 46.52.
The 400 hurdles was billed as one of the most competitive races going into the championships, but Benjamin won the race convincingly despite hitting the final hurdle.
Armand Duplantis breaks world record again
The Swedish athlete soared 20 feet, 8 inches to win his third world championship and broke the men’s pole vault world record for the 14th time in the process. Duplantis is the world’s best pole vaulter by a wide margin.
Botswana’s men’s 4×400 relay gets win
Anchored by 400 world champion Collen Kebinatshipi, Botswana’s relay team edged Team USA to win the 4×400 relay. Kebinatshipi caught Rai Benjamin in the final few meters to give Botswana the win in what was a fantastic finish.
Anna Hall ends drought
Hall became the first women’s heptathlon world champion since legend Jackie Joyner-Kersee in 1993. Hall totaled 6,888 points.
Cole Hocker surprising in 5,000
Hocker’s final push in the last 100 meters was good enough to pull off an upset in the men’s 5,000.
The American distance runner crossed the finish line at 12:58.30 to win gold. Hocker is the first American man to win a world championship the 5,000 since Bernard Lagat in 2007.
Kenya’s Lilian Odira breaks record in the 800
Odira ran down Olympic champion Keely Hodgkinson of Great Britain to win the women’s 800 in a championship-record time of 1:54.62.
Odira’s win was one of the biggest upsets of the meet.
Follow USA TODAY Sports’ Tyler Dragon on X @TheTylerDragon.
