The stakes continue to rise for Tate Taylor, and the track and field phenom continues to deliver.
Taylor is an 18-year-old from San Antonio Harlan School in Texas who is less than a month removed from his high school graduation. But he stole the show at the 2026 Prefontaine Classic July 4 at Hayward Field, winning the men’s 200-meter dash in a personal-best 19.75 seconds.
The performance shattered Taylor’s own U.S. high school record, is the 29th-fastest overall time in world history and was fast enough to beat the reigning Olympic champion, Botswana’s Letsile Tebogo, who finished second in 19.93.
Taylor also moved up to third on the world U20 all-time list, surpassing Usain Bolt.
“I didn’t even know I passed Bolt’s record, so that’s pretty cool,” Taylor said with a smile. “God is good; all glory to God. To beat the Olympic champ — I was literally telling my coach before this, ‘They cannot possibly come out here and expect me to win.’ I said it just like that. … It means a lot. I look up to Tebogo, for real. I’m excited to see how the rest of his career and season pan out.
‘But, just knowing I took that record down, it’s a surreal feeling. I’m kind of still taking it all in.”
A Texas Tech commit, Taylor has established himself as the clear-cut fastest high school boy in American history. In addition to his 200-meter prep record, his wind-legal 100 time of 9.92 is also a national high school record.
Less than three weeks ago at Hayward, Taylor clocked 19.94 in the 200 to win the U20 outdoor national championship.
“I gotta be honest, I was expecting a similar PR— maybe 19.89,” Taylor said. “But if I’m being honest, after seeing that 19.07, I was like, ‘Man, that’s just crazy ridiculous.'”
Taylor’s star performance was the headliner on a day that was filled with fireworks in the sprint events.
In a battle of two of the greatest American sprinters in history, Melissa Jefferson Wooden edged past Sha’carri Richardson in a photo finish, winning in 10.78. Richardson was just inches behind her, finishing in 10.79.
“It was a fight literally to the finish,” Jefferson-Wooden said. “But I wanted it more, so I got it.”
Jefferson-Wooden is the reigning world champion at both 100 and 200 meters. Saturday marked a season-best 100 time for the 25-year-old.
“It was just a matter of me going out there and being myself,” Jefferson-Wooden said. “Focusing on what the goal was, and that was to get out there and execute, compete and win. I think I did a really good job of that today. … This is technically now only my fourth race of the year. I’m in a good spot.”
Just a few weeks after rewriting the NCAA record book, Georgia freshman Adaejah Hodge took third in 10.80.
“‘Just go out there and have some fun.’ That’s all that was on my mind,” Hodge said. “. … I came out here and put my best foot forward. To know that I lost by two-tenths of a second, it’s just like, ‘Dang!’ But that will keep me hungry for the rest of the season.”
In the men’s 100, Kayinsola Ajayi won in 19.84. The Nigerian international and Auburn University junior won the NCAA title earlier this summer.
Oblique Seville was second on Saturday (9.89) and Christian Coleman was third (9.95).
“I feel good. I’ve been consistent,” Ajayi said. “That was part of my goal. Stay on top of it all, stay consistent, come out here and do what I have to do and just execute my race. So, I feel good about that.
In the men’s 400, Busang Collen Kebinatshipi, the reigning world champion, won in 44 seconds flat. He took down American star Rai Benjamin, who finished second in a personal-best 44.11. The second-fastest 400-meter hurdler in world history, Benjamin is continuing to find his footing in the open 400 as he takes a break from his favored event.
Brittni Mason won the women’s para 100-meter in 12.05. In the men’s par 100, Noah Malone won in 10.54.
The last time Ja’Kobe Tharp was at Hayward Field, the then-University of Auburn star sent shockwaves, shattering the 110-meter hurdles world record.
The 12,452 in attendance at Hayward Field on July 4 were hoping for an encore, but it was Jamal Britt who stole the show.
The 27-year-old standout went down to the wire with Tharp and won the Prefontaine Classic in a personal best and meet record 12.86 seconds. Tharp, who ran 12.75 at the NCAA Championships last month, was second in 12.91.
“Honestly, I want to give my hat off to my coach,” Britt said. “We’ve been working on this for two years now. I really give it all to him. He tells me what I need to do, and I just try to go out there and perfect it. So we came out with a win today on another PR off something so smooth and easy. It’s scary. I’m excited for the rest of the season and to see what we can actually do.”
Britt, who has spent much of his career racing and competing without a sponsor, inked a deal with Nike earlier this week. It’s been a long road to this point for the hurdler who began his college career at College of the Sequoias before going on to star at Iowa.
“Officially signed. It’s long overdue,” Britt said with a laugh. “It’s been a long five years. I remember just two years ago, I’m lying in my apartment with no power; hottest day of the year. Trying to figure out, ‘How am I gonna get out of this? How am I gonna get to the top?’ I just kept my head down and kept pushing forward. … I’m blessed to be able to stay in this sport. I’m excited.”
This year’s loaded field of women’s 100-meter hurdlers did not disappoint.
With six of the 10 fastest women in history at the starting line, American Masai Russell emerged with a decisive victory, winning in 12.24 seconds.
The 2024 Olympic champion, Russell owns the second-fastest time ever after clocking 12.14 earlier this year. Saturday’s win was the latest massive accomplishment on the 26-year-old’s resume.
“It’s everything that I’ve dreamed of and more,” Russell said of her recent run of success. “I told myself before anybody knew who I was that I’m gonna be the best hurdler in the world. I’m gonna be the best hurdler ever. Your words are power; it’s just a blessing to see the consistency and who I’ve become in the track and field space.”
World record-holder Tobi Amusan took second in 12.34. Devynne Charlton placed third in 12.41. Former University of Oregon star Alaysha Johnson was ninth in 12.86.
Grace Starck, the fifth-fastest women’s high-hurdler in history, placed fourth in 12.41. Kendra Harrison, the 2020 Olympic silver medalist and former world record-holder, was eighth in 12.66.
“It holds me accountable, honestly,” Russell said of the current crop of talent in women’s hurdles. “Having the world-record holder in the (60-meter hurdles) on your left and then the Olympic bronze medalist on your right, we all hold each other accountable. It’s a great group; we have a great dynamic.”
1 / 4
2 / 4
3 / 4
4 / 4Jarrid Denney is a sports reporter for The Register-Guard. He can be reached at jdenney@registerguard.com or on X @jarrid_denney
Discover more from NAIRAVOICE.COM.NG
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
