“Track and field is more than just a sport; it’s a passion that demands fairness and recognition,” says Noah Lyles, reflecting the sentiments of many in the community. The USATF Olympic team trials are halfway through in Eugene, Oregon, at the iconic Hayward Field. This historic venue has seen the best athletes compete in the past and continues to do so this year. The top three finishers in each event’s finals qualify for the Paris Olympics. 

By this rule, the fastest woman and man in the world, Sha’Carri Richardson and Noah Lyles, have secured their spots in the 100m category. As we wait to see who will join them on this elite stage, a revered NFL star joins the community in calling for greater equity and support from USATF.

NFL star promoting track and field winners on his social media

In a recent tweet, Robert Griffin III nicknamed RG3, who played quarterback in the NFL for 8 seasons with the Washington Redskins, spoke about the spectacular performances of the USA track and field athletes during the trials. He captioned it, “Grant Holloway just GATOR ROLLED to a World Leading 12.86 in the 110m Hurdles. JUST .06 hundredths of a sec off the WORLD RECORD. This race would have been the fastest Olympic Final EVER and the 1st with three medalist going sub 13. Team USA is ABSURD.” 

In the accompanying video, Grant Holloway is seen getting out of the blocks super quick. Gaining the lead at the first hurdle and maintaining that lead the entire way. Finally finishing line in a world-leading time of 12.86 seconds. It’s the second-fastest time he’s ever run. He was followed by Freddie Crittenden at 12.93 and with a pb of 12.96.

Similarly in other categories, Noah Lyles has already booked his 100m spot on the Paris Team, with a time of 9.83s. He’s now auditioning for the 200m event where he is a favorite to win and holds the American record of 19.31s. Noah Lyles is also eligible for the 400m relay after his gold win at the 2023 Worlds.

Sha’Carri Richardson has been creating her magic. She posted the fastest world time in this trial with 10.71s in the 100m, moving on to make the team. She was joined by training partners Mellisa Jefferson and Twanisha Terry with 10.80s and 10.89s respectively. These amazing performances beg the question of why track and field athletes are still lacking in the way of financial security and respect. They’re literally putting America on the map when it comes to quickest times, but still, that is not reflected in payments or number of viewers.

In fact, track and field is mostly viewed by traditionalists and not by the 18 to mid-30s age range who make up the bulk of viewers. Even RG3 tweeted about this saying, “The lack of respect and money in Track and Field is in large part due to the way the sport is presented and the negative and condescending nature of the broadcasts covering the sport”. His sentiments are mirrored across the world amongst track and field fans as well. 

Fans express concern amidst excitement 

As RG3 said, “You don’t play track. You run it.” Emphasizing the fact that it’s less of a strategy game and more focused on pure grit. So this means anything can happen and usually predictions are thrown out of the window. However, one fan pointed out how this excitement does not translate into actual recognition or monetary gain for athletes. They expressed their disappointment in the system, writing, “They need to pay Olympians more!”

Another fan echoed the sentiment of T&F being undervalued as well. Athletes get most of their money from brand deals rather than from cash prizes. So athletes must get the recognition and screen time that makes them valuable for brands. The fan wrote, “Track and Field deserves more recognition than it gets.”

One fan also pointed out just how fast the trials’ times are- especially 110mH. Usually, the times are clocked around 13s, which is already a great time. But this year, all 3 top athletes had sub-13 seconds, so some very good athletes are going to be left behind. They wrote, “Absurd is right!  13.03 & 13.09 staying home. Crazy and heart breaking!”

The electrifying races and remarkable results have ignited a wave of hope and excitement among fans worldwide. One particularly passionate supporter captured the collective sentiment, expressing their optimism and pride in Team USA’s prospects. “We gone kill the track this Olympics season. We got real gas on the track!” they wrote, reflecting the high expectations and fervent belief in the athletes’ abilities to dominate the track and bring home victories.

Another fan seemed to be greatly enjoying how the trials were playing out. The excitement is at an all-time high as more and more events are being done with the semis. This means it’s time for the finals and the results, which will tell us who is making the team. The fan wrote, “This is fun.”

All in all, the USA track and field trials are just getting better and better. If the athletes keep this up in Paris, the USA can expect a lot of medals coming back home.