Qualifying rounds open World Athletics Championships for Razorbacks

EUGENE – The opening day of the World Athletics Championships at Hayward Field on Friday involves qualification rounds in three events for a crew of Razorbacks.

The women’s pole vault includes Arkansas alums Sandi Morris (USA) and Tina Šutej (Slovenia) competing in separate groups. Arkansas alum LaQuan Nairn (Bahamas) and current Razorback Wayne Pinnock (Jamaica) are in separate groups of the long jump. Arkansas volunteer assistant Ryan Crouser (USA) competes in the shot put.

Šutej vaults in group A along with Tokyo Olympic champion Katie Nageotte, while Morris vaults in group B. The auto qualifying mark for the final is 15-3 (4.65) or the top 12 marks from the field of 30 vaulters.

The progression for the qualification round of the pole vault starts at 13-9.25 (4.20) and continues through heights of 14-3.25 (4.35), 14-9 (4.50), 15-1 (4.60), and 15-3 (4.65). The final will be held at 5:27 p.m. (PT) on Sunday.

Track & Field News predicts a victory for Morris in the pole vault and bronze for Šutej with Katerina Stefanidi of Greece tabbed for silver over Nageotte. Stefandidi, who competed at Stanford as a collegian, won the world title in 2017 and was a bronze medalist in 2019.

Morris has claimed silver medals in the past two World Outdoor Championships and equaled the best-mark-for-place as the runner-up in 2019 with a vault of 16-0.75 (4.90). Šutej finished fifth in the Tokyo Olympics and was the bronze medalist at the 2022 World Indoor Championships, which were won by Morris.

Pinnock, who won the Jamaican Championship title with a career best of 26-8.5 (8.14) after sweeping NCAA Indoor and Outdoor titles during the 2022 season, jumps in group A while Nairn, who set a career best of 26-11.75 (8.22) this season, is in group B.

They will seek a mark of 26-7.75 (8.12) to auto qualify for the final or have a mark among the top 12 of the 32 jumpers competing. The final will occur on Saturday starting at 6:20 p.m. (PT).

Crouser, the world record holder in the shot put, throws in group A among a field of 15 throwers, which includes Tom Walsh of New Zealand. The aim is 69-6.75 (21.20) for auto qualification to the final or at least be among the top 12 to advance.

The T&F News form chart predicts Crouser will achieve his first World title after claiming gold in the past two Olympic Games with American Joe Kovacs tabbed for silver and Walsh earning bronze.

In 2019, during the Worlds held in Doha, the top three order was Kovacs, Crouser, and Walsh as they were separated by just one centimeter. The trio produced the top three marks ever in a World Championship final with 75-2 (22.91) for Kovacs followed by 75-1.75 (22.90) for Crouser and Walsh.

A victory for Crouser would make him just the second shot putter after American Adam Nelson to claim gold at the Olympics and Worlds. The final will take place on Sunday at 6:27 p.m. (PT).

World Athletics Championships | NBC coverage (CT)

Friday, July 15

• Afternoon Session: 10:55 a.m.-6:50 p.m. on Peacock (World Feed)
  • Key Events: Men’s 100m Preliminary Round, Mixed 4x400m Heats, 20km race walks
• Evening Session: 7 p.m. – 10 p.m. on USA Network, NBCSports.com, NBC Sports app and streaming on Peacock (World Feed)
  • Key Events: M100 Heats, Mixed 4x400m