Who else can soar to the front of the wide-open sprint fields at the 2025 USA track & field trials?
While Lyles and Bednarek may be clearer favourites in the men’s 200m, the blue ribband 100m distance will pit some of the world’s biggest sprint names against each other — and they have history and titles to show for it.
Trayvon Bromell is currently the fastest US sprinter in 2025, with his blistering 9.84 seconds set at this year’s Rome Diamond League.
A veteran of the sprint circuit, the 30-year-old has two world championship bronze medals to his name, with the latest from Oregon 2022 and his first won all the way back in 2015.
When it comes to longevity, few in the game can come close to him.
The third-fastest American this year (sat snuggly in behind Bednarek in second) is Brandon Hicklin, who many are picking to make his first world championships team in 2025.
A season’s — and personal — best of 9.93, as well as a fourth-place finish in the 2025 Prefontaine Classic in early July, have seen the 26-year-old’s stock rise impressively this year.
But don’t count out the tried and tested champions, including 2019 100m world gold medallist, Christian Coleman and 2022 100m world title-holder Fred Kerley.
Each of them could find their way on the plane to Japan without springing any significant surprises.
In the men’s 200m, Bednarek and Lyles will once again be expected to duke it out for top spot, but even though they are favourites, that doesn’t tell the whole story of 2025.
Sitting pretty as the world lead this season is 21-year-old T’Mars McCallum, who set a blistering time of 19.73 in early July.
Add to that the likes of Courtney Lindsey and Erriyon Knighton, and we may be headed for one of the tightest 200m finals in recent times.
In sporting terms, it’s a pick’em.
The 2025 USATF Outdoor Championships begin on Thursday 31 July and end on Sunday 3 August.