Olympic 100m champion Noah Lyles and 200m gold medalist Gabby Thomas will lead a nine-strong U.S. contingent for the 2025 World Athletics Championships set for Tokyo from 13-21 September.
Both athletes, who have cemented their dominance on the Olympic stage, earned automatic qualification as reigning Olympic champions. World athletics  confirmed this in a press release.
With the first 26 qualified athletes announced, excitement builds as the countdown to the highly anticipated event hits 500 days. The World Athletics Ultimate Championship, set to take place in Budapest in 2026, will serve as the grand finale of the season. Tokyo 2025 will be the critical proving ground where athletes solidify their dominance.
The Ultimate Championship will feature a staggering $10 million prize pot. It will bring together Olympic and world champions, Diamond League victors, and the season’s top performers in a winner-takes-all showdown
The USA roster boasts an impressive mix of established champions and rising stars. Quincy Hall will unleash his explosive speed in the 400m as Cole Hocker aims to dominate the 1500m showdown. The hurdles events will feature Masai Russell in the women’s 100m hurdles and Grant Holloway in the men’s 110m hurdles.
The 400m hurdle will feature Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone and Rai Benjamin. Tara Davis-Woodhall, the reigning Olympic long jump champion, rounds out the squad.
The World Athletics Championships will host 28 events in three days, with every session featuring finals and no preliminaries. In sprint events, only the top four from each eight-athlete semifinal will advance to the final. The 1500m, 5000m, and relay events will be straight finals.
The mixed 4x100m and 4x400m relays will see teams qualify via the 2026 World Athletics Relays in Botswana.
Other athletes who have also secured a slot include Kenyan middle-distance legend Faith Kipyegon, will contest the 1500m. Her compatriots Beatrice Chebet will feature in the 5000m and Emmanuel Wanyonyi in the 800m. Norway’s Jakob Ingebrigtsen, will also compete in the 5000m.
Other athletes includes Julien Alfred of Saint Lucia in the women’s 100m, Botswana’s Letsile Tebogo in the men’s 200m. Dominican Republic’s Marileidy Paulino will feature in the 400m, Great Britain’s Keely Hodgkinson in the 800m and high jump world leader Yaroslava Mahuchikh of Ukraine.
The pole vault will feature Australia’s Nina Kennedy and Swedish superstar Mondo Duplantis. Canada’s Ethan Katzberg takes charge in the hammer throw.
