Brittany Brown and Vernon Norwood clinched their spots on the U.S. team for the upcoming World Championships after strong performances at the Diamond League Final in Zurich, effectively seizing the last two available berths. While USA Track and Field has yet to confirm the full roster, their victories in Zurich ensured their qualification.
In the women’s 200m, Olympic bronze medalist Brown produced a powerful finish to clock 22.13 seconds, edging Britain’s Dina Asher-Smith by five hundredths of a second. The triumph was particularly sweet for Brown, who had narrowly missed out at the U.S. nationals, placing fourth, a thousandth of a second behind Olympic champion Gabby Thomas.
That result left her fate hinging on Zurich, where only a win or a victory by fellow American Anavia Battle would seal her place. Battle had already qualified by finishing runner-up at nationals, leaving Brown to deliver under pressure.
On the men’s side, Vernon Norwood secured his place in dramatic fashion. Although he finished third in the 400m in Zurich, his performance was enough to add an extra U.S. slot for the World Championships. At 33, Norwood now becomes the oldest American man to officially run the 400m at a global championship, surpassing Antonio Pettigrew’s disqualified record from 2001.
The Louisiana native first made his global debut in 2015, reaching the semifinals in Beijing and winning 4x400m relay gold. Since then, he has earned Olympic relay gold medals in both Tokyo and Paris, while his best individual finish came with a fourth place at the 2023 Worlds.
Elsewhere in Zurich, Frenchman Jimmy Gressier narrowly edged American Grant Fisher in the men’s 3000m, clocking 7:36.78 to Fisher’s 7:36.81. The result had ripple effects for Team USA: Cooper Teare, fifth at nationals, missed out on a world team spot in the 5000m by just three hundredths of a second. Drew Hunter, who placed fourth at nationals, was also ruled out due to failing to meet the qualifying time and ranking standards.
The disappointment extended further for American stars Yared Nuguse and Josh Hoey, who both struggled in their respective races. Olympic 1500m bronze medalist Nuguse finished seventh, while world indoor 800m champion Hoey came in eighth, leaving both off the U.S. squad.
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