Dix completed the 100-200 double at US track championships Sunday, meaning he’ll be the headliner on the American world team that will be missing Tyson Gay, Lolo Jones, Wallace Spearmon and a handful of other regulars.
Dix completed his sprint double by running the 200 in a wind-aided 19.95 seconds for a .03 margin over Darvis Patton. He’ll head to worlds in South Korea as America’s best sprinter, which puts him squarely on world-record holder Usain Bolt’s radar with the Olympics coming up in a year.
Carmelita Jeter’s shot at the women’s 100-200 double, along with a $25,000 bonus that comes with it, blew up when Shalonda Solomon accelerated past her in the last 50 meters to win the 200 with a world-best time of 22.15. This was Solomon’s first win at a major meet, made possible in part because defending world champion Allyson Felix sat out and focused on the 400, which she won.
Dix and Jeter were among the few big-name runners who tried multiple events at an important track meet that, at times, felt more like play time or a visit inside the trainer’s room.
Sanya Richards-Ross, the world 400 champion, joined Felix in bypassing her main event to try something new. But Richards-Ross failed to qualify in the 200, finishing seventh, meaning she’ll only compete in the 400 at worlds in South Korea in August.
Richards-Ross wasn’t the only big name to come up short at this meet.
Jones, hampered by a painful sciatic nerve, didn’t make it through the semifinal round of the 100 hurdles, meaning the multiple-time champion and America’s biggest name in that event won’t join the US team at world championships.
Jennifer Suhr had her five-year streak of national titles snapped in the pole vault. Battling injuries all season, Suhr finished second to Kylie Hutson, who cleared 15 feet, 3 inches.
Hyleas Fountain, America’s best at the heptathlon, was fighting through food poisoning and a number of other maladies on her way to sixth.
And that was just on Sunday.
Earlier in the week, Gay pulled out of the 100 with an injury; Spearmon, a multiple-time medalist at worlds at 200 meters, didn’t get out of qualifying; former Olympic champion Jeremy Wariner finished second in the 400, where the defending champion, LaShawn Merritt, was still sitting out a doping ban; and former world champion Brad Walker didn’t clear a height in the pole vault.
In Kingston, Jamaica, Veronica Campbell-Brown completed a sprint double sweep while Steve Mullings raced to victory in the men’s 200m on Sunday’s final day of the Jamaican Athletics Championships.
Campbell-Brown, who won the 100m crown Friday, started well and won the 200m crown in 22.44 seconds in what is also the qualifier for the world championships.
Kerron Stewart, the 100m runner-up, again played second fiddle to Campbell-Brown, running a smart 22.63 to edge third-place Sherone Simpson, who finished in 22.73.
“I came into the trials knowing that the competition would be good,” said Campbell-Brown. “I’m pleased I came here and won the 100 and 200 and that I ended healthy.
“I’m now looking to go back into training to continue preparation for the rest of the season. I’m just trying to make sure I am physically and mentally prepare to compete when the competition gets ready (at Daegu).”
Mullings, the second fastest 100m man this season behind training partner Tyson Gay, dominated the curve before extending the lead in the home stretch to take the 200 in 20.10.
“I’m very satisfied,” Mullings said. “This is my best-ever performance at the national championships, considering the field I went up against in both sprints.”
Nickel Ashmeade, the first man to go sub 20 this season, was second in 20.32 while Mario Forsythe ran 20.37 to edge Marvin Anderson for the last 200m spot on offer.
In the women’s 400m final, Novleve Williams-Millis won in 50.05. Rosemarie Whyte finished second in 50.49 while Shericka Williams secured the final spot for Daegu with 50.81 for third.
Riker Hylton staged a shocker in the men’s 400m after he failed to make the final at the US collegiate meet two weeks ago. Hylton surprised the field to win in 45.30 with Lansford Spence second in 45.46.
Leford Green was third in 45.59, taking the last worlds berth ahead of Jermaine Gonazales, who had the same time.
Indira Spence took the women’s 100m hurdles in 13.08 while Andrew Riley ran 13.36 to upstage Jamaican record holder Dwight Thomas in the men’s 110m hurdles. Thomas finished in 13.38.
