Returning champions headline Toyota USATF Indoor Championships

ALBUQUERQUE – 21 athletes who won Toyota USATF Indoors titles last year will return to defend their crowns Friday and Saturday at the 2020 Toyota USATF Indoor Championships at the Albuquerque Convention Center. There will be 12 champions from 2018, the last time the Championships were held in Albuquerque.
 
Fans can watch competition on NBCSN on Friday from 9:30pm - 11:00 ET, and NBC on Saturday from 4:00pm - 6:00pm ET. All competition, including nonstop field event coverage, will be available on NBC Sports Gold.
 
Two years ago, Christian Coleman stunned the crowd with a marvelous world record in the men’s 60m, dashing 6.34 to clip .05 off the existing record. Coleman won World Outdoor 100m gold last October in Doha and will be opening his indoor season here against last year’s winner, Demek Kemp. Kemp has the fastest time in the world this year at 6.50.
 
Fresh off American record performances at the NYRR Millrose Games in New York City last weekend, Ajee’ Wilson and Elle Purrier will toe the line against strong fields in the women’s 800m and 1,500m, respectively. Wilson won the 1,000m at Staten Island last year and was the 800m champ in ’18. She clocked 1:58.29 at Millrose to break her own AR. Purrier shattered the national record in the mile with a 4:16.85, the second-fastest time in world history indoors, passing 1,500m in 4:00.20. Reigning mile champion Colleen Quigley will make her ’20 debut in the metric version of that event, and ’18 winner Shelby Houlihan will also be a strong contender after running 4:23.68 two weeks ago.
 
Houlihan won a distance double in 2018, also capturing gold in the 3,000m, and she will attempt that feat again. Former New Mexico standout Courtney Frerichs, the American record-holder in the steeplechase, will offer stiff competition along with Purrier, Quigley and Karissa Schweizer. Another 2018 doubler, Paul Chelimo, tops the men’s 3,000m entrants after winning the Camel City Classic last weekend, and the two-time Olympic and World medalist at 5,000m will face Willy Fink, a 7:44 performer who was an upset winner of the mile at the Camel City meet. Defending mile champion Craig Engels squares off against Olympic 800m bronze medalist and reigning 1,000m champ Clayton Murphy, with World Championships fourth-placer Bryce Hoppel, last year’s NCAA indoor and outdoor champion, leading 800m entrants with a 1:45.70.
 
Vashti Cunningham has won four straight women’s high jump titles, including two in Albuquerque, and the past two men’s champions, Jeron Robinson and Erik Kynard, are also entered. Men’s pole vault defending champion Andrew Irwin is one of three athletes who have cleared 5.80m/19-0.25 this year, and the women’s vault features world indoor record holder Jenn Suhr, who set that mark here seven years ago, and 2019 World Championships silver medalist Sandi Morris, the world leader in 2020 with her 4.91m/16-1.25 clearance at Millrose.
 
Owner of the longest throw in the world this year at 22.19m/72-9.75, 2016 Olympic gold medalist Ryan Crouser is favored in the men’s shot put, but the women’s shot put is loaded. Eight women who have thrown 18m/59-0.75 in 2020 will step into the ring. Among the favorites is Chase Ealey, the defending champion and seventh at the Worlds last fall, and Maggie Ewen, who was fourth at Doha. American record-holder Michelle Carter, the 2016 Olympic champion and World Indoors gold medalist, opens her season here.
 
Both weight throws have the world leaders and defending champions entered. Janeah Stewart moved to No. 3 on the all-time U.S. list with her 25.08m/82-3.5 blast in December, while Daniel Haugh climbed to No. 5 on the men’s all-time U.S. list last weekend with a 24.70m/81-0.5 toss.
 
With 12 national indoor titles between them in the racewalk, Maria Michta-Coffey and Nick Christie are among the most decorated athletes at the meet. Michta-Coffey won nine straight women’s golds, including seven in Albuquerque, from 2010-18, and Christie has won the last three men’s titles. Recent 50K national championship winner Robyn Stevens, American 50K record-holder Katie Burnett and defending indoor champ Miranda Melville will make for an interesting quartet with Michta-Coffey. Christie will be challenged by U.S. Olympic Trials Team – Men’s 50 km Race Walk winner Andreas Gustafsson.
 
America’s top two women’s triple jumpers ever go head-to-head, with a national record entirely possible. Keturah Orji won last year with a 14.55m/47-9 effort, and Tori Franklin holds both indoor and outdoor American records along with the best jump in the U.S. this year.
 
Last but certainly not least, teenage phenom Athing Mu will return to Toyota USATF Indoors after last year’s record-breaking 600m. The now 17-year-old set an American record of 1:23:57 back at Ocean Breeze Athletic Complex.  
 
Fans can find the full competition schedule here, along with a current status of entries. Live results can be found at results.usatf.org/.
 
Follow along on social media using the hashtag #ToyotaUSATFIndoors via USATF’s accounts on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat.