Camacho-Quinn Wins Hurdles Summit in 12.31, But L.A. Grand Prix Loses Sizzle When Richardson Drops Out Of 100; Maggie Ewen Launches Big Throw; Marileidy Paulino Wins 400 in 48.98

By David Woods for DyeStat

Photos by Crash Kamon

Saturday’s Los Angeles Grand Prix was a gourmet cake in which the chef omitted the icing.

Such is track and field in 2023.

On a day shot putter Ryan Crouser broke his own world record and hurdler Jasmine Camacho-Quinn beat an historically strong field, the women’s 100 meters lost its flavor.

The three fastest women of the first round – Marie-Josee Ta Lou, Sha’Carri Richardson, Aleia Hobbs – all pulled out of the final at UCLA’s Drake Stadium. NBC reported Richardson developed leg cramps. Ta Lou, of Ivory Coast, posted on Twitter she also had leg cramps.

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Previously withdrawing from Los Angeles' first major meet in decades were L.A.-based Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, Athing Mu, Michael Norman, Rai Benjamin, as well as Erriyon Knighton and Kenny Bednarek.

Richardson, who has sought to restore her reputation since a marijuana bust annulled her 2021 Olympic Trials victory, won her first Diamond League race May 5 at Doha in a world-leading 10.76. She has never run in an Olympics or World Championships.

In one prelim with +1.3 wind, Ta Lou won in 10.88 over Hobbs’ 10.95. Richardson won the other in 10.90 (-0.8).

Morolake Akinosun won the final in 10.97, beating Kyra Jefferson, 11.07.

As Camacho-Quinn put it in a TV interview:

“In hurdles, we don’t duck each other. We actually line up when it’s time.”

The 26-year-old Puerto Rican, the reigning Olympic champion, beat a field featuring three former world champions and former world record-holder Keni Harrison. Camacho-Quinn’s time was 12.31.

Previous world leader was Kentucky collegian Masai Russell at 12.36. In L.A., it was a 1-2 finish for the Wildcats because Camacho-Quinn and Harrison (12.35) are former Kentucky hurdlers.

Tia Jones (12.50), Alaysha Johnson (12.52) and Tonea Marshall (12.55) finished 1-2-3. World record-holder Tobi Amusan of Nigeria was never in it and finished last in 12.69.

In other women’s events:

>> Dominican Republic’s Marileidy Paulino won the fastest women’s 400 since the 2021 Olympics, setting a national record of 48.98. She is the Olympic and world silver medalist. Olympic and world champion Shaunae Miller-Uibo of the Bahamas is on maternity break. Bahrain’s Salwa Eid Nasser, coming off a doping suspension, was third in 50.27. Lynna Irby was third in 50.38, her best time since the 2021 Olympic Trials. Coincidentally, Nasser and Irby won gold and silver at the under-18 World Youth Championships back in 2015.

>> Maggie Ewen upset world champion Chase Ealey in the shot put with a distance of 67-1.25 (20.45m), improving her PB by more than three feet. Ewen climbed from No. 12 on the all-time U.S. list to third behind 2016 Olympic champion Michelle Carter and Ealey. Ealey was second at 65-6.75 (19.98m).

>> Diribe Welteji, a 21-year-old Ethiopian, ran the closing 400 in 59.34 for a world-leading 3:57.84 in the 1,500. She had finished second to Kenya’s Faith Kipyegon at Doha. Great Britain’s Kate Snowden was second in 4:00.04 and Josette Andrews third in a PB 4:00.77. Steeplechaser Emma Coburn was fifth in 4:05.35.

>> Jenna Prandini won the 200 in 22.34 over TeeTee Terry’s 22.44. Prandini is in the same Bob Kersee-coached training group with McLaughlin-Levrone and Mu at UCLA. “Formula Kersee is doing great,” Prandini said.  Olympic bronze medalist Gabby Thomas was fourth in 22.88.

In other men’s events:

>> Pole vaulter Mondo Duplantis, in the Swede’s first meet since setting a world record of 20-5 (6.22m) in February, beat longtime rival Sam Kendricks on the countback. Both vaulted 19-4.75 (5.91m), the outdoor world leader and a stadium record.

>> Kenya’s Timothy Cheruiyot, the former world champion, ran the closing 400 in 55.13 to win the 1,500 in 3:31.47, also a world leader. Reynolds Cheruiyot, Kenya’s under-20 world champion, was second in 3:32.01. For Team USA, the story was in third, secured by 20-year-old Hobbs Kessler in a PB 3:32.61 -- fastest time ever run by an American on U.S. soil. (Previous best was 3:32.94 by Bernard Lagat at Carson, Calif., in 2006).  Hobbs overtook defending U.S. champion Cooper Teare, who was fourth in 3:32.74. Matthew Centrowitz, 33, the 2016 Olympic champion, was eighth in 3:36.64 for his best time since a 2021 Olympic semifinal..

>> Ackeem Blake, a 21-year-old Jamaican, surprisingly won the 100 in 9.89. Christian Coleman, minus his usual rocket start, finished third behind Cravont Charleston by one-thousandth of a second, 9.908 to 9.909.

>> In Benjamin’s absence, CJ Allen won the 400 hurdles and lowered his PB to 47.91. Khallifah Rosser was second in 48.60 and world bronze medalist Trevor Bassitt third in 48.62.

>> Off a modest 52.05 first lap, Clayton Murphy won the 800 in 1:44.75, his best time since a Tokyo semifinal. Defending U.S. champ Bryce Hoppel faded to ninth in 1:48.19.

Contact David Woods at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter: @DavidWoods007.