Jefferson-Wooden goes back-to-back in women's 200m
Melissa Jefferson-Wooden's season's best of 21.69 seconds yielded her second straight women's 200m title at the USATF Outdoor National Championships.
Video Transcript
Time for the start for Women's 200 Meter Final.
And it features none other than the world number one in 100 and 200, Melissa Jefferson-Wooden.
When she swept the 100, 200 at the World Championships, she became the second woman ever to do that, and the first American.
I couldn't believe that stat, because there have been so many great Americans that have attempted that double.
She left with three gold medals.
She's been so dominant the last season and this season.
She didn't run the 100 here, so I think she's gonna come out here and wanna send a message.
We saw Julien Alfred run 21.51.
What does she have in the tank, Ato?
Yeah, her last loss was the Olympic final.
Here's Cambria Sturgis, training with the 200 meter Olympic champion, Gabby Thomas.
This is only her second ever national outdoor final, and she is likely to be closest to Meless- Melissa Jefferson-Wooden, with her 21.93 personal best back in April.
This is Cameron Dixon.
She's coming off of her senior season at Texas A&M.
She was third at the NCAAs.
She represented Team USA at the 2023 Pan Ams under 20, where she won a bronze in the 100, and took home gold as part of the four by one relay.
Big moment for her, too.
It's her first nationals.
She made her debut with On yesterday.
Her career's beginning very strongly.
The world lead by the Olympic 100 meter champion from Saint Lucia, Julien Alfred, 21.51, Sanya, making her the third-fastest ever behind Sherica Jackson and Flo-Jo.
It was a very strategic semifinal put together by Melissa Jefferson-Wooden.
She- Oh, she's gonna run fast here.
She only did what she had to, but now we're gonna see her at full speed.
Set.
Set for Women's 200 Meter Final.
She has 10.63 speed, and nobody else in the field has that, and that's why the world champion has completely obliterated this field so far.
My goodness, look at Melissa Jefferson-Wooden come off the turn and run away from this field.
The world number one, streaking to the line, 21.69, and it's a back-to-back national championship in the 200 for Melissa.
And a new stadium record.
Number three in the world this year.
Melissa Jefferson-Wooden, defending her title in style.
Love it.
Stadium record, number three in the world this year.
Let's have a look at the Gold Medal Moment, presented by Xfinity.
So not only is this the fastest time run by an American woman this year, her personal best is 21.68, so it's not too far off of her personal best at all.
Melissa Jefferson-Wooden, world, is right back to her best.
Maybe this is a response to what we saw from Julien Alfred.
She knows, hey, 21-six isn't getting it done.
Gotta get down to 21.5.
Listen, she's a woman on a mission.
Something has changed about her.
Her level of confidence when she steps on the track shows every single time.
She handled the turn like it was a straightaway, came off and looked like she was going to be on her way to a potential world lead, I think with the right competition.
And when she links up with Julien Alfred, it is going to be fireworks.
I cannot wait.
You remember me saying yesterday, if you asked me to pick right now, who would I put on that podium in two years?
Yep.
It would be her.
She has This is She has only ros- lost two races since getting the bronze in Paris.
Two.
Congrats to Cambria Sturgis and Cameron Dixon, getting on the podium.
But how about that, Lewis?
Back-to-back national titles, and almost a personal best for Melissa Jefferson-Wooden.
Just a razor's edge away from that personal best.
She just let out a yell, saying, "I'm tired."
You put it together this weekend.
Tell me about this national championship, again, over 200 meters.
It was that simple, putting it together.
Looking at all my races this year, every, every race I come out to, it's a different goal of mine, which is to build upon where I'm trying to go.
Yeah.
Today, I'm happy.
You should be.
When you lay a d- a time li- down like this, you know that it's not just this meet, but you have the Julien Alfreds of the world, and others, that you'll face later in the season.
Right.
How important is it to let them know, from wherever they are in the world, that you are still here?
It's important, but I feel like with the women's sprints today, it's like that every single time- Yeah, yeah we line up.
So, you know, I've watched their races, they watch mine, and this last part of the year is gonna be interesting to see.
Oh, we can't wait.
Congratulations, Melissa.
Thank you
