Remember when Jamaica had track & field in a chokehold? Like, if Usain Bolt was on the start line, you already knew how it was going to end. Gold. World record. Mic drop. That era was different. But once Bolt called it a day, the throne didn’t stay empty for long. The Americans slid right in and said, ‘We’ll take it from here.’ Fast forward to Paris 2024—absolute USA domination. They walked away with 34 medals (14 golds!), flexing hard while Jamaica, missing legends like Elaine Thompson-Herah, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, and Shericka Jackson (all out with injuries), could only manage 6 medals. For a country that breathes sprinting, that was a gut punch. But hold up, here’s where it gets juicy.

May 16, 2025, Doha Diamond League. All the big names lined up: Kyree King, Kenny Bednarek, Courtney Lindsey, and more champs were ready to cook. Everyone’s thinking, ‘Yup, USA’s about to run this again.’ Spoiler alert: they didn’t. On foreign soil, Team USA got humbled. Badly. They barely touched the podium. And they only took home 1 gold medal win. Just One. From running the show in Paris to struggling in Doha? Wild. So, what exactly happened?

Tebogo cruises to 200m Gold as Lindsey comes up just short

Olympic champ Letsile Tebogo took the men’s 200m crown at the Doha Diamond League, cruising to victory in 20.10 seconds. He even slowed down near the finish line to steal a glance at USA’s Courtney Lindsey, who was hot on his heels and finished just behind in 20.11! South Africa’s Shaun Maswanganyi ended up seventh.

Rounding out the podium was Liberia’s Joseph Fahnbulleh, who grabbed third with a solid 20.26. Lindsey’s near-win keeps the American sprint scene buzzing, proving he’s right there with the best. Tebogo might have taken the gold, but Lindsey’s performance was a clear statement that the U.S. is still in the mix, at least in the 200m event in track & field.

Americans battle hard in the 5000m, but Cheruiyot takes the win

In the men’s 5000m track & field final at the Doha Diamond League, Kenya’s Reynold Cheruiyot claimed victory with a personal best of 13:16.40, edging out Switzerland’s Dominic Lokinyomo Lobalu (13:17.70) and Bahrain’s Birhanu Balew (13:17.70), who both crossed in the same time in a thrilling sprint finish.

Ethiopia’s Samuel Tefera (13:18.63) and Kenya’s Edwin Kurgat (13:19.32) followed closely, while Cornelius Kemboi clocked 13:20.43 to take sixth. American distance runner Cooper Teare finished 12th with a time of 12:57.97. Other notable names included Germany’s Mohamed Abdilaahi and India’s Gulveer Singh, the latter posting 13:59.77. Though no one approached Grant Fisher’s world-leading 12:44.09.

Jamal Britt leads American track and field with solid silver

In the men’s 110m hurdles track & field final at the Doha Diamond League on May 16, 2025, two American hurdlers were in action—Jamal Britt and Daniel Roberts. Among them, Jamal Britt led the U.S. contingent with a strong performance, finishing second in 13.25 seconds, just behind Jamaica’s Rasheed Broadbell, who won with a season-best 13.14. Spain’s Enrique Llopis rounded out the podium in third at 13.27, also a season best.

The race featured tight margins and solid performances across the board, including from Spain’s Asier Martínez (13.42) in fourth and Italy’s Lorenzo Simonelli (13.44) in fifth. Qatar’s Oumar Douadi Abakar earned a national record with his 13.46 for sixth place, while American Daniel Roberts, despite being a strong contender, faded to seventh in 13.49. Kuwait’s Yaqoub Alyouha wrapped up the field in 14.26. While none could challenge Cordell Tinch’s world lead of 12.87.

Bruce Hoppel runs season best but just misses out as Botswana’s Masalela edges to win

In the men’s 800m track & field final, one American athlete, Bruce Hoppel, represented the United States and delivered a convincing performance. Hoppel ran a season-best 1:43.26, finishing second, just behind Tshepiso Masalela of Botswana, who surged to victory with a world-leading time of 1:43.11. Kenya’s Wyclife Kinyamal secured third place in 1:43.37, while Algeria’s Slimane Moula followed in fourth with 1:43.55.

The race was highly competitive, with five runners clocking sub-1:45 times. Host nation Qatar had two entrants—Ibrahim Abass Chouit finished fifth with a personal best of 1:44.08, while Hatim Ait Oulghazi ended ninth. The pace was relentless, and although Hoppel could not match Masalela’s late kick, his result showed he is rounding into top form for the season. Polish runner Patryk Sieradzki did not finish the race.

Americans’ track and field keep pushing but miss the podium in the 400m Hurdles

In the men’s 400m hurdles final, one American athlete, CJ Allen, represented the United States. Allen clocked 48.71 to finish in fifth place, falling slightly short of his personal best of 47.58. The race was a tightly contested affair, with Turkey’s Ismail Nezir taking the top spot in 48.72, followed closely by Matic Ian Gucek of Slovenia and Alessandro Sibilio of Italy.

The top six athletes all finished within less than a second of each other. While Allen couldn’t reach the podium, he remained consistent and collected eight qualification points, which could prove important as the season progresses.

Team USA track and field grabs just one gold

In the men’s high jump final, two American athletes competed: Shelby McEwen and Vernon Turner. Both delivered solid performances, with McEwen emerging as the event winner. Shelby McEwen cleared 2.26m, a season’s best, securing 1st place. While Vernon Turner cleared 2.20m, earning him 5th place, he tied with Jamaica’s Romaine Beckford. Though he couldn’t improve further, it was a respectable performance.

The event featured a tightly packed field, with Japan’s Ryoichi Akamatsu and New Zealand’s Hamish Kerr both clearing 2.23m to tie for 2nd. Several jumpers, including three Italians and a Jamaican, were clustered at 2.15m, highlighting how competitive the field was. Notably, Mutaz Essa Barshim of Qatar—one of the sport’s biggest names—did not start (DNS), disappointing the home crowd.

Overall, it was a strong showing for Team USA, with McEwen leading the pack and Turner holding his own in a world-class field. It was a decent day, sure, but seeing how things played out before the 2025 World Championships in September, Team USA just got a serious reality check. Only one American athlete took gold in track and field this time. That’s a wake-up call.

If the goal is to dominate, they’ll need to level up fast. The talent’s there, but the results are a loud reminder: it’s time to get to work.