2017 USATF Outdoor Championships
Dates	June 22-25, 2017
Location	Sacramento, Calif. // Hornet Stadium (21,195)
Meet Info	Championship Central | Schedule
Broadcast Schedule	All Days
Track News	USTFCCCA | Track & Field News | John McNichols In Memoriam
Social Media	@IndStTrackField | @SycamoreTrack | @SycamoreTrack

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Former Indiana State NCAA Champion and Olympian Felisha Johnson (shot put) and current Sycamores and recent Second-Team All-Americans Marcus Neely (110-meter hurdles) and David Timlin (1500-meter) will compete at the USA Track & Field Championships this Thursday through Sunday.
 
Unlike two weeks ago, the goal won't necessarily be a national championship, but rather a trip to the IAAF World Championships in London on Aug. 5-13. To qualify, athletes must finish within the top-three in their events and have attained the IAAF entry standard – which Johnson already owns in the shot put at a season-best 18.72m (61-05.00), with the standard being 17.75m (58-03.00).
 
David Timlin will get things started for the Sycamores in the 1500-meter on Thursday at 11:44 p.m. ET and will be followed on Saturday by Marcus Neely at 2:20 p.m. ET and Felisha Johnson at 3:30 p.m. ET.
 
Felisha Johnson | Shot Put
Finals: Sat., June 24, 3:30 p.m. ET
Hometown/ High School: Indianapolis, Ind. / Lawrence North HS
Personal Best: 19.26m (63-02.25)
Season Best: 18.72m (61-05.00)
World Rank: 9th
U.S. Rank: 4th
Quick Facts: 2016 Olympian; Two-time NCAA Champion; 6-time First-Team All-American
 
Johnson is no stranger to high-level competition, having made Team USA for the 2016 Summer Olympic Games in Rio following the most contentious women's shot put final in U.S. Olympic Trials history. Johnson finished third at 19.23m (63-01.25), which briefly took the lead and was just three centimeters off her career-best 19.26m (63-02.25). The final was the first in Trials history to feature seven women over 18 meters, with the three Rio qualifiers all over 19 meters. Johnson went on to finish 14th overall in Rio as the first American-born Sycamore to make Team USA for the Olympics in track & field.
 
During her Sycamore career, Johnson was a two-time NCAA champion in the weight throw indoors and a six-time First-Team All-American. She nearly made it into the 2012 Olympic Trials finals as well, falling one spot shy in 13th.
 
Johnson will enter the championships with a season best mark of 18.72m (61-05.00), which ranks fourth in the U.S. and eighth in the world.
 
2017 U.S. Top-10 (per U.S. Track & Field News):
1. Raven Saunders, Ole Miss – 19.56m (64-02.25)
2. Michelle Carter, Nike – 19.32m (63-04.75)
3. Dani Bunch, Nike – 19.12m (62-08.75)
4. Felisha Johnson, Nike – 18.72m (61-05.00)
5. Monique Riddick, Unattached – 18.60m (61-00.25)
6. Jeneva Stevens, NYAC – 18.54m (60-10.00)
7. Brittany Smith, Nike – 18.48m (60-07.75)
8. Jessica Woodard, Oklahoma – 18.36m (60-03.00)
T9. Maggie Ewen, Arizona State – 18.12m (59-05.50)
T9. Erin Farmer, Arkansas State – 18.12m (59-05.50)
 
Marcus Neely | 110-Meter Hurdles
Prelims: Sat., June 24, 2:20 p.m. ET
Semis: Sun., June 25, 4:04 p.m. ET
Finals: Sun., June 25, 5:53 p.m. ET
Hometown/High School: Indianapolis, Ind. / Ben Davis HS
Overall Personal Best: 13.60 (+2.5)
Overall Season Best: 13.60 (+2.5)
Wind-Legal Personal Best (2.0 or less): 13.66 (+0.9)
Wind-Legal Season Best (2.0 or less): 13.66 (+0.9)
U.S. Rank: 26th
Quick Facts: 2017 Second-Team All-American
 
Senior Second-Team All-American hurdler Marcus Neely will compete for the Sycamores one final time in the 110-meter hurdles this weekend. Neely earned his first-career All-American honor after finishing 10th at the NCAA Outdoor Championships two weeks ago at a wind-aided 13.60 seconds – which would have placed him fourth in the final had he escaped the incredibly fast prelim round.
 
It was a stellar senior season for Neely, winning both the 60-meter hurdles MVC title indoors and the 110-meter hurdles crown outdoors. Neely ranks sixth in Indiana State history in the 60-meter hurdles at 7.82 and fifth in the 110-meter hurdles at 13.60.
 
2017 U.S. Top-10 (per Track & Field News; 2.0 wind or below):
1. Devon Allen, Nike – 13.11
2. Aries Merritt, Nike – 13.13
3. Aleec Harris, Adidas – 13.18
4. Devon Williams, Georgia – 13.37
5. Devon Hill, Unattached – 13.38
6. David Kendziera, Illinois – 13.39
7. David Oliver, Unattached – 13.40
8. Grant Holloway, Florida – 13.41
9. Freddie Crittenden, Syracuse – 13.42
10. Aaron Mallett, Iowa – 13.44
 
David Timlin | 1500-Meter Run
Prelims: Thurs., June 22, 11:44 p.m. ET
Finals: Sat., June 24, 5:41 p.m. ET
Hometown/High School: Chicago, Ill. / Lane Tech High School
Personal Best: 3:39.82
Season Best: 3:39.82
Quick Facts: Three-time Second-Team All-American; 6-time MVC champion; ISU record holder
 
David Timlin, fresh off of his record-breaking performance in Portland of 3:39.82, will compete one final time in Sycamore blue this weekend. Timlin earned Second-Team All-American honors at the NCAA Championships two weeks ago with a 10th-place finish, his third time earning the honor. At the MVC Championships in May he was able to pick-up his third title in the 1500 and fourth outdoor title overall.
 
Timlin will run on Thursday night at 11:44 p.m. ET, four hours after it was originally slated due to the extreme heat the west has been dealing with throughout the week. Temperatures are expected to hit a scorching 107 during the day on Thursday.
 
2017 U.S. Top-10 (per Track & Field News):
1. Matthew Centrowitz, Nike OP – 3:33.41
2. Clayton Murphy, Nike – 3:36.34
3. Ben Blankenship, OTC – 3:36.42
4. Eric Jenkins, Nike OP – 3:36.51
5. Johnny Gregorek, Hoka – 3:36.61
6. Cristian Soratos, Adidas – 3:36.73
T7. Craig Engels, Ole Miss – 3:37.75
T7. Andrew Wheating, Nike – 3:37.75
9. Sam Prakel, Oregon – 3:37.79
10. Kyle Merber, Hoka – 3:37.83
 
For the latest information on the Sycamore Track and Field team, make sure to check out GoSycamores.com. You can also find the team on social media including Facebook and Twitter.