Coleman, Crouse shine at US indoor championships

Sprinter Christian Coleman and shot putter Ryan Crouser nearly set world indoor records Saturday at the USA Track and Field Indoor Championships. Coleman's 6.37-second run in the 60-meter dash was behind his own best mark of 6.34. He has the top four fastest times in the event. “I feel like it was decent but I feel like I could have executed a little better,” he said. “I just wanted to come out here and compete. That’s what it’s all about. The more times you can come out with victories with a stacked field, that builds up your confidence and prepare you for the next level.”

Crouser threw 74-feet, 1¾ -inches, just off Randy Barnes’ 1989 record of 74-4¼. “I was really happy with it and even surprised myself a little bit,” he said. “It’s just my second time throwing hard all year.” Crouser said he worked on a few kinks after the Millrose Games a week ago. “I’ve been working on what I need to fix and I felt like I did a good job of it,” he said. “I still have stuff to work on."

Distance runner Shelby Houlihan completed another sweep of the long races with a 1,500-meter win. Houlihan kicked it into gear down the last 100 meters of the 1,500-meter run to finish in 4 minutes, 6.41 seconds. On Friday she won the 3,000, giving 13 national championships and marking the fifth time she has swept both events in the same meet.

“The goal is always to come here and try and win," Houlihan said. “I just keep trying to get better. I’ve always wanted, ever since I was five, to go to the Olympics. And win a gold medal and set world records. That’s what has always been motivated me in my head throughout my life. And this is part of the process.”

Another longtime champion was dethroned as Sandi Morris cleared 16-3/4 in the pole vault, knocking off 17-time national winner Jenn Suhr. “It is always exciting to compete against Jenn,” Morris said. “We really do push one another. We put the pressure on one another. Who knows, I don’t think either one of us would have jumped that high if the other person wasn’t here."