The U.S. Track and Field Olympic Trials have long claimed the title of world’s most difficult competition.

“It doesn't matter who you are,” said Ato Boldon, NBC Olympics broadcast analyst and four-time Olympic medalist. “You’re guaranteed drama. It's the toughest team in the world to make. And it’s unlike any other Olympic team on Earth.”

In fact, as many of the nation’s top stars can attest, the U.S. Trials are often more competitive than Olympic finals later in the summer.

This year’s Trials will be held from June 21 to 30 at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon, featuring eight days of competition, with all finals airing live on NBC in primetime and all competition streaming on Peacock, NBCOlympics.com, NBC.com and the NBC/NBC Sports apps. The complete schedule, including TV listings, for the U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials, can also be found on the NBCOlympics.com schedule page.

MEN’S 10,000m FINAL

The men’s 10,000m runners will be the first athletes to punch their ticket to Paris, as they kick off the first day of finals. The competition for the three spots will be tight. Grant Fisher placed fourth at the 2022 World Championships in the 10,000m but was kept out of the 2023 World Championships due to a hip injury. At Trials, Fisher is looking to run the 5,000m-10,000m double, and if he makes it in the 10,000m, will look to be the first American Olympic medalist in the event since Galen Rupp in 2012.

Also in contention for the 10,000m are Woody Kincaid, Nico Young and Paul Chelimo. Kincaid currently holds the highest ranking from World Athletics in the 10,000m of any of the American runners, sitting at 11th in the world, and used to train with Fisher at Bowerman Track Club. Fisher and Kincaid, along with Young, are the only Americans to make the 10,000m Olympic standard as of June 5, though two-time Olympic 5,000m medalist Chelimo is projected to be in contention for a spot on the team. If Chelimo does make the team, he will have until June 30 to reach the standard, or else his spot will be conditional on his world ranking.

WOMEN’S TRIPLE JUMP FINAL

With three athletes in the top 15 of the World Athletics rankings, first place in the women’s triple jump will be a close call. World No. 9 Keturah Orji led the way in qualifying with a distance of 14.5m, followed closely behind by 2022 world bronze medalist Tori Franklin at 14.44m and Jasmine Moore at 14.43m. With half a meter on the next closest competitors, the powerhouse trio will all look to lock in their spots on the U.S. team and make a large impact in Paris.

MEN’S SHOT PUT FINAL

The United States has dominated men’s shot put since it became an Olympic sport in 1896, collecting 19 gold medals, outnumbering the next-closest nation (Poland) by 16 medals. Two-time gold medalist Ryan Crouser will look to make Olympic shot put history in Paris as the first athlete, male or female, to win three consecutive gold medals in the event. The Oregon native holds two of the top four world records and is one of just four men to hold two gold medals in Olympic shot put. However, a series of setbacks so far in 2024 will leave Crouser’s condition at Trials an important unknown. The only other athlete to make a mark over 23.0m, two-time Olympic silver medalist Joe Kovacs, will be looking to unseat Crouser as the United States’ top threat. 

DECATHLON

The U.S. has dominated the decathlon, and athletes will look to secure a place in Paris to bring the gold back to the U.S. as the event wraps up with its final five events on Day 2. Frontrunners Harrison Williams (ranked eighth in the world) and Kyle Garland (12th) enter Trials neck-and-neck with a mark of 8,630 each, followed by Zach Ziemek in third with a mark of 8,508. 

WOMEN’S 100M FINAL

A perennial high-profile event, all eyes will be on Sha’Carri Richardson as the women’s 100m sprint finals take place on Day 2. Richardson, who was expected to be a medal contender in 2021, will look to punch her ticket to Paris to make her long-awaited Olympic debut. The reigning 2023 World Champion, known for her bold style and captivating presence, is the woman to beat in the 100m. With eight other athletes sub-11 seconds heading into Trials, including Aleia Hobbs, Tamari Davis, and Melissa Jefferson, competition will be fierce for the three spots on Team USA.

Women’s HAMMER FINAL

The U.S. has dominated the women’s hammer competition since 2019, taking five of a possible nine medals at world championships. Brooke Andersen won at 2022 Worlds, and DeAnna Price is the 2019 world champion. Adding to that punch is two-time world medalist Janee’ Kassanavoid. Those three headline the field for the women’s hammer final in Eugene.

The best finish for the U.S. since women’s hammer’s first Olympics in 2000 was sixth place (Amber Campbell, 2016), so the top-three finishers in Eugene will look to make history in Paris.

MEN’S POLE VAULT FINAL

Tokyo Olympic silver medalist Chris Nilsen, U.S. record holder KC Lightfoot and two-time world champion Sam Kendricks highlight the competition at Trials in the men’s pole vault. While Sweden’s Mondo Duplantis continues to set world records and shape up as the gold-medal favorite in Paris, these three will jostle to earn the right to challenge him at the Games. Adding to the intrigue is the friendship between these competitors — Kendricks and Lightfoot were both groomsmen for Nilsen’s wedding last year.

MEN’S JAVELIN FINAL

Curtis Thompson is the only U.S. javelin athlete from the Tokyo Games who has qualified for this year’s Trials, as well. Thompson made his Olympic debut in Tokyo, placing 21st, and hopes to earn his second spot on a U.S. Olympic squad. He most recently placed 30th at the 2023 World Championships in the men’s javelin event.

Jordan Davis, Donavon Banks, Marc Anthony Minichiello and Mike Stein round out the other top qualifiers in the field.

WOMEN’S 400m FINAL

Gabby Thomas, who earned two medals at the Tokyo Games, has declared for both the 200m and 400m events at Trials. If Thomas performs well in the 400m, she could make her case to join the 4x400m relay team in Paris.

She’ll race against other Paris Olympic hopefuls like Shamier Little, Alexis Holmes, Kaylyn Brown and Talitha Diggs. Little is the reigning world silver medalist in the 400m hurdles but also has declared for the 400m flat at Trials.

MEN’S STEEPLECHASE FINAL

Kenyan-born Hillary Bor finished second at the 2016 U.S. Trials and made his return to the Olympics in Tokyo. He’ll join a field stocked with top talent, such as 24-year-old BYU alum Kenneth Rooks, who finished 10th at 2023 Worlds, Benard Keter, who placed 11th in the event at the Tokyo Olympics, and four-time NCAA Champion Anthony Rotich of UTEP.

MEN’S 100m FINAL

Noah Lyles headlines a loaded men’s 100m field that also includes Fred Kerley and Christian Coleman. 

Lyles is the reigning 100m world champion, while Kerley won the 100m at 2022 Worlds and Coleman did so in 2019.

Christian Miller, who qualified with a time of 9.93 seconds, ranking second behind Lyles and Coleman, will challenge this field of veterans — just 18 years old, Miller set the U.S. high school record this season and could earn a spot on his first Olympic team. The battle between three former 100m world champions and a teenage phenom in Miller will highlight the day.

WOMEN’S HIGH JUMP FINAL

Vashti Cunningham, the 2019 world bronze medalist, highlights the high jump field — she has won 13 U.S. high jump titles since setting a national high school record nine years ago. Cunningham placed sixth at the Tokyo Games and will look to make her third Olympic team.

Rachel Glenn from the University of Arkansas, Jenna Rogers of Nebraska and Emma Gates of Arizona will all compete with Cunningham for spots.

MEN’S LONG JUMP FINAL

JuVaughn Harrison, Marquis Dendy and Steffin McCarter all competed in this event at the Tokyo Games and figure as favorites at U.S. Trials.

Harrison finished fifth in the long jump in Tokyo, where he became the first American man since Jim Thorpe in 1912 to compete in both the high jump and long jump at an Olympic Games.

Dendy, meanwhile, won the 2023 U.S. title with a jump of 8.14m.

MEN’S 1500m FINAL

Yared Nuguse has enjoyed a stellar run of success as of late, winning the 2023 U.S. 1500m title and placing fifth at 2023 Worlds. He’ll race against a deep field that includes 21-year-old Hobbs Kessler, who earned bronze at 2024 World Indoors, and Cole Hocker, the Tokyo Trials champion.

MEN’S 400m FINAL

Michael Norman won the 2022 world title in the 400m and returns to his best distance after briefly shifting to the 100m last season. Norman called his fifth-place finish at the Tokyo Olympics “devastating” and will look to earn a spot in Paris against the likes of Vernon Norwood and Bryce Deadmon.

WOMEN’S 5000m FINAL

Elle St. Pierre has declared for Trials in both the 1500m and 5000m events after a sensational year that included the birth of her son, Ivan, on March 4, 2023. St. Pierre won the gold medal in the 3000m at 2024 World Indoors with a U.S. record. She also broke her own U.S. record in the Wanamaker Mile at the Millrose Games in February.

St. Pierre’s top competition includes Parker Valby, Elise Cranny and Weini Kelati.

WOMEN’S 800m FINAL

After an injury-riddled year, Athing Mu will aim to begin her Olympic gold medal defense in her signature event at Trials. Mu became the first American woman to win Olympic gold in the 800m since Madeline Manning Mims in 1968 and has since set the U.S. record with a time of 1 minute, 54.97 seconds.

But hamstring soreness has marred Mu’s 2024 sason, which may mean a chance for competitors like Ajee’ Wilson, Raevyn Rogers, Nia Akins, Allie Wilson and Sage Hurta-Klecker.

HEPTATHLON

NBC Olympics analyst Trey Hardee knows a superstar when he sees one.

“Anna Hall is a superstar,” Hardee said. “Anna Hall is fantastic. She carries herself well. She's well-spoken. She's tough as nails, and that's the kind of thing the American public is endeared to.

Harkening back to Bruce Jenner running for the world record the way he did it, that's how Anna Hall's going to do it. She runs the heck out of the 800m, and she's figuring out some of the events in the middle. The women's heptathlon is strong right now, so she's up against it, but we need a superstar — like a superstar — and I think she can do it.”

Hall is expected to dominate this event, which wraps up with the 800m. A knee procedure has limited Hall’s season, but she is widely expected to return to the Olympics, where she has the chance to become just the third American woman to win an Olympic medal in heptathlon, joining Hyleas Fountain and the legendary Jackie Joyner-Kersee.

Michelle Atherley and Chari Hawkins will join Hall as headliners in Eugene.

WOMEN’S DISCUS FINAL

Valarie Allman and Laulauga Tausaga-Collins go head-to-head in a battle of champions — Allman, the reigning Olympic gold medalist, and Tausaga-Collins, the defending world champion.

With a world-leading qualifying distance of 70.47m, Allman heads into the Trials hoping to earn a chance to defend the title she earned in Tokyo, her first Olympic Games, but it won’t be easy. Though Tausaga-Collins 69.46m fell second to Allman’s, Tausaga-Collins did top Allman in the 2023 World Championships, besting Allman’s second-place tally by less than half a meter — a personal-best 69.49, — and becoming the first U.S.-born woman to win a world title in discus. 

Also competing for an Olympic berth is 2024 NCAA Division I discus champion Veronica Fraley and 2024 NCAA Division I silver medalist Jayden Ulrich. After a 10th-place finish at the Tokyo Olympic Trials, Fraley is back for another chance to make her Olympic debut. Ulrich, on the other hand, caps off a record-breaking season at the University of Louisville by competing in her first Olympic Trials.

WOMEN’S STEEPLECHASE FINAL

The top-two U.S. athletes in the women’s steeplechase are missing from this year’s Olympic Trials due to injury: Emma Coburn, a member of every world and Olympic team between 2015 and 2023, broke her ankle in April, and Tokyo silver medalist Courtney Frerichs underwent a season-ending knee surgery in May. So, the women’s steeplechase competition in Paris is guaranteed to look much different than in recent years.

Likely the top U.S. names to watch will be Courtney Wayment, who placed 15th at the 2023 World Championships — the only U.S. woman to place in the event — and Krissy Gear, the 2023 U.S. Champion who finished the race a second and a half ahead of Wayment. 

MEN’S 110M HURDLES FINAL

Three-time reigning world champion Grant Holloway tops a stacked U.S. lineup full of familiar faces. Following his silver medal-earning performance in Tokyo, Holloway, the second-fastest to ever compete in the event (12.81 seconds), is joined in his quest for a spot on the Olympic team by 2023 world bronze medalist and three-time U.S. champion Daniel Roberts, and Cordell Tinch, whose qualifying time of 13.04 seconds fell just .01-seconds behind Roberts,

Trey Cunningham, 2024 U.S. indoor 60m hurdles champion, and Freddie Crittenden, who finished 4th just .07-seconds behind Roberts at 2023 Worlds, will also make appearances in Eugene.

MEN'S AND WOMEN'S 20KM RACE WALKS

Nick Christie is the lone reigning Olympian to declare for the men’s event at Trials — he placed 50th in Tokyo. Other top qualifiers in the men’s race include Jordan Crawford, Emmanuel Corvera and John Risch.

In the women’s race, Tokyo Olympian Robyn Stevens headlines the field after finishing 33rd at those Olympics. Miranda Melville, Stephanie Casey and Katie Burnett are other top qualifiers.

MEN’S DISCUS FINAL

Tokyo Olympians Sam Mattis and Reggie Jagers III top the men’s discus field at Trials. Mattis finished eighth in Tokyo, while Jagers III failed to reach the final. Other names to watch here include Andrew Evans and Joseph Brown.

Women’s LONG JUMP FINAL

The women’s long jump will feature many eyes on 2023 world silver medalist Tara Davis-Woodhall. Davis-Woodhall followed up that world silver with a 2024 world indoor title and is considered a gold-medal contender for the Paris Games.

“When I sit down and focus, no one’s home,” Davis-Woodhall said earlier this year. “I’m not that type of an athlete. I need to be all over the place cheering my teammates on – that’s how I’ve always been in this sport, it’s the way to keep me energized and keep me going.”

She’ll contend with Jasmine Moore, Quanesha Burks and Monae’ Nichols, among others.

WOMEN’S 200m FINAL

In an attempt to earn a spot in her second Olympic competition and improve upon her bronze finish in Tokyo, Gabby Thomas will race alongside Sha’Carri Richardson, with whom she earned a gold medal in the 4x100m relay at 2023 Worlds. Thomas, ranked second internationally, historically has excelled in the 200m race and should continue to do so in Paris. Richardson’s strong suit is the 100m —  a gold in the event at Worlds solidified her position as the fastest woman ahead of Paris — but she’s proven to be capable of much more, earning a sixth-place ranking in the 200m globally.

WOMEN’S SHOT PUT FINAL

Chase Jackson, the only American woman to earn world medals in the event, will look to expand her legacy as only the third U.S.-born woman in recent years to nab an Olympic title. The first two were Michelle Carter in 2016 (gold) and Raven Saunders in 2020 (silver). Jackson proved herself fit for the task at the 2023 Prefontaine Classic, where she broke Carter’s American record with a world-leading score of 20.76m.

Saunders also qualified for the Trials, four spots behind Jackson. 

WOMEN’S 10,000m FINAL

Though she’s ranked just 17th globally, Weini Kelati led American competitors in the qualifiers, finishing with a time of 30:33.82, almost 15 seconds ahead of second-place finisher Elena Henes, who competes primarily in the 5,000m. Both will look for a chance to earn their first medal on the international stage.

Joining Kelati and Henes is Parker Valby, a six-time NCAA champion and the NCAA record-holder in the outdoor 10,000m (30:50.43), as well as both the indoor and outdoor 5,000m. 

MEN’S 200m FINAL

Noah Lyles sits atop a long list of talented athletes vying for a chance to overthrow Canadian and Tokyo gold medalist Andre de Grasse. In the last three years, Lyles has surged to the top of the track and field pyramid, claiming the American record (19.31 seconds) and becoming a two-time world champion in the event (three if you count his 2019 win).

Also in contention are Kenny Bednarek, who earned silver in Tokyo and placed second behind Lyles to qualify for the trials, and Erriyon Knighton, who made the Tokyo 200m final as just a 17-year-old.

WOMEN’S POLE VAULT FINAL

Reigning Olympic champion Katie Moon will look to lock in her spot in Paris to defend her gold in the women’s pole vault. Moon currently holds the top ranking in the world and is the reigning World Champion, having won gold at the 2023 World Championships in Budapest to match her Olympic gold. In Paris, she will look to become the second women’s pole vaulter to win back-to-back gold medals at the Olympics since the sport's debut in 2000. Sandi Morris and Bridget Williams, both in the world’s top 10, both qualifying within 0.1-meters of Moon, will be chasing her down to secure their spots on Team USA.