What to know as ex-Cat Abby Steiner gets set to run in World Championships

With her college days now behind her, Abby Steiner will be looking to start the next chapter of her track career with a bang.

The former Southeastern Conference and national champion at Kentucky will be making her world debut in just a few days when Steiner runs the 200-meter race at the 2022 World Athletics Championships in Eugene, Oregon.

The World Athletics Championships begin Friday and run through Sunday, July 24.

Steiner qualified for the 200-meter race at the World Championships thanks to her standout victory in the 200 meters at the U.S. Track and Field Championships in June, which were also held in Eugene.

That same venue was also the site of this year’s NCAA Outdoor Championships, where Steiner won the 200-meter race while setting a college record.

It’s safe to say that Steiner is comfortable with the setup at Hayward Field, and she’ll be hoping to continue her strong form against the best sprinters in the world.

This will also be Steiner’s first event since signing a professional contract with Puma.

Here’s what you need to know as Steiner gets set for another big-time race.

The schedule and the competition

While the World Athletics Championships will run from Friday through July 24, the schedule for the 200-meter race, the only event Steiner will run, is as follows:

▪ Monday, July 18: Heats.

▪ Tuesday, July 19: Semifinals.

▪ Thursday, July 21: Finals.

Steiner is one of three American women set to participate in the 200 meters, along with Tamara Clark and Jenna Prandini.

Steiner owns the second-fastest recorded time in the 200 this year (with a regular-wind reading).

She ran the event in 21.77 seconds on June 26 while winning the American title.

The only woman who has run the 200 meters in a faster time this year is Jamaica’s Shericka Jackson, who ran a 21.55 to win the Jamaican national title, also in June. Jackson is ranked No. 1 on the entry list for the worlds, with Steiner No. 2 among 51 competitors in the event.

Other standout sprinters set to contest the 200 meters at the World Championships include Clark, formerly of Alabama, and Favour Ofili, who represents Nigeria, but battled Steiner this college season while at LSU.

Steiner’s career at UK was defined by record-breaking speed, and having potential success on one of the biggest stages her sport has to offer wouldn’t surprise her college coach.

“The sky’s the limit for where she’s getting ready to go. At the end of the day, if done well, if done right, her name’s going to be up in lights,” UK track and field head coach Lonnie Greene said last month. “I might be at the World Championships crying like a big sissy when she medals.”

Other athletes with Kentucky connections

▪ Christian Coleman (USA) — Volunteer coach at Kentucky, men’s 100 meters.

▪ Sydney McLaughlin (USA) — SEC and national champion at Kentucky, women’s 400-meter hurdles.

▪ Daniel Roberts (USA) — SEC champion at Kentucky, men’s 110-meter hurdles.

▪ Andrew Evans (USA) — SEC champion at Kentucky, men’s discus.

▪ Kendra “Keni” Harrison (USA) — SEC and national champion at Kentucky, women’s 100-meter hurdles.

▪ Jasmine Camacho-Quinn (Puerto Rico) — SEC and national champion at Kentucky, women’s 100-meter hurdles.

▪ Dwight St. Hillaire (Trinidad and Tobago) — SEC champion at Kentucky, men’s 400 meters and 4-by-400 relay.

▪ Megan Moss (Bahamas) — SEC medalist at Kentucky, women’s 4-by-400 and mixed 4-by-400 relays.

▪ Shamier Little (USA) — Louisville native, women’s 400 hurdles.

▪ Gabriela Leon (USA) — NCAA and ACC champion at Louisville, women’s pole vault.

▪ Ahmed Jaziri (Tunisia) — NCAA champion at Eastern Kentucky, men’s 3,000 steeplechase.

World Championships

What: Track and field’s most important showcase outside of the Olympics, staged every other year.

When: Friday through July 24

Where: Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore.

TV: NBC, CNBC, USA

Streaming: Peacock, NBCSports.com, NBC Sports app

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