Track and field championship highlights: Vashti Cunningham leaps for gold, Melissa Jefferson-Wooden makes statement in 100

Track and field championship highlights: Vashti Cunningham leaps for gold, Melissa Jefferson-Wooden makes statement in 100

EUGENE, Ore. —Vashti Cunninghamleaped her way to another U.S. title. Cunningham cleared the bar at 6 feet, 5 ½ inches to win the women's high jump at the U.S. track and field championships. It's her season-best mark. It's Cunningham's seventh national title. The win earned the 27-year-old jumper a trip to next month's world championships in Tokyo, Japan. Sha'Carri Richardson arrested in alleged domestic violence incident, police say Cunningham told reporters Friday's victory boosted her confidence ahead of the world championships. "I don't think I've ever been so happy about a win in my life," Cunningham said after the win. "I've had a rough season and it's just been long. When you don't know what it's gonna look like at the end, you're just going through it day by day. Feels so long and so exhausting. You're wondering, like, 'Was I just good for a moment?' But today, God really showed up for me. I think (the win) has re-sparked my confidence." Cunningham's father, Randall,was an NFL quarterback for 16 seasons. USA TODAY Sports is on the ground in Eugene and has the highlights from Day 2 at Hayward Field: Bednarek ran a personal-best 9.79 to win his first national championship in what was a competitive 100. Bednarek got a good start, created just enough separation around the 80-meter mark and crossed the finish line in first place. Remarkably, Bednarek told reporters he started feeling cramps in both his calves roughly 50 meters into the race, but was able to withstand the slight discomfort. "I knew I was capable of running that time," Bednarek said. "Having a cramp in the middle (of the race) and not being able to push the way I wanted to toward the end, I know I have something way faster than that." Courtney Lindsey took second with a time of 9.82 and T'Mars McCallum placed third, clocking in at 9.83. Bednarek, Lindsey and McCallum all recorded personal bests in the event as they qualified for the world championships. "It's about damn time," Bednarek said after winning his first national championship. "I always knew I had the capability of doing it but I just had to believe in myself. This year I feel like I started living up to my expectations." Noah Lyles scratched from the 100 competition. Lyles ran a 10.05 to win his preliminary heat in the men's 100 on Thursday but elected not to compete on Friday. Lyles already qualified for the 100 at the world championships by virtue of being the defending champion. There was no doubt who the winner was in the women's 100. Jefferson-Wooden led from start to finish in what was a convincing victory, running a personal-best and world-leading time of 10.65. It's tied for the fifth fastest time in the history of the event. "Amazing," Jefferson-Wooden said following the win. "I've been dreaming of days like this, and it's finally starting to come true. Right now the sky is the limit. I just got to keep working toward bigger and better things." Kayla White (10.84) and Aleia Hobbs (10.92) rounded out the top three. Most of the news came before the women's 100 final. Sha'Carri Richardson withdrew from the 100 at the U.S. championships on Friday. Richardson wasarrested earlier this week for an alleged domestic violence incident. The sprinter does have a bye into this year's world championships in the 100 as the reigning champion. The 25-year-old sprinter has elected to run in Sunday's 200, according to USA track and field. McLaughlin-Levrone left the other sprinters behind her in the preliminary round of the women's 400. McLaughlin-Levrone raced to an early lead and cruised the final 150 meters. She crossed the finish line with a time of 49.59. She has the fastest time entering the semifinals. McLaughlin-Levrone is the 400-meter hurdles world-record holder and two-time Olympic champion in the event, but decided to run the open 400 this season. The teenage phenom raced to a fourth-place finish in the opening round of the men's 400. Wilson had a late surge but was unable to pass the three runners ahead of him. Wilson's time of 45.39 wasn't good enough to qualify for the next round. Wilson made head waves last year for earning a spot on the U.S. Olympic team. The 17-year-old owns the under-18 400 world record with a time of 44.10. Follow USA TODAY Sports' Tyler Dragon on X@TheTylerDragon. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Vashti Cunningham leaps for gold, Melissa Jefferson-Wooden makes statement in 100

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August 01, 2025

Track and field championship highlights: Vashti Cunningham leaps for gold, Melissa Jefferson-Wooden makes statement in 100

Track and field championship highlights: Vashti Cunningham leaps for gold, Melissa Jefferson-Wooden makes statement in 100 EUGENE, Ore. —Vas...

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Cincinnati Bengals and Hamilton County finalize new lease, $470M deal to renovate Paycor Stadium

Cincinnati Bengals and Hamilton County finalize new lease, $470M deal to renovate Paycor Stadium

TheCincinnati Bengalsand Hamilton County finalized a new 11-year lease on Friday that includes $470 million in renovations to Paycor Stadium. Hamilton County commissioners approved a version of the lease on Thursday but the Bengals did not sign because they had not seen the version that county officials approved. Both sides negotiated through the night before the Bengals signed off and commissioners approved during a special meeting on Friday. The lease keeps the team at their downtown home through at least 2036. It also includes 10 additional option years that could extend it through June 2046. "The Bengals thank Hamilton County and its Commissioners for demonstrating leadership and taking steps that continue moving Cincinnati forward," Bengals Executive Vice President Katie Blackburn said in a statement. "It solidifies the future of the Bengals in Cincinnati, our beloved home, for many years to come. Today's deal embodies a responsible approach for the future, while at the same time keeping Paycor Stadium a great venue that can provide our great fans the great gameday experience they deserve." The county will contribute $350 million toward the renovations, and the Bengals will pay $120 million. The plan is far less than the $830 million the Bengals originally proposed. The Bengals and Hamilton County will also work to secure state funding. The Cleveland Browns are receiving $600 million from unclaimed funds in Ohio's budget recently signed by Gov. Mike DeWine. The Browns are planning to build a new domed stadium in Brookpark, Ohio, near Cleveland Hopkins International Airport. The Bengals have proposed improvements to the club lounges, stadium suites, concessions and scoreboards. A permanent indoor facility is also on the long-term wish list. Cincinnati was the only northern NFL team without an indoor practice facility for many seasons until 2022, when it added an indoor practice bubble across the street from its outdoor fields. Owner Mike Brown said on July 21 that the planned improvements and requests were in line with other medium- to small-market NFL franchises. "We aren't looking for fancy, new things," Brown said. "We're going to try to spruce up the club area. There are some areas around and about in the concession area. There are things that are going to be improved but we aren't going to put a dome over the top. We aren't going to put a mammoth scoreboard in. It is going to be what it has been, pretty much, and I don't think there's anything wrong with that." The Bengals have called Paycor Stadium home since 2000. It was originally named Paul Brown Stadium until the teamsold the naming rightsin August 2022. The finalized lease wraps up what had been a long and at times contentious period of negotiations between Hamilton County and the Bengals. The original 1996 lease has been cited by many as what city, county or state governments should not do when trying to build a new stadium or arena for a team and giving that franchise too much control of the process. "We stood firm on what we thought was best. I think that this lease agreement is good for the people and the team. This I feel is the people's lease and I feel proud of that," Stephanie Summerow Dumas, one of Hamilton County's three commissioners, said on Friday. ___ AP NFL:https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

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August 01, 2025

Cincinnati Bengals and Hamilton County finalize new lease, $470M deal to renovate Paycor Stadium

Cincinnati Bengals and Hamilton County finalize new lease, $470M deal to renovate Paycor Stadium TheCincinnati Bengalsand Hamilton County fi...

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Jhoan Durán on Phillies manager Rob Thomson handing over No. 59 jersey: 'My wife almost cried'

Jhoan Durán on Phillies manager Rob Thomson handing over No. 59 jersey: 'My wife almost cried'

Philadelphia Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski gave up right-handed pitcher Mick Abel and catcher Eduardo Tait, a pair of top 100 prospects,to get closer Jhoan Durán from the Minnesota Twins. Then Phillies manager Rob Thomson gave up his jersey number for the flame-throwing pitcher. After being traded to Philadelphia on Wednesday, Durán inquired about wearing No. 59. "They said, 'No, only one person has it,'"Durán recalled Friday. "And I said, 'Who?' They said, 'You don't know who has that number?' I said, 'No.' They said, 'It's the manager.'" Durán added before smiling: "I said, 'Damn.'" Reporters broke out in laughter. Durán laughed, too. [Join or create a Yahoo Fantasy Football league for the 2025 NFL season] Durán didn't push for Thomson's number. Thomson made the next move, especially for a pitcher who is 6-4 with a 2.01 ERA and 16 saves this season and averages 100.2 mph when he throws his four-seam fastball. While the trade cost Thomson his number and the Phillies two significant prospects, the team also gained one of the best closer entrances in baseball. Duran made his Phillies debut on Friday and threw a perfect ninth inning to close outa 5-4 win over the Detroit Tigers. Jhoan Duran entering the game for the first time as a Phillie at Citizens Bank Park was CINEMApic.twitter.com/0lLFLoi8JY — Jomboy Media (@JomboyMedia)August 2, 2025 Although the trade happened on the road during the Phillies' 9-3 loss to the Chicago White Sox, Thomson called Durán afterward. "We were chit-chatting, and I just said, 'Hey, look, the number really doesn't mean much to me,'"Thomson told reporters Friday. "'But if it makes you feel better, I'm all in.' "He said, 'Well, you know ... yeah, I've had it my whole career.' And I said, 'Then it's yours.'" Durán said he's "got that number everywhere," including as part of the design of his family swimming pool in his native Dominican Republic. When asked Friday how much it meant to him that he was able to keep No. 59, Durán gave a sigh of relief. "My wife almost cried," he said. Thomson's wife, on the other hand, has to get used to a new number. "The only one that's upset at this point is my wife," Thomson joked. "Because all her merchandise has 59 on it. Now we got to go buy her new stuff." Thomson will be wearing No. 49, which he said is a nod to former New York Yankees star Ron Guidry. Thomson coached for the Yankees from 2008-17 before joining the Phillies' staff. The wardrobe change is one Thomson welcomes. He's got his closer for a potential second-half run that the Phillies are hoping ends with their first World Series championship since 2008.

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August 01, 2025

Jhoan Durán on Phillies manager Rob Thomson handing over No. 59 jersey: 'My wife almost cried'

Jhoan Durán on Phillies manager Rob Thomson handing over No. 59 jersey: 'My wife almost cried' Philadelphia Phillies president of ba...

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Pfizer CEO attending $25 million fundraiser at Trump's golf club, sources say

Pfizer CEO attending $25 million fundraiser at Trump's golf club, sources say

Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla is among those expected at a fundraiser President Trump is attending Friday at his golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey, sources told CBS News. The fundraiser for the pro-Trump super political action committee MAGA Inc. aims to raise about $25 million, one of the sources said. One day prior to the event, Mr. Trump sent letters to pharmaceutical companies, including Pfizer, demanding they lower U.S. drug prices to more evenly match what other countries pay. The White House's letters to 17 drug companies, including AstraZeneca, Bristol Myers Squibb, Eli Lilly, Johnson & Johnson and Sanofi, asked for commitments within 60 days to sell drugs for Medicaid patients and all new drugs at "most favored nation" rates. The president posted images of the letters to Truth Social. Mr. Trump signed anexecutive orderin May telling federal officials to draw up "most favored nation" regulations unless pharmaceutical companies made progress toward cutting prices. This week's letters — which were addressed to Bourla and the other CEOs — accused the drugmakers of promising "more of the same" since then. The president said Friday he's "gone to war with the drug companies and, frankly, other countries" on the drug price issue. "I think we're going to be very successful fairly soon. We'll have drug prices coming down by 500, 600 800 even 1,200 percent," Mr. Trump said in an interview with Newsmax on Friday afternoon. The high cost of prescription drugs has vexed both parties for decades. Proposals to tie drug prices for U.S. patients to the typically much-lower rates charged in other developed countries have floated around for years, but the idea hasfaced some legal pushback. Meanwhile, drugmakers argue price caps could discourage innovation by making it harder to pay for research and development for new drugs. The industryalso arguesthat Americans tend to have access to more groundbreaking drugs than residents of foreign countries with stricter price regulations — and says high drug prices are just one part of a broader trend of higher healthcare spending in the U.S. Bourla has engaged with Mr. Trump in the past. Pfizer was one of the drugmakers that was picked to rapidly develop COVID-19 vaccines in the first Trump administration's "Operation Warp Speed." And two weeks before Mr. Trump's second inauguration, Bourla and other Pfizer executives traveled to Mar-A-Lago for meetings, theFinancial Timeshas previously reported. CBS News has reached out to Pfizer and the White House for comment. Arkansas officials reveal new details about Devil's Den murders of husband and wife The A.I. Divide | America Unfiltered Defense attorneys refuse new cases in Massachusetts, citing unfair pay

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August 01, 2025

Pfizer CEO attending $25 million fundraiser at Trump's golf club, sources say

Pfizer CEO attending $25 million fundraiser at Trump's golf club, sources say Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla is among those expected at a fund...

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FAA planning more helicopter route changes after fatal collision

FAA planning more helicopter route changes after fatal collision

By David Shepardson WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The Federal Aviation Administration said on Friday it is planning additional helicopter route changes near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport after the January 29 mid-air collision of an American Airlines regional jet and an Army helicopter that killed 67 people. FAA official Nick Fuller said at a National Transportation Safety Board investigative hearing that an agency work group is planning changes on a key helicopter route near Reagan after imposing permanent restrictions on non-essential helicopter operations in March and further restricting where they could operate in June. NTSB officials at the hearing expressed concerns about a "disconnect" between front-line air traffic controllers and agency leaders and raised other questions about FAA actions before the fatal collision, including why earlier reports of close call incidents did not prompt safety improvements. Board members have also raised concerns about the failure of the FAA to turn over documents in a timely fashion during the investigation of the January collision. The NTSB received details on staffing levels at the time of the January 29 crash "after considerable confusion and a series of corrections and updates from the FAA," a board report said. The hearing has run more than 30 hours over three days and raised a series of troubling questions, including about the failure of the primary controller on duty to issue an alert to the American regional jet and the actions of an assistant controller who was supposed to assist the primary controller. "That did not occur and we're trying to understand why. And no one has been able to tell us what the individual was doing during that time," NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy said. Homendy said earlier this week the FAA had ignored warnings about serious safety issues. "Every sign was there that there was a safety risk, and the tower was telling you," Homendy said. "You transferred people out instead of taking ownership over the fact that everybody in FAA in the tower was saying there was a problem ... Fix it. Do better." FAA officials at the hearing vowed to work more collaboratively and address concerns. Senator Tim Kaine on Friday also cited concerns raised by an FAA manager about the volume of flights at the airport before the collision and the decision by Congress last year to add five additional daily flights to Reagan. "Congress must act to reduce dangerous congestion by removing flights into and out of (Reagan National)," Kaine said. (Reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by Sandra Maler and Tom Hogue)

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August 01, 2025

FAA planning more helicopter route changes after fatal collision

FAA planning more helicopter route changes after fatal collision By David Shepardson WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The Federal Aviation Administrat...

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