Olympians, World Qualifiers Impress On The Track At ATX Classic

GEORGETOWN, Texas—Dylan Beard says he felt like a novice on Saturday.

In his first outdoor hurdle race since a pulled hamstring in Poland at the World Indoor Championships in March, the right side of Beard’s brain told him he was off of his cues and running without purpose. 

The left side begged to differ. 

The reigning U.S. indoor champion over the 60-meter hurdles left The ATX Classic at Southwestern University with more than just a $300 prize for finishing third over the men’s 110 hurdles in 13.33 (+2.8) seconds. 

Better yet, it gave the 27-year-old a sense that he wasn’t far away from the form that made him one of the country’s best hurdlers in 2025. “It’s actually a blessing to come out here and run 13.4 as an opener and 13.3 for a season’s best on the same day,” said Beard, who trekked from Atlanta, Georgia to compete at the World Athletics Continental Bronze Level meet. “I was a little nervous coming out here, because I didn’t think I‘d be able to run competitively this year.” 

Top Performances At The ATX Classic

On a searing hot day with just the slightest overcast, Beard was among a host of Olympians, World Championship qualifiers and top talent on hand for the meet’s second year in Central Texas. Trayvon Bromell, Ezekiel Nathaniel, Kendall Ellis and Cyréna Samba-Mayela (a silver medalist in the 100-meter hurdles at the Paris Olympics) also competed. 

Beard remains one of America’s top hurdlers, coming off a year where he was third at the U.S. Outdoor Championships, qualified for the World Championships and reached the semifinals in Tokyo. His 2025 year ended with a career-best time of 13.02 seconds over the 110s (fourth best among Americans in 2025), along with two other performances under 13.10. 

Much as it was for others, Saturday’s meet was a marker for Beard, who’s aiming to jettison his way into contention during July’s U.S. Championships in New York City. “At the end of the day, it’s the road to the World Ultimate Championships, but that’s also not as important as the next three years,” he said. 

Finding His Form At The ATX Classic

Elsewhere, Randolph Ross, a 2021 Olympic champion in the men’s 4×400 relay, competed in the 400 meters and was third in 45.75. Like Beard, Ross is also trying to find his way back into the conversation as a global contender. Last June he returned to the track following a 3-year ban imposed by the Athletics Integrity Unit following a whereabouts failure charge. That misstep has already been recounted by Ross previously–a major mea culpa on his end–but he does have time to make up for it. 

This season has seen the former North Carolina A&T star, a three-time NCAA champion, tune up for performances of 45.65, 45.75, 45.31 and 45.75 over 400 meters. With critical weeks left, he’s looking to snag first sub-45 in four years before the U.S. championships in five weeks. “I know if I run the way I can, I can’t be beat,” Ross said. “But not having that background like I used to going into races, now I have to worry about my race model.” 

In the men’s 100 meter final, a total of four sprinters broke 10 seconds with a 3.6 meters per second wind. Lance Lang took the tape – and the top prize of $1,000 – in 9.86 seconds, followed closely by Marcellus Moore, who was second in 9.87 seconds. 

Marcellus Moore secured two sub-10 second performances in the 100 meters at The ATX Classic on Saturday. Photo Credit: Samantha Giovacco/The ATX Classic

Former Texas Standout Impresses At ATX Classic

Moore, now training in Waco under Baylor coach Michael Ford, is hoping for a big breakthrough in a few weeks, too. The former University of Texas graduate student, a three-time second-team All-American and 60-meter record-holder, ran 9.96 in his first professional year in 2025 before earning a contract with Joma, a Spanish-based apparel brand, in 2026. 

In May, he traveled to Japan and ran 10.25 at the Seiko Golden Grand Prix. On Saturday, he clocked two wind-assisted sub-10 efforts over 100 meters. “The main goal is to be ready in July and August,” Moore said.  

The Best Of The Rest From The ATX Classic

Lang left the day with two $1,000 purses, earning another win in the 200 meters in a time of 20.21 seconds. Jasmine Montgomery won the women’s 200 in 22.48 seconds, while Brianna White scored a win in the 400 in 51.31. Ellis, an Olympian in the 400 in 2024, was third in 51.85.

Samba-Mayela, a silver medalist at the Olympics in 2024, won the 100 hurdles in 12.50. Dinedy Denis won the women’s 400 hurdles in 55.88, while Nathaniel, a World Championship fourth-place finisher for Nigeria in 2025, won the men’s 400 in 45.49.

Connor Schulman won the men’s 110 hurdles in 13.25, while James Smith II secured the result in the 400 hurdles in 49.22. Ruth Usoro and Steffn McCarter won the women’s and men’s long jumps with marks of 6.32 and 8.28 meters, respectively.