9 Stars To Watch At The 2026 Sound Running LA Track Festival

The outdoor track season is officially set to get underway next week with the first Diamond League meeting in Doha, but many eyes are already turning toward the Sound Running LA Track Festival on May 23rd.

Drake Stadium at UCLA is hosting a contingent of some of the world's best athletes, with world champions and Olympic medalists slated to compete.

Official entries aren't set to be released until next week, but check out nine of the top athletes already committed and looking to kick off their outdoor season with a bang!

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Cooper Lutkenhaus (Nike)

While most high schoolers will be wrapping up their spring semester next month, the reigning 800m World Indoor Champion will be taking his talents to Southern California to make his 1500m debut. Since the high school junior made his prep debut, he's only raced further than 800m on a track just six times, and four of those were either a 1600m or a mile.

His personal best in the mile is a blistering 4:06.33, and that was a few months prior to him running 1:42 and turning professional. There's a strong likelihood that he makes the jump quite nicely. I have no methodology or reasoning, but I've got a hunch he crosses the line in 3:32.61. Regardless, it's safe to assume he'll be well under 3:40 and under 3:35 once it's all said and done.

Emma Coburn (New Balance)

Since breaking her ankle in 2024 at the Shanghai Diamond League and becoming a mother in October of that year, the world champion, Olympic medalist, and winner of many U.S. national titles is locked and loaded for the LA Track Fest.

With a little under a week until the full fields are announced, it's too early to know what event she's making her season debut in, but she has a handful of options to choose from. Obviously, her bread and butter is the 3000m steeplechase, but opting for a 1500m or 5000m to shake off the rust wouldn't be out of the ordinary, especially considering there is no major championship this summer.

Donovan Brazier (Nike)

Less than a year ago, Brazier tore down the final 100m at Hayward Field to win his first national title since 2019, marking the return of the former American record holder and 2019 World Champion.

After a relatively quiet indoor slate that saw him race just once, Brazier is making his 800m season debut against 2023 1500m World Champion Josh Kerr. His first full season back in years was incredible to say the least, opening with a 1:44.70 at the Toad Fest in Nashville last June and culminating with a 1:42.16 personal best to reassert himself at the top. The third-fastest American of all time wouldn't mind reclaiming his national record from Bryce Hoppel next month, and would need to shave just over half a second to do so.

Sandi Morris (Puma)

In her first competition of the 2026 campaign, Morris out-jumped a small but talented field at the Drake Relays Vault at Jordan Creek, clearing 4.75m alongside 2021 Olympic champion and three-time World Champion Katie Moon.

Morris cleared the height in fewer attempts than Moon, picking up the win over one of the best vaulters in world history. For Morris, this marked her first win at the Drake Relays since 2021, when she cleared 4.70m and also topped Moon, formerly Katie Nageotte. The fourth-best vaulter in world history and American record holder will look to keep the momentum rolling at UCLA.

Habtom Samuel (University of New Mexico)

The 2025 NCAA Cross Country and 2026 NCAA Indoor 5000m champion has been on an absolute tear over the past few months, running PBs of 27:30.51 in the 10,000m and a new collegiate record of 13:03.47 in the 5000m, seemingly competing in a world of his own.

With the 5000m being the longest event we'll see on the track next month, I'd be surprised if the Lobo isn't taking on the 12.5-lap challenge once again. Perhaps he's even eyeing his first trip under 13:00. With the star power already committed to the LA Track Fest and a slew of speedsters likely to join in on the fun between now and May 23, if everything goes according to plan, he could join a coveted list of sub-13:00 collegians.

Katelyn Tuohy (adidas)

Since turning professional in December 2023, Tuohy has dealt with injuries, yet has consistently been one of the better runners whenever she steps up to the line.

In 2025, she notched PBs of 15:04 in the 5000m and 4:24 in the mile, and has dabbled in a few road races as well, most recently finishing 10th at the B.A.A. 5K ahead of the Boston Marathon. The former North Rockland and NC State standout is still just 24 years old and has plenty of time to get back to the times she was running in college.

Next month is the perfect opportunity to do exactly that. It's not confirmed, but we'll more than likely see her take on the 1500m or 5000m, and the signs are pointing toward a strong showing from the household name.

Josh Kerr (Brooks)

One of the sport's most entertaining athletes, Kerr is stepping down in distance to face Donovan Brazier head-to-head in the 800m. Kerr, who suffered a calf tear in the 1500m final at last year's World Championships, has already made tremendous progress in his return, running 8:07 in the 2-mile at the 118th Millrose Games.

If that wasn't enough "concrete evidence" that he's back, he won the 3000m World Indoor title just a month and a half later, holding off Cole Hocker down the homestretch to claim his third world championship overall. At last year's Grand Slam Track: Miami, Kerr clocked 1:45.01 for 800m, nearly lowering his PB by a full second. Kerr and Brazier are due to throw down something fast and give the spectators a race to remember.

Roisin Willis (New Balance)

The defending national champion over 800m is racing her first 800m of the outdoor campaign next month on what's expected to be a beautiful night in Los Angeles, and if her most recent performance is any indicator, it's going to be lightning on the track.

At the BU John Thomas Terrier Classic in January, Willis clocked 1:57.97 to run a two-second indoor PB and dip below 1:58 for the first time. Her second professional half-mile also made her the first American woman to run sub-1:58 indoors, and she's due for a big outdoor PB over the next few months.

Ethan Strand (Nike)

Coming off a breakthrough outdoor season a year ago that saw him run 3:30.25 and finish runner-up at the U.S. Championships, Strand won't be able to play the "rookie" card anymore.

The eighth-fastest 1500m runner in American history is a household name at this point and won't catch anyone off guard. We won't know until next week, but the former North Carolina Tar Heel could take on any distance he pleases. Most likely, though, it'll be the 1500m or 5000m.