Marcus Thompson II

Senior Columnist, Bay Area

Marcus Thompson II is a lead columnist at The Athletic. He is a prominent voice in the Bay Area sports scene after 18 years with Bay Area News Group, including 10 seasons covering the Warriors and four as a columnist. Marcus is also the author of the best-selling biography "GOLDEN: The Miraculous Rise of Steph Curry."

Is women's track the next sport ready to boom? Alexis Ohanian is betting on it

The latest investment in women's sports is in track, with Alexis Ohanian among those entering the fray. His new event debuts in September.

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Klay Thompson had to leave the Warriors, but the legend will last forever

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For Kara Winger, four-time Olympian in javelin, there's peace in missing Paris

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Quincy Wilson, 16-year-old phenom, heading to Paris Olympics in 4x400-meter relay pool

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Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone sets 400-meter hurdle world record at U.S. Olympic trials

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Gabby Thomas, Team USA's 200m star, is firmly in the Olympic spotlight — and ready for it

All that's left for Gabby Thomas to accomplish is to win on the biggest stage. She believes it's her time.

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Inside Macklin Celebrini's NHL Draft moment, forged from his family's love and expertise

Behind the scenes with Macklin Celebrini on the biggest day of his life, a moment shaped by the family by his side.

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Noah Lyles wins 200m, breaks 28-year-old Olympic trials record

Lyles posted the fastest time in the world in the men’s 200 meters — 19.53 seconds — to win gold in the U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials.

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Gabby Thomas wins 200m at Olympic trials; Sha’Carri Richardson struggles in fourth-place finish

Thomas won with a time of 21.81 in Saturday’s 200-meter final at the U.S. Olympic Track and Field trials.

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Valarie Allman, with a newfound energy, charges into Olympics in women's discus

After struggling in the wake of her Tokyo gold medal, Valarie Allman replaced a need to win with a want to win. Now she's back in top form.

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Sha'Carri Richardson and a deep 200m field take spotlight at Olympic trials

Gabby Thomas, McKenzie Long and a host of other top contenders eye a spot in Paris as the women's 200-meter competition begins.

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Jamaican legendary sprinter Elaine Thompson-Herah to miss Paris Olympics with Achilles injury

Thompson-Herah, who turns 32 on Friday, has been hobbled all year. She was blown away by Sha’Carri Richardson at the Pre Classic in May.

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For Quincy Wilson, teenage track prodigy, everything's different now — Olympics or not

Quincy Wilson may still get an Olympic invite. Either way, a new life — with some familiar comforts — awaits back home in Maryland.

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Athing Mu, Nia Akins and the brutal line between Olympic dreams and agony

Reigning Olympic gold medalist Athing Mu's fall Monday in the 800-meter final at U.S. trials is a reminder of the brutality of the event.

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Heptathlete Anna Hall to make Olympic debut, overcomes 2021 heartbreak with help from Jackie Joyner-Kersee

Hall fell in a hurdles race and broke her foot in 2021, but she's found redemption with the help of heptathlon legend Jackie Joyner-Kersee.

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Quincy Wilson, 16-year-old phenom, falls short of automatic Olympic berth with sixth place finish in 400m

Wilson ran the 400-meter final Monday in 44.94 seconds.

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Quincy Wilson is no superhero, but at 16, he's making magic at Olympic trials

Quincy Wilson isn't working with the benefit of vibranium. The 16-year-old is just that good — good enough to be on the brink of Paris.

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Noah Lyles wins men's 100m at U.S. Olympic track trials, Christian Coleman falters to fourth place

Lyles posted a lifetime best in Sunday’s final, running the 100 in 9.83 seconds in the marquee event of Day 3 at the trials.

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Teenager Quincy Wilson, 16, qualifies for 400m final at Olympic trials with fastest high school times ever

Wilson's weekend started with a time of 44.66 on Friday night in round one, which broke Darrell Robinson's 42-year-old high school record.

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Could future U.S. Olympic track trials be moved from Hayward Field? USATF officials discuss potential moves

Considering the 2028 Games are in Los Angeles, having the trials there in California could make a ton of sense.

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Sha'Carri Richardson, with emphatic win at trials, closing in on Olympic glory

If Sha'Carri Richardson wins gold in Paris, it would be a strong finish to this years-long journey on her way to superstardom.

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Ryan Crouser, through injury and 'self-doubt,' earns shot for third Olympic gold

After an injury earlier this year, Ryan Crouser's Olympic fate was uncertain. On Saturday, he quieted the doubts and booked a spot in Paris.

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Sha'Carri Richardson wins 100m title at U.S. Olympic trials again, will be joined in Paris by training partners

Richardson bounced back from a choppy start out of the blocks to obliterate her elite American competitors in the midsection of the sprint.

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What to watch at U.S. Olympic track and field trials: Noah Lyles takes center stage

Over the next 10 days, Team USA's track and field squad will be set. Here are the top events and storylines to watch in Eugene.

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Willie Mays is a monument to an era of Black baseball gone but never forgotten

At the gates of the Black baseball era are towering statues, colossal enough to withstand time. And Willie Mays was chief among them.

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Is women's track the next sport ready to boom? Alexis Ohanian is betting on it

More Stories

Gabby Thomas, Team USA's 200m star, is firmly in the Olympic spotlight — and ready for it

Inside Macklin Celebrini's NHL Draft moment, forged from his family's love and expertise

Noah Lyles wins 200m, breaks 28-year-old Olympic trials record

Gabby Thomas wins 200m at Olympic trials; Sha’Carri Richardson struggles in fourth-place finish

Valarie Allman, with a newfound energy, charges into Olympics in women's discus

Sha'Carri Richardson and a deep 200m field take spotlight at Olympic trials

Jamaican legendary sprinter Elaine Thompson-Herah to miss Paris Olympics with Achilles injury

For Quincy Wilson, teenage track prodigy, everything's different now — Olympics or not

Athing Mu, Nia Akins and the brutal line between Olympic dreams and agony

Heptathlete Anna Hall to make Olympic debut, overcomes 2021 heartbreak with help from Jackie Joyner-Kersee

Quincy Wilson, 16-year-old phenom, falls short of automatic Olympic berth with sixth place finish in 400m

Quincy Wilson is no superhero, but at 16, he's making magic at Olympic trials

Noah Lyles wins men's 100m at U.S. Olympic track trials, Christian Coleman falters to fourth place

Teenager Quincy Wilson, 16, qualifies for 400m final at Olympic trials with fastest high school times ever

Could future U.S. Olympic track trials be moved from Hayward Field? USATF officials discuss potential moves

Sha'Carri Richardson, with emphatic win at trials, closing in on Olympic glory

Ryan Crouser, through injury and 'self-doubt,' earns shot for third Olympic gold

Sha'Carri Richardson wins 100m title at U.S. Olympic trials again, will be joined in Paris by training partners

What to watch at U.S. Olympic track and field trials: Noah Lyles takes center stage

Willie Mays is a monument to an era of Black baseball gone but never forgotten