Pre Classic Recap

I’ve attended the Pre Classic now for almost three decades and this year was the fullest and loudest I can remember. Every seat taken.

During the past two Olympic Trials and World Championships we’ve taken a small group of Youth Runner campers and coaches to watch the races. We did the same on Saturday at Pre. No better way to get inspired than to be inside of Hayward Field. Athletes love to compete here because it’s one of the few places where the fans are all in.

The put up a wall with highlights of the each of the 50 years of Pre.

The Race Recap
By Erik Boal

Chebet runs 13:58.06 to add 5,000 all-time performance to 10,000 world record achieved last year at Hayward Field, becoming first female athlete to eclipse 14-minute barrier, with Kipyegon producing first sub-3:49 effort in 1,500 by clocking 3:48.68; Winkler adds to American record in men's hammer throw and Rogers improves on top mark in Canadian history in women's hammer throw, with Laros prevailing in historic Bowerman Mile, in addition to deepest men's shot put field and women's 3,000 steeplechase race in global history also showcased as seven meet records are achieved in Eugene

Beatrice Chebet and Faith Kipyegon are best friends and training partners when their schedules align at home in Eldoret, Kenya.

At the 50th Nike Prefontaine Classic, they were simply the best ever in their respective events, celebrating each other’s achievements in rarefied air never witnessed before in women’s track and field.

Chebet became the first female athlete to eclipse the 14-minute barrier in the 5,000 meters, running 13 minutes, 58.06 seconds Saturday at Hayward Field to smash the 2023 performance of 14:00.21 produced by Ethiopian athlete Gudaf Tsegay at the same venue at the Diamond League final.

Agnes Jebet Ngetich, also representing Kenya, was second in 14:01.29 to elevate to No. 3 all-time, with Tsegay taking third in 14:04.41.

Chebet ran 14:05.92 in the 2023 race to secure a runner-up finish behind Tsegay.

Chebet returned to Hayward Field last year to set the world record in the women’s 10,000 by becoming the first female athlete to achieve a sub-29 effort with her 28:54.14 performance.

Chebet clocked 14:03.69 in the 5,000 on June 6 in Rome, giving her motivation Saturday to pursue the world record.

Chebet, who only led Tsegay by 0.4 entering the last lap, covered the final 400 in 61.7, including a 28.8-second split over the last 200 meters.

Weini Kelati, the lone American in the race, placed 10th in 14:38.15.

Kipyegon, who attempted to become the first female athlete to run a sub-4 mile a week ago in Paris, clocked 3:48.68 in the 1,500 to not only lower her own world record Saturday in the final race on the meet schedule, but secure her seventh career victory in the event at the Prefontaine Classic.

Kipyegon covered the last lap in 59.08, closing in a 28.8-second split in the final 200, giving her the top three performances in global 1,500 history, including 3:49.04 last year in Paris and 3:49.11 in 2023 in Italy.

Diribe Welteji of Ethiopia surged for second in 3:51.44, with Australian athlete Jessica Hull taking third in 3:52.67, followed by Georgia Hunter-Bell from Great Britain clocking 3:54.76, plus American competitors Nikki Hiltz (3:55.96) and Sinclaire Johnson (3:56.93) achieving fifth and sixth, as 11 performers produced sub-4 efforts, one shy of the most in any 1,500 in global history.

The Bowerman Mile showcased the deepest all-time men’s field in the world on the track, with eight athletes running under 3:48 – surpassing the previous mark of five – highlighted by Dutch athlete Niels Laros holding off American record holder Yared Nuguse by a 3:45.94 to 3:45.95 margin.

Despite the setback, Nuguse still boasts the four fastest mile performances in U.S. history.

Azeddine Habz of France took third in 3:46.65, with reigning Olympic 1,500 gold medalist Cole Hocker of the U.S. finishing fourth in 3:47.43, elevating to the No. 4 all-time American competitor.

Grant Fisher, who hadn’t run a mile since his prep career in Michigan more than a decade ago, finished ninth in 3:48.29 to ascend to the No. 6 performer in U.S. history.

Winfred Yavi of Bahrain led five competitors to sub-9 performances in the women’s 3,000 steeplechase for the first time in any global race, clocking 8:45.25, giving her the Nos. 2 and 3 all-time efforts, just behind her personal-best 8:44.39 in August in Italy.

Faith Cherotich of Kenya clocked 8:48.71 to elevate to the No. 4 athlete in global history, with Peruth Chemutai from Uganda placing third at 8:51.77.

Gabbi Jennings was the fastest American competitor, securing sixth in 9:06.61 to ascend to the No. 5 all-time U.S. performer, with Kaylee Mitchell achieving a personal-best 9:08.66 to elevate to No. 7 in American history and Lexy Halladay-Lowry taking ninth in 9:09.47.

For the first time ever at any meet globally, five male athletes also surpassed the 22-meter mark in the shot put, led by Joe Kovacs, who won for the third year in a row and the fifth time in his career with a world-leading mark of 73 feet, 9 inches (22.48m) in the third round.

Fellow American athlete Roger Steen rallied for second at 72-6.50 (22.11m), just ahead of Nigerian record holder Chuk Enekwechi at 72-6.25 (22.10m) and U.S. standout Tripp Piperi 72-6 (22.09m), with Jamaican all-time leader Rajindra Campbell placing fifth at 72-4 (22.04m).

Rudy Winkler improved on his own American record in the men’s hammer throw with a third-round performance of 272-10 (83.16m), surpassing his 2021 effort of 271-4 (82.71m).

Winkler became the 20th all-time male athlete to eclipse the 83-meter mark and elevated to the No. 18 competitor in global history, also eclipsing the 2004 meet record of 271-2 (82.65m) by Japanese standout Koji Murofoshi, as the event returned to the Prefontaine Classic schedule for the first time since 2016.

Ethan Katzberg of Canada, the reigning Olympic champion, placed second Saturday at 268-2 (81.73m).

Camryn Rogers added to her Canadian record in the women’s hammer throw with a fourth-round performance of 258-9 (78.88m), improving on her 2023 effort of 257-11 (78.62m) and ascending to the No. 5 all-time global competitor.

American athlete Brooke Andersen secured second with a sixth-round throw of 252-5 (76.95m).

Chase Jackson nearly missed matching her American record in the women’s shot put with a third-round mark of 68-8.25 (20.94m).

Sarah Mitton of Canada was second at 66-10.75 (20.39m) and Jaida Ross, a former Oregon standout, improved to the No. 6 competitor in U.S. history at 66-0.50 (20.13m).

Five athletes surpassed the 20-meter mark to showcase the deepest women’s shot put field ever to compete on American soil.

Lithuanian star Mykolas Alekna, the world record holder in the men’s discus throw and recent transfer to Oregon for his final year of collegiate eligibility after previously representing Cal, rebounded from a runner-up finish June 13 at the NCAA Division 1 Championships at Hayward Field to win Saturday with a second-round mark of 232-10 (70.97m).

Ralford Mullings of Jamaica, the NCAA Division 1 champion representing Oklahoma, finished second at 226-3 (68.98m).

Valarie Allman won for the fourth consecutive year in the women’s discus throw, with the American record holder producing a fourth-round effort of 231-10 (70.68m).

Cierra Jackson, who won the NCAA Division 1 title June 14 at Hayward Field representing Fresno State, added another two meters to her lifetime-best performance by throwing 222-6 (67.82m) in the fourth round to elevate to the No. 7 all-time U.S. competitor.

Sandra Elkasevic of Croatia took third at 219-9 (66.97m).

Tara Davis-Woodhall, the reigning Olympic women’s long jump gold medalist, rallied in the sixth round to prevail with a wind-legal leap of 23-2.50 (7.07m), surpassing German standout Malaika Mihambo and her fourth-round performance of 23 feet (7.01m).

Mihambo decided not to jump in the final two rounds, leaving the door open for Davis-Woodhall to achieve the dramatic victory.

Claire Bryant, the reigning World Indoor champion representing the U.S., took third at 22-3.75 (6.80m).

Armand “Mondo” Duplantis of Sweden won the men’s pole vault at 19-8.25 (6.00m) for his fourth consecutive victory at the Prefontaine Classic.

Duplantis, the world record holder and reigning Olympic champion, was unsuccessful in three attempts at a new all-time global standard of 20-7.75 (6.29m).

American athletes Sam Kendricks and Austin Miller both cleared 19-0.25 (5.80m), with Kendricks securing second based on fewer attempts.

Biniam Mehary led an Ethiopian sweep of the top three spots in the men’s 10,000, holding off Berihu Aregawi by a 26:43.82 to 26:43.84 margin, with Selemon Barega taking third in 26:44.13.

Edwin Kurgat finished fourth in 26:46.35, earning the opportunity to represent Kenya at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, Japan, as the race served as the country’s national trials in the event.

Seven athletes ran sub-27, with lone American competitor Conner Mantz taking 12th in 27:35.22.

Melissa Jefferson-Wooden of the U.S. held off Olympic gold medalist Julien Alfred from Saint Lucia by a 10.75 to 10.77 margin, with both athletes running into a headwind in the women’s 100, as Marie-Josee Ta Lou-Smith from Ivory Coast took third in 10.90.

Jacious Sears was victorious in the women’s invitational 100 in a wind-legal 10.85, ahead of fellow American athlete Aleia Hobbs in 10.90.

Jamaican standout Kishane Thompson clocked a wind-legal 9.85 in the men’s 100, with British competitor Zharnel Hughes securing second in 9.91, and American entries Trayvon Bromell (9.94) and Brandon Hicklin (9.98m) also achieving sub-10 efforts.

Alison dos Santos of Brazil ran 46.65 in the men’s 400 hurdles to edge American athlete Rai Benjamin in 46.71, with Nigerian standout and NCAA Division 1 champion Nathaniel Ezekiel of Baylor taking third in 47.88.

Ackera Nugent of Jamaica triumphed in a wind-legal 12.32 in the women’s 100 hurdles, with Tobi Amusan from Nigeria placing second in 12.38, and American athletes Keni Harrison (12.492m) and Masai Russell (12.494) placing third and fourth, respectively.

Russell, the reigning Olympic champion, hadn’t raced since May 3 as a result of an ankle injury.

Tsige Duguma of Ethiopia prevailed in the women’s 800 in 1:57.10, with South Africa’s Prudence Sekgodiso clocking 1:57.16 and Halimah Nakaayi from Uganda earning third in 1:57.89.

Raevyn Rogers was the fastest U.S. athlete, securing sixth in 1:58.49, with American record holder Athing Mu-Nikolayev placing 10th in 2:03.44.

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone prevailed in the women’s 400 in 49.43, with fellow American athletes Aaliyah Butler of Georgia (49.86) and former Penn and Arkansas standout Isabella Whittaker (50.81m) finishing second and third overall.

Letsile Tebogo from Botswana won the men’s 200 in a wind-legal 19.76, followed by American competitor Courtney Lindsey in 19.87 and Alexander Ogando of the Dominican Republic running 19.94.

Matthew Hudson-Smith of Great Britain was victorious in the men’s 400 in 44.10, just ahead of U.S. standouts Christopher Bailey in 44.15, Jacory Patterson in 44.31 and Khaleb McRae clocking 44.45.

Competing in his first professional race representing Nike, former North Carolina standout Ethan Strand won the International Mile in 3:48.86, as five competitors ran under the previous fastest performance in the meet’s second section of 3:51.99 from 2017.

Vincent Ciattei was second in 3:49.68 and fellow American athlete Gary Martin from Virginia took third in 3:49.73.

Owen Powell, a recent graduate of Mercer Island High in Washington, was 11th in 3:58.12 and 16-year-old New Zealand athlete Sam Ruthe clocked 4:00.65 to place 13th.

Troy Davis of the U.S. triumphed in the wheelchair 100 in 16.16, one of many Paralympic events on the meet schedule.

Orla Comerford from Ireland was victorious in the women’s Paralympic 100 in a wind-legal 12.14.

Salum Ageze Kashafali of Norway prevailed in the men’s Paralympic 100 in a wind-legal 10.61.

American standout Tatyana McFadden won the women’s 800 in the Paralympic T54 classification in 1:46.89.

Dutch competitor Olivier Hendricks secured the victory in the men’s 200 in the Paralympic T62 and T64 classifications in a wind-legal 21.11.

Samuel Becker, a seventh-grader from Cal Young Middle School in Eugene, won the boys 1,500 in 4:36.61.

Alexis Hillberry, a fifth-grader representing Valley Catholic Middle School in Beaverton, triumphed in the girls 1,500 in 5:08.28.