Pre Classic updates from Hayward Field: Runners deliver world-leading and meet records

Jakob Ingebrigtsen made his Prefontaine Classic debut as a teenager in 2017, running in the Bowerman Mile and finishing 11th.

That was a long time ago.

On Saturday, the star from Norway battled the wind on the back stretch to win his second straight Bowerman Mile in the penultimate event of the annual Diamond League meet at Hayward Field with a crowd of 6,447 toughing out a cold, rainy afternoon.

The Olympic 1,500-meter champion finished in 3 minutes, 49.76 seconds in a race he led comfortably for the final lap.

“I’m pretty happy with the race,” Ingebrigtsen said. “As you can see it’s a little bit windy, but it worked out pretty good. I went out at an okay pace and tried to keep the momentum, then saved something for the last lap.”

Australia’s Oliver Hoare was second in 3:50.65 as he went wide down the homestretch to get around Kenyans Timothy Cheruiyot (3:50.77) and Abel Kipsang (3:50.87), who finished third and fourth.

Former Oregon stars Cole Hocker and Cooper Teare were fifth and sixth, respectively, in 3:50.97 and 3:51.70.

It was the Diamond League for both Ducks, though Hocker was an Olympic finalist in the 1,500 last summer.

Hocker found himself trying to unleash his signature kick down the homestretch while stuck behind Cheruiyot and Kipsang, who were running shoulder to shoulder.

“Part of the race is tactics,” Hocker said. “In my head, I had enough energy to run past them, it just takes a lot more energy to go around them.”

Teare got into trouble on the backstretch of the final lap as he was swamped in on the rail and couldn’t get out with enough time to challenge the leaders.

“I mean this probably showed a little bit of my lack of experience when it came down to it,” he said. “I was never in the spot I wanted to be in and I was always trying to make that next move and I probably burned a couple too many matches when it came down to it.”

Bromell comes out on top in men's 100

Trayvon Bromell closed out the meet with a win in a loaded men’s 100.

Bromell ran 9.93 to hold off runner-up Fred Kerley, who ran 9.98.

“I was happy to come out with the win, but it’s a lot of technical stuff that I messed up on,” Bromell said. “I’m pretty sure I'm already getting messages from my coach about what we can fix.”

Christian Coleman (10.04) and Noah Lyles (10.05) were third and fourth to give the Americans finished 1-through-4.

Friday races:Prefontaine Classic: Schweizer, Klecker qualify in 10K for World Championships

Hodgkinson rides quick pace to victory

Natoya Goule set a hot early pace in the women’s 800 that Keely Hodgkinson was happy to take advantage of — for at least one lap.

Despite the absence of American star Athing Mu, Saturday’s finish came down to a thrilling kick with Hodgkinson leading the way to a world-leading finish in 1:57.72.

American Ajee Wilson was second in 1:58.06 and former Oregon star Raevyn Rogers was third in 1:58.44.

“I wasn’t expecting some of the girls to come out that quick, so it was quite nice to just sit in and be patient,” said Hodgkinson, the Tokyo silver medalist.

For Rogers, who won Olympic bronze, Saturday’s race was good prep for the USATF Outdoor Championships in three weeks where she will attempt to make her second world championship team.

"For sure, we already know what time it is,” Rogers said. “I want to be as prepared as possible, of course, god willing, make that team. But you have to put the work in and I'm going back to work."

Jamaicans win both women's sprints

Jamaican Elaine Thompson-Herah is still the world’s best women’s sprinter, but American Sha’Carri Richardson proved she isn’t done yet.

Thompson-Herah, the Olympic champ in 100 and 200, won Saturday’s 100 in 10.79, pulling away midway through the race for the convincing victory.

“I’m happy to cross the line healthy and with the win,” Thompson-Herah said. “It got me ready for my championship in Jamaica next month. I’m happy to see where I’m at. The result is good.”

Richardson, whose 2021 season was derailed due to a failed drug test after her win at the U.S. Olympic Track & Field Trials, finished in 10.92 to beat Olympic bronze medalist Shericka Jackson in a photo finish for second.

Richardson declined interview requests after her race, which was her most significant finish since running 10.86 to win the U.S. title last summer.

Great Britains’ Dina Asher-Smith and American Twanisha Terry also broke 11 seconds and they both ran 10.98 to finish fourth and fifth, respectively.

Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce made it a sweep of the sprints for the Jamaicans as she won the 200 in 22.41 thanks to a strong finish coming out of the curve. Brittany Brown of the U.S. was second in 22.74. Former Duck and two-time Olympian Jenna Prandini was fourth at 22.77.

“I wanted to execute technically,” said Fraser-Pryce, the Olympic silver medalist in the 100. “I still have some time to go before I get to my national trial so you always want to use every opportunity to practice your race plan.”

Kipyegon sets world-leading and meet-record in women's 1,500

In a field that included eight women from the Tokyo Olympics’ final, Faith Kipyegon proved once again she is a class by herself.

The two-time Olympic champ ran a world-leading and meet-record 3:52.59, with her only challenge coming from Ethiopia long distance standout Gudaf Tsegay, who was second in 3:54.21.

Saturday Pre:Despite late challenges, the Pre Classic goes on with elite fields and star performers

“It was a really good race today,” Kipyegon said. “I was not expecting such a quick time today, but I’m really happy about the race, the meet record. It was a surprise. For me, I just wanted to open my season in a nice way. Open my 1,500 in a nice way, and focus myself for the World Championships.”

Canadian Gabriela DeBues-Stafford was third in 3:58.62 and American Sinclaire Johnson was fourth in a PR 3:58.85. Former Oregon star Jessica Hull was fifth in 3:59.31.

Norman wins 400 with scorching, record time

Michael Norman’s final 400 of his 2021 season was a disappointing fifth-place finish in the Olympic final.

That disappointment didn’t carry over into the offseason.

The U.S. champion put the world on notice Saturday as he ran a scorching 43.60 to win his race.

His world-leading time was also a meet and Diamond League record, and just a step off his PR of 43.45.

“It feels good to run the way I've been trained to,” Norman said. “If you looked at me racing all last year, you could obviously see I was struggling to find my race rhythm again. I kind of lost a sense of how to run the race.”

Kirani James of Grenada was second in 44.02 and Great Britain’s Matthew Hudson-Smith set a national record with his third-place finish in 44.35.

Crowd-engaging women's long jump battle

It was a heck of a second round in the women’s long jump, as the top-three finishers each hit their best marks on three consecutive jumps, topped by Sweden’s Khaddi Sagnia nailing a PR 22-9¾ to win the competition.

Nigeria’s Ese Brume jumoed 22-4½ and American Tara Davis, whose enthusiasm kept the crowd engaged, jumped 22-1 to finish third.

Crouser's two shot put throws give him first place

Ryan Crouser only made two throws that counted Saturday, but that was plenty for the two-time Olympic champion.

Crouser went 72-3 on his first attempt, 75-6¼ on his second and then fouled on the next four. He still won by nearly two feet over Joe Kovacs, who was the runner-up at 73-9½.

New Zealand’s Tomas Walsh was third at 72-¾, as Crouser, Kovacs and Walsh replicated their order of finish at the last two Summer Games.

Aregawi takes down men's 5,000 record with early lead

Joshua Cheptegei’s world-leading time in the 5,000 didn’t even stand for 24 hours.

Berihu Aregawi turned what was expected to be one of the most hotly contested races on Saturday into a one-show as he took an early lead and never relented, winning in a meet-record and PR 12:50.05.

In a separate 5,000 heat Friday night, world-record holder Cheptegei ran what was then the fastest time of the season at 12:57.99.

It was a 1-2-3 finish for the Ethiopians as Samuel Tefera was second in 13:06.86 and Selemon Barega was third in 13:07.30.

Canadian silver medalist Mohammed Ahmed was fourth in 13:07.85 and two-time American Olympic medalist and 2021 U.S. champion Paul Chelimo didn’t finish the race.

Weather doesn't faze women's 100 hurdles winner Camacho-Quinn

Olympic champion Jasmine Camacho-Quinn cruised to the win in 12.45 and comfortably ahead of runner-up Tobi Amusan of Nigeria, who crossed in 12.58.

“I’ll take it for today,” Camacho-Quinn said. “A little sloppy. I hit my trail leg a couple of times and that slowed me up, but I’ll take it. I went 12.4 in these conditions. Every time I come to Oregon I think of the weather. I already knew what to expect. It wasn't bothering me mentally.”

It was a tough race for the two top Americans as world-record holder and Olympic silver medalist Keni Harrison was eighth in 12.78 and Olympian Anna Cockrell was ninth in 12.84.

Dos Santos clocks world-leading time in 400 hurdles

Brazilian Alison dos Santos dominated the race as he ran a world-leading 47.23 to win the men’s 400 hurdles.

Dos Santos, who won Olympic bronze in Tokyo last summer, was followed across the finish line by a pair of PR-setting Americans as Khallifah Rosser was second and Quincy Hall was third in in a 48.10 photo finish.

The race was originally going to include Rai Benjamin but the American Olympic silver medalist withdrew last week.

Athletes talk about their Friday races:Pre Classic begins with two championship races and three world-record attempts

Paralympic medal holders run 400, 100 to open Saturday events

Para events returned to the Pre Classic for the first time since 1989 with a pair of elite sprint fields.

The finish in the men’s 400 T62 race looked no different the 2021 Paralympic Games final in Tokyp last summer as Germany’s Johannes Floors (48.13), the Netherland’s Oliver Hendricks (49.89) and American Hunter Woodhall (50.01) went 1-2-3 again.

After a couple race restarts, Paralympic gold medalist Martina Caironi of Italy won the women’s 100 T63 in 14.02, well-ahead of fellow Italian and 2021 bronze medalist Monica Contrafatto, who was second in 14.59.

World qualifiers achieved in men's 1,500

New Zealand’s Sam Tanner and Great Britain’s Neil Gourley finished 1-2 in the men’s 1,500 with both meeting the world championships qualifying standard of 3:35.0.

Tanner kicked past Gourley down the homestretch to win in a PR 3:34.37. Gourley was second in a PR 3:34.85. Vincent Ciattei of Eugene’s Oregon Track Club Elite was third in 3:35.07 and former Oregon standout Sam Prakel was fourth in a PR 3:36.43.

No world records set on opening night

All three world-record attempts on the track came up short Friday during the opening night of the Prefontaine Classic.

Francine Niyonsaba came tantalizingly close, however, much to the thrill of the 4,812 in attendance at Hayward Field.

The two-time Olympian from Burundi won the 2-mile in 8 minutes, 59.08 seconds, just off the world record of 8:58.58 held by Ethiopia’s Meseret Defar in 2007.

“My target was the world record but in this sport anything can happen,” Niyonsaba said. “I enjoyed the race. I ran alone, I was pushing myself and I did my best, so I’m so excited.”

Niyonsaba got little help from rest of the field, as she moved ahead of her pacers early in the race and ran a solo effort the rest of the way, beating the meet record of 9:00.75 she set last year.

The anticipated showdown with Dutch Olympian Sifan Hassan, who won gold in the 10,000 and 5,000, and bronze in the 1,500 last summer, didn’t materialize as Hassan was a late scratch, and second-place finisher Beatrice Chebet was far behind in 9:14.71.

“It is not easy,” Niyonsaba said of running alone. “It is really difficult, but I always believe in myself and I am so proud of what I have done. I was really working hard, but I think I can do better. I think next time I can break it.”

The other two announced world-record attempts came from the current world-record holders as Uganda’s Joshua Cheptegei and Ethiopia’s Letesenbet Gidey tried to take down their own PRs, which are 12:35.36 and 14:06.62, respectively.

Neither came close, as Cheptegei won in a world-leading 12:57.99 and Gidey ran 14:24.59 to finish second to fellow Ethiopian Ejgayehu Taye. Taye won in a meet record and PR 14:12.98 as she moved to No. 5 on the world all-time list.

Mondo wins men’s pole vault

Mondo Deplantis, who earlier in the day praised the decision to move the pole vault to Friday night, won the competition with a clearance of 19 feet, 4¾ inches.

The event was originally scheduled for Saturday afternoon but Duplantis said the potential of conducting the pole vault in the rain would only make a dangerous event even more so.

“It was the best decision and we had a good time,” Duplantis said.

For sure Duplantis did, as the Olympic champ only had one miss before wrapping up the victory while American Christopher Nilsen missed on his three attempts at 19-4¾ to finish second with a best clearance of 19-¾.

Duplantis missed on three attempts at 19-11 to end his night.

“Winning was the most important thing but I think I would be lying if I said I'm not bitter about not making that bar,” Duplantis said about not clearing 19-11. “I felt like it was very possible. I gave it three good attempts, but it just wasn't for today I guess.”

Mahuchikh wins women’s high jump

Ukranian Yaroslava Mahuchikh dominated the women’s high jump, with a jump of 6-6¾ after locking up the win after clearing 6-5.

That was the last height of the night for American Vashti Cunningham and Kazakhstan’s Nadezhda Dubovitskaya, who finished second and third, respectively.

“The jumps were fantastic,” said Mahuchikh, who missed on her three attempts at 6-8 during her season-opening meet. “I missed competition, this feeling, this excitement. I think (6-6 ¾) is a good jump to open my outdoor season and I hope my season will go higher.”

Allman shines in women's discus

Valarie Allman is coming off a storybook season in which she won Olympic gold as well as the Diamond League title.

She’s looked better than ever this season, adding nearly a foot to her American record in April with a throw of 234-5 — the best mark in the world since 1992.

Friday she continued her dominance with another win, throwing 224-3 on her fifth attempt against a field that included Croatian Sandra Perkovic — the Pre Classic record-holder at 227-5 — and Olympic silver medalist Kristin Pudenz of Germany.

Perkovic was second at 214-10 and Pudenz third at 205-3.

Top three in 10,000-meter move on to Oregon22 in July

The 2022 Prefontaine Classic began Friday night with the men's and women's 10,000 meters race, a qualifying event for July's World Athletics Championships.

Karissa Schweizer won the women's 10,000 meters with a time of 30:49.56. Alicia Monson and Natosha Rogers came in second and third.

Joe Klecker was the winner in the men's 10,000 meters as he registered a time of 28:28.71. Grant Fisher and Sean McGorty followed to finish second and third.

Both races were close but were won in entirely different ways.

Read the story hereSchweizer, Klecker qualify in 10,000m for World Championships

Follow Chris Hansen on Twitter @chansen_RG or email at chansen@registerguard.com.

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This article originally appeared on Register-Guard: Prefontaine Classic: Live updates from track event at Hayward Field