Records fall as Prefontaine Classic returns to Hayward Field

By the time the Bowerman Mile runners lined up for the final event of the Prefontaine Classic, there had been eight meet records, six world-leading marks and two Diamond-League records already set.

Jakob Ingebrigtsen made sure to add his name to that group of record-setters.

The 20-year-old Norwegian who won Olympic gold two weeks ago in Tokyo, won the Prefontaine Classic’s signature event Saturday afternoon at Hayward Field in 3 minutes, 47.24 seconds, which was also a national record.

"Obviously racing at Hayward Field is always a great experience for milers," Ingebrigtsen said. "Always a great time racing here. Being able to run this fast and take the win is just amazing."

Ingebrigtsen stormed past front-running Australian Stewart McSweyn with 250 meters to go and kicked hard for the win.

McSweyn was second in 3:48.40 and two-time Bowerman Mile champion Timothy Cheruiyot of Kenya was third in 3:51.17.

"I really enjoy racing and competing," Ingebrigtsen said. "Being able to win races is every athlete’s dream. It’s great to be able to be here and take part in this great meet."

Matthew Centrowitz, the former Oregon standout and the 2016 Olympic gold medalist, was ninth in 3:53.32. Centrowitz started the race running from the back and had no chance to catch up when Ingebrigtsen and McSweyn pushed the pace.

The meet marked the return of the Pre Classic to Hayward Field after a three-year absence due to the stadium renovation and the 2020 meet getting canceled because of COVID-19. An announced crowd of 8,937 was on hand, making it the largest crowd at Hayward Field since in reopened in April.

Jamaican’s shine again in 100

Elaine Thompson-Herah and her Jamaican teammates made the showdown with American Sha’Carri Richardson non-competitive.

Thompson-Herah, the two-time Olympic gold medalist in the 100, ran the second-fastest women’s 100-meter time in history with her win in 10.54 — a Diamond League, meet and Jamaican record. The only woman who has run faster is world-record holder Florence Griffith Joyner at 10.49.

“I ran 10.5 and I think I have so much more,” Thompson-Herah said. “I have some more races. I don’t want to get too excited, too carried away. I still have a mission to complete.”

Right on her heels were Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce (10.73) and Shericka Jackson (10.76), duplicating their finish in Tokyo.

In last place was U.S. champion Richardson, who hasn’t competed since the Olympic Trials due to a drug suspension for marijuana. Richardson ran 11.14.

“I’m a warrior,” Richardson said. “My passion will always come out. This last month was a journey for me. That’s no excuse because I’m an athlete. Today was a day, but it’s not every day. It’s not the end of the world. If you choose to count me out, the joke’s on you."

'Talk all the (expletive) you want': Sha'Carri Richardson sounds off after finishing last in Prefontaine Classic race

The women’s 200 was won by Mujinga Kambundji of Switzerland in 22.06, with American bronze medalist Gabby Thomas coming in second at 22.11.

“I wanted to be competitive,” Thomas said. “I didn’t want to go out there and run a mediocre time. I wanted to come to Hayward and compete because it’s my first time at Prefontaine (Classic). I wanted that to be memorable. That was a tough race but I competed.”

Oregon star and two-time Olympian Jenna Prandini was fourth in 22.36 and Allyson Felix was eighth in 22.60.

De Grasse and Lyles get redemption

Andre de Grasse returned to Canada with a pair of individual Olympic medals, winning gold in the 200 and bronze in the 100.

Facing another Olympic quality field in the Pre Classic men’s 100, de Grasse came away a winner, running a wind-aided (plus-2.9) 9.74.

“I felt like in Tokyo I didn’t really execute in the finals,” De Grasse said. “I could have done better. So it was good to just finally come out here and get out of the blocks good and run a fast time. I felt like there was less pressure. The Olympics are over. Now all these races are just about having fun, enjoying the moment.”

Olympic silver medalist Fred Kerley was second in 9.78 and fellow American Ronnie Baker was third in 9.82.

In his first race since his disappointing finish in Tokyo, Noah Lyles won the 200 in a world-leading and meet-record 19.52.

Lyles was considered the Olympic favorite going into the Summer Games but settled for bronze. Silver medalist Kenny Bednarek was second in 19.80 and Josephus Lyles was third in a PR 20.03.

“I’m excited,” Noah Lyles said. “I’m very happy. I came out here and I knew I could put something special together. I’m just excited to see it.”

Mu resets her own 800 record

The final race of Athing Mu’s long and illustrious season was the best of her short career.

The 800 prodigy and Olympic gold medalist topped her own American record with a 1:55.04 victory against a field that included all three medalists from Tokyo.

Mu, 19, who wrapped up her one-and-only season at Texas A&M with an NCAA 40 title in June, first set the American record with her win in Tokyo in 1:55.21.

Saturday she had a commanding lead as pacer Kaylin Whitney took them through the first lap in 54.19. When Mu crossed the finish line, there was no one on her heels.

"I knew this was probably going to be a little tougher because coming off the Olympic games and running a PR there," Mu said. "So I wasn't looking at time, I just wanted to come here and run with whoever is out there and just be competitive. ... Very satisfied with 1:55. A PR again this season, that's pretty great."

American Kate Grace was second in 1:57.60 and Jamaica’s Natoya Goule was third in 1:57.71. Olympic bronze medalist Raevyn Rogers was fourth in 1:58.01 and silver medalist Keely Hodgkinson of Great Britain was fifth in 1:58.30.

In the men’s 800, Canada’s Marco Arop made a late move to get into the lead and then kicked down the homestretch to win in 1:44.51, beating the top two medalists from Tokyo. Silver medalist Ferguson Rotich was second in 1:45.02 and fellow Kenyan Emmanuel Korir, the Olympic champ was third in 1:45.05.

Arop was seventh in his Olympic semifinal heat and didn’t run in the final.

More records for Crouser

The best men’s shot putter in the world had another record-setting outing at Hayward Field.

Ryan Crouser, who broke the world record during the U.S. Olympic Track & Field Trials in June, won Saturday’s competition on this fourth attempt with a throw of 75-11 1/2 to set the Diamond League and meet record.

Overall, the two-time Olympic champion from Boring had four throws of at least 75 feet.

“I’d be happy if that was an ordinary day at the office,” Crouser said. “I felt good out here today competing. I was really happy with the performance today because I felt like I struggled a little bit warming up. I shook out a little of the uncertainty early. I was really happy with my execution coming off a major championship.”

Brazil’s Darlan Romani was second with a mark of 71-2 and Olympic silver medalist Joe Kovacs was third at 71-11 3/4.

American record for Frerichs in steeplechase

There was no Olympic hangover for Courtney Frerichs.

The 3,000 steeplechase silver medalist in Tokyo became the first American woman to run under 9:00 when she clocked 8:57.77 for a second-place finish.

“I really wanted to focus on competing today,” Frerichs said. “I’ve found that the times come if I focus on the competition and not the pace. I think that was a really good mindset going in because going out in 66 (seconds) is definitely not how I would have expected things to happen. But I think by focusing on competing I wasn’t rattled by any of the pacing.

Frerichs, who is a member of Portland’s BTC, also owned the previous American record of 9:00.85 from 2018.

She said getting on the track again after her performance in Tokyo felt good.

“Physically I was in a great spot,” she said. “When you’ve been thinking about a race for five years and then suddenly it’s over, you kind of want to reset and take the time to figure out your next goals.”

Saturday’s winner was Kenyan Norah Jeruto, who ran a world-leading and meet-record 8:53.65.

“The race was very good for me,” Jeruto said. “I was prepared for this race today.”

Jeruto, who didn’t compete in Tokyo, beat a field that included all three medalists.

Olympic champion Peruth Chemutai of Uganda finished seventh in 9:10.87 and bronze medalist Hyvin Kiyeng of Kenya was third in 9:00.05.

Other results

• Faith Kipyegon cruised to victory in the women’s 1,500 as the two-time Olympic gold medalist won by more than six seconds as she set the meet record with a time of 3:53.23. Australian Linden Hall was second in 3:59.73 and American Josette Norris was third in 4:00.07. It was a tough race for Great Britain’s Laura Muir, who won silver in Tokyo. She was 12th Saturday in 4:05.92. Former Oregon star Jessica Hull, an Olympic finalist for Australia, was 11th in 4:05.33.

• Olympic champion Pedro Pichardo of Portugal won the men’s triple jump 57-10 1/4. Pichardo took the lead when he went 56-6 3/4 on his first jump and then unnecessarily extended his advantage on his last jump. Hugues Fabrice Zango, the bronze medalist from Burkina Faso was second at 56-2 and American Donald Scott was third at 55-10 1/2.

• American Dalilah Muhammad set the meet record on the women’s 400 hurdles with her win in 52.77. American Shamier Little was second in 53.79 and Panama’s Gianna Woodruff was third in PR 54.20.

• American Olympic gold medalist Katie Nageotte won the women’s pole vault with a clearance of 15-9 3/4. Bronze medalist Holly Bradshaw of Great Britain was second at 15-5 3/4 and American Olivia Gruver was third at 14-10.

• Uganda’s Joshua Cheptegei broke the tape and pounded his chest as the Olympic 5,000 champ won the men’s 2-mile in a world-leading 8:09.55. Ethiopia’s Selemon Barega was second in 8:09.82 and American Paul Chelimo, the 5,000 bronze medalist, was third in 8:09.83.

• Iryna Gerashcenko of Ukraine beat American Vashti Cunningham in a jump off to win the women’s high jump. Both cleared 6-6 — which was a season-best for Gerashcenko, who took 18 jumps overall. Poland’s Kamila Licwinko was third at 6-2 3/4.

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

This article originally appeared on Register-Guard: Prefontaine Classic results: Saturday highlights from Hayward Field