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≡ PRE CLASSIC ≡
It was another hot meet at the Prefontaine Classic in Eugene, Oregon, with three world leads, but a dozen more stories behind them:
● Men/Mile: 3:46.06, Cam Myers (AUS)
● Men/Shot Put: 22.74 m (74-7 1/4), Leonardo Fabbri (ITA)
● Women/Mile: 4:17.49, Nikki Hiltz (USA)
Australia’s Myers rolled to the front and took the bell ahead of Hobbs Kessler and Yared Nuguse. Myers kept the lead into the final straight and ran away from an excellent field to win in an outdoor world-leading 3:46.06, a week after his world-leading 3:28.00 1,500 m at the Paris Diamond League! Nuguse was second in 3:46.61 and Ethan Strand came on during the final 100 m to get third in 3:46.97, ahead of Kessler (3:47.48). Myers moves to no. 8 on the all-time list, with a national record; he just turned 20. Wow.
Two-time World Champion Joe Kovacs of the U.S. set the pace with the first throw of the men’s shot at 21.02 m (68-11 3/4). That inspired world leader 2023 Worlds runner-up Fabbri, who exploded to 22.74 m (74-7 1/4), the 2026 world leader! Jamaican Olympic bronzer Rajindra Campbell fired up to 22.16 m (72-8 1/2) in the first round to move into second, and then American Jordan Geist passed Kovacs at 21.55 m (70-8 1/2). In fact, Kovacs was sixth after round one.
Geist reached 21.98 m (72-1 1/2) in round two and Tripp Piperi jumped to fourth at 21.70 m (71-2 1/2) in round five. But Fabbri could not be caught and stands atop the world list.
Triple Olympic 1,500 m champ Faith Kipyegon (KEN) was back for another Pre Classic appearance in the women’s mile, and she and Paris 2024 silver medalist were 1-2 with two laps to go. Kipyegon took the bell, with a half-dozen in contention, and U.S. champ Hiltz moved up on her shoulder with 200 m to go.
Kipyegon was in front on the straight, but Hiltz and Dorcus Ewoi (KEN) both got past Kipyegon in the final 25 m and Hiltz won in a world-leading 4:17.49, with Ewoi at 4:17.62 and Kipyegon third in 4:17.80. It’s the no. 6 performance all-time U.S. outdoors for Hiltz.
Those were great, but the sprints and hurdles were even wilder:
● Men/100 m: World Champion and world leader Oblique Seville (JAM) was in lane seven, with no. 2 Kayinsola Ajayi (NGR) in four. Ajayi was out well, but so was Seville, but Ajayi – who won the NCAA title for Auburn – ran away in the final 40 m to win in 9.84 (+0.1) to equal his lifetime best. He left no doubt, with Seville a clear second in 9.89, then Americans Christian Coleman in 9.95 and Kenny Bednarek in 9.96.
● Men/200 m: Paris Olympic 200 m champ Letsile Tebogo (BOT) was in lane seven, but a scratch allowed high school record man Tate Taylor to enter in lane three. Jamaica’s Bryan Levell was in the lead off the turn, but on the straight, Taylor blew away the field and won in a startling 19.75, into a 0.9 m/s headwind! Tebogo was a well-beaten second in 19.93, then Maka Charamba (ZIM) in 20.11, with Levell fading to fifth in 2020.
Taylor – who is 18 – had a best before today of 19.94, and was a 20.14 guy coming into the season! He’s now no. 3 all-time on the World Junior list.
● Men/110 m hurdles: New world-record holder Ja’Kobe Tharp is a pro now and faced an all-star field, including World Champion Cordell Tinch and rising star Jamal Britt. Tharp was out well, but so was Britt and Britt took over in mid-race and won decisively in 12.86 (+1.8 m/s), a lifetime best and now no. 5 all-time (and equal-5th performance)! Tharp was second in 12.91, with DeMario Prince (JAM: 13.01) and Tinch (13.07) following.
Britt started the season with a best of 13.07, equaled that four times and now has four more PRs in 2026. Amazing. Olympic champ Grant Hoilloway was in the NBC booth for the meet and said before the race that he tore his hamstring in January, and is working his way back.
● Women/100 m: This was expected to be hot and the heats were won by collegiate record holder Adaejah Hodge (UVB) at 10.82 (-0.2) over 2023 World Champion Sha’Carri Richardson (10.83) and reigning World Champion Melissa Jefferson-Wooden at 10.95 (-0.2).
In the final, Jefferson-Wooden got the best start and she and Richardson were close through the finish, with Jefferson-Wooden getting the nod in 10.78 with Richardson at 10.79. Hodge was third at 10.80 and made up ground over the final 50 m. Jamaican Jonielle Smith was fourth in 10.89.
● Women/100 m hurdles: One of the best fields in the history saw World Indoor winner Devynne Charlton (BAH) get out best, but to her right was Olympic champion Masai Russell of the U.S. Russell took over in the middle of the race and was a clear winner of 12.24 (+0.8), with world-record holder Tobi Amusan (NGR) coming on late to get second in 12.34 and Charlton third in 12.41. Russell’s 12.24 is the equal-10th performance all-time.
There was a lot more:
The men’s 400 m had World Champion Collen Kebinatshipi (BOT) in lane five and he took the lead right away, But 400 m hurdles Olympic champ Rai Benjamin started well and was strong on the turn and came into the straight with the lead. Kebinatshipi pushed hard in the final 50 m and got to the line first in 44.00 to 44.11, a lifetime best for Benjamin! Chris Bailey was third in 44.58, ahead of Jacory Patterson in 44.88.
World-record holder Mykolas Alekna (LTU) was in front of the men’s discus after round one at 68.81 m (225-9), but 2022 World Champion Kristjan Ceh (SLO) moved into the lead in round three at 69.94 m (229-5). But Alekna was not done, and exploded into the lead in round five at 71.96 m (235-9). That held up to win, with Ceh second and Paris Olympic champ Roja Stona (JAM) in third at 67.42 m (221-2) in round three.
NCAA champ Sanu Jallow (GAM) took the bell in the women’s 800 m, but Olympic champ Keely Hodgkinson (GBR) had the lead with 200 m to go. She led into the straight, then Kenyan Lilian Odira took over on the straight and won easily in 1:56.19, with Hodgkinson in 1:56.73 and American Addy Wiley coming up for third in 1:57.70. Jallow was fourth in 1:58.12.
The women’s Steeple saw a breakaway by Tokyo Olympic champ Peruth Chemutai (UGA), Paris Olympic champ Winfred Yavi (BRN) and World Champion Faith Cherotich (KEN), followed by Kenyan Doris Lemngole and two-time Olympian Marwa Bouzayani (TUN). The Tunisian took the lead with two laps to go, but Yavi took the bell with Cherotich just behind. But Cherotich took over with 200 m to go and ran away from Yavi to win in 8:51.74 to 8:52.84, with Bouzayani third in 8:54.32.
Ethiopian Asayech Ayichew had the lead in the women’s two-mile with three laps to go, then countrywoman Aleshigh Baweke took over with two laps left. Then Hirut Meshesha took the bell and it was she and Baweke 1-2 into the final turn. Baweke had the speed on the straight to win in 9:20.02, with Meshesha at 9:20.20 and American Shelby Houlihan coming up for third in the straight in 9:21.42.
The women’s long jump was blown open in round one by World Indoor silver winner Larissa Iapichino (ITA) at 7.12 m (23-4 1/2) , but Olympic champ – and world leader – Tara Davis-Woodhall had an answer, taking over at 7.13 m (23-4 3/4) in round two. Alyssa Jones moved up to third at 6.99 m (22-11 1/4) in round three, while Davis-Woodhall jumped 7.06 m (23-2) just to back up her leading mark. American Monae Nichols got out to 7.05 mw (23-1 3/4w) to move into third in round four.
Davis-Woodhall rode the wind – at 4.4 m/s – to a 7.12 mw (23-4 1/2w) in the final round and finished as the winner with three jumps over 7 m!
American Chase Jackson, the two-time World Champion, was looking for a big mark in the women’s shot and took the first-round lead at 20.56 m (67-5 1/2) over world leader Jessica Schilder (NED: 20.11 m/65-11 3/4). That’s how it ended, with Fanny Roos (SWE) in third at 19.70 m (64-7 3/4).
In the women’s hammer, Olympic and World Champion Cam Rogers (CAN) got busy in the first round and powered out to 77.81 m (255-3) and dared anyone to catch her. It took until the sixth round, but China’s Worlds bronzer Jiale Zhang finally did, reaching 77.94 m (255-8) to steal the win! American DeAnna Price, the 2019 World Champion, was third most of the day but got her best in the final round as well, at 76.95 m (252-5).
Next up on the Diamond League schedule is Herculis meet in Monaco on 10 July (Friday).
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