Prefontaine Classic Explained
The Prefontaine Classic is a track and field meet held at Hayward Field on the campus of the University of Oregon in Eugene, Oregon, United States. Organized by the Oregon Track Club, it was previously one of the IAAF Grand Prix events, and is now part of the Diamond League. The meet is one of the few international competitions to host the imperial distances of the Mile run (Bowerman Mile) and 2 Mile run.
History
The first Prefontaine Classic was held in 1975. The meet had its genesis with the Hayward Restoration Meets of 1973–74. The Hayward Restoration meets were launched to help replace the deteriorated wooden West Grandstands at Hayward Field. It was to become the "Bowerman Classic" in 1975 to honor longtime University of Oregon track coach Bill Bowerman, and was scheduled for June 7.[2] With the unexpected death of University of Oregon distance runner and Olympian Steve Prefontaine in an automobile accident on May 30, the Oregon Track Club changed the name, with Bowerman's approval, on June 1;[3] [4] the first "Pre Classic" was held six days later.[5] Nike has been the primary sponsor since 1978. The 2019 edition moved to Stanford's Cobb Track and Angell Field, Palo Alto, California because of restoration of Hayward Field in anticipation of the IAAF World Athletics Championships in 2021.[6] The 2020 edition was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[7]
In 2023, the Prefontaine Classic was held as the Diamond League Final for the first time.[8]
Editions
World records
Over the course of its history, seven world records have been set at the Prefontaine Classic.
Other notable performances and records
2001: Alan Webb's high school mile record
At the 2001 Prefontaine Classic, Alan Webb competed against elite international runners, in a field that included world record holder Hicham El Guerrouj, and the 2000 Sydney Olympics 1500m bronze medalist Bernard Lagat.
Webb ran 3:53.43 in the Bowerman Mile and broke Jim Ryun's national high school record that had stood for 36 years. This was also the fastest mile by an American in three years.
1993–2008: Maria Mutola in the 800 m
Maria de Lurdes Mutola won 16 consecutive (1993–2008) women's 800 m races at the Pre Classic.
2023: Jakob Ingebrigtsen's mile & 3000m double
In the 2023 Prefontaine Classic & Diamond League Final, on September 16, Norwegian athlete Jakob Ingebrigtsen won the Bowerman Mile, in a time of 3:43.73, with the aid of pacing lights and pacemakers Erik Sowinski & Cameron Myers.
Ingebrigtsen missed Hicham El Guerrouj's mile world record by .60 seconds, still having run the fastest mile in 24 years and the third fastest mile in history at the time.
Ingebrigtsen was closely followed by Yared Nuguse, who finished in an American record time of 3:43.97, breaking Alan Webb's former American mile record of 3:46.91 by almost three full seconds and running the fourth fastest mile in history at the time.
The race closely mimics El Guerrouj's 1999 world record run in Rome, where El Guerrouj won in 3:43.13, but was being closely tracked by Kenyan athlete Noah Ngeny, who came in second place at 3:43.40. El Guerrouj and Ngeny still hold the first and second fastest mile times respectively as of 2023.
These four men (El Guerrouj, Ngeny, Ingebrigtsen, Nuguse) remain the only ones in history to have run a mile under 3:44.00 as of 2023, with the #5 fastest mile of all time being Noureddine Morceli's 1993 time of 3:44.39.[44] [45] [46]
The next day, Ingebrigtsen would go on to win the 3000 m, in a time of 7:23.63, beating Yomif Kejelcha by only one hundredth of a second. At the time, this ranked Kejelcha at #4 all time and Ingebrigtsen at #3 all time, behind Hicham El Guerrouj's 7:23.09 and Daniel Komen's world record of 7:20.67.[47]
Both of Ingebrigtsen's performances stand as Diamond League Records and are the third fastest performances in their respective event as of 2023.
Meeting records
Men
Women
External links
44.042°N -123.071°W
Notes and References
- Web site: Events Calendar Diamond League Meetings. World Athletics. 2024.
- News: A great season . Eugene-Register Guard . Newnham . Blaine . April 25, 1975 . 1D .
- News: Moore: I knew he was happy . Eugene-Register Guard . June 4, 1975 . 1D .
- News: The Pre Classic . Eugene-Register Guard . Newnham . Blaine . June 4, 1975 . 1D .
- News: Pre's peers pay tribute . Eugene Register-Guard . (New York Times) . Moore . Kenny . June 8, 1975 . 2B .
- News: Quality clashes at every turn in Stanford – IAAF Diamond League. IAAF. Brian Russell. 28 June 2019. 17 July 2019.
- Web site: Wanda Diamond League announces updates to 2020 calendar. IDL Diamond League.
- Web site: 2023 Diamond League season: Full list of disciplines and results for each World Athletics track and field top tier event .
- Web site: Hollobaugh . Jeff . 1973 Hayward Field Restoration: Prefontaine takes on Wottle . 2024-04-29 . en-US.
- Web site: Lindstrom . Sieg . 2020-08-10 . The Pre Chronicles — Part 15, The '74 Outdoor Season . 2024-04-29 . Track & Field News . en-US.
- Web site: ALL-TIME PREFONTAINE CLASSIC SUB-4:00 MILE LIST 1975—2017. Track & Field News.
- Web site: 1996 Results . 2024-04-29 . dl.all-athletics.com.
- Web site: 1997 Results . 2024-04-29 . dl.all-athletics.com.
- Web site: 1998 Results . 2024-04-29 . dl.all-athletics.com.
- Web site: 1999 Results . 2024-04-29 . dl.all-athletics.com.
- Web site: 2000 Results . 2024-04-29 . dl.all-athletics.com.
- Web site: 2001 Results . 2024-04-29 . dl.all-athletics.com.
- Web site: 2002 Results . 2024-04-29 . dl.all-athletics.com.
- Web site: 2003 Results . 2024-04-29 . dl.all-athletics.com.
- Web site: 2004 Results . 2024-04-29 . dl.all-athletics.com.
- Web site: 2005 Results . 2024-04-29 . dl.all-athletics.com.
- Web site: 2006 Results . 2024-04-29 . dl.all-athletics.com.
- Web site: 2007 Results . 2024-04-29 . dl.all-athletics.com.
- Web site: 2008 Results . 2024-04-29 . dl.all-athletics.com.
- Web site: 2009 Results . 2024-04-29 . dl.all-athletics.com.
- Web site: 2010 Results . 2024-04-29 . dl.all-athletics.com.
- Web site: 2011 Results . 2024-04-29 . dl.all-athletics.com.
- Web site: 2012 Results . 2024-04-29 . dl.all-athletics.com.
- Web site: 2013 Results . 2024-04-29 . dl.all-athletics.com.
- Web site: 2014 Results . 2024-04-29 . dl.all-athletics.com.
- Web site: 2015 Results . 2024-04-29 . dl.all-athletics.com.
- Web site: 2016 Results . 2024-07-31 . worldathletics.org.
- Web site: 2017 Results . 2024-04-29 . dl.all-athletics.com.
- Web site: 2018 Results . 2024-04-29 . dl.all-athletics.com.
- Web site: 2019 Results . 2024-04-29 . dl.all-athletics.com.
- Web site: 2021 Results . 2024-07-25 . dl.all-athletics.com.
- Web site: 2022 Results . 2024-04-29 . dl.all-athletics.com.
- Web site: 2023 Results . 2024-04-29 . dl.all-athletics.com.
- Web site: 2024 Results . 2024-04-29 . dl.all-athletics.com.
- News: Mosop rips apart World records for 25,000 and 30,000m in Eugene – Samsung Diamond League. IAAF. Dave Martin. June 4, 2011. June 4, 2011.
- Web site: 30000 Metres Results. www.diamondleague-eugene.com. June 3, 2011. June 4, 2011. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20120325050359/http://diamondleague.com/Results/Eugene/re4220040.pdf. March 25, 2012. mdy-all.
- Web site: 30000 Metres Results with 25000m Intermediate Time. www.diamondleague-eugene.com. June 3, 2011. June 4, 2011. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20120325050359/http://diamondleague.com/Results/Eugene/re4220040.pdf. March 25, 2012. mdy-all.
- Web site: 2024-05-25 . Beatrice Chebet breaks 10,000m world record at Pre Classic . 2024-05-25 . NBC Sports . en-US.
- Web site: Wright . Andy . 2023-09-17 . Bowerman Mile 2023 – Eugene Mile Madness . 2023-11-01 . Meta Endurance . en-GB.
- Web site: LetsRun.com . 2023-09-16 . Jakob Ingebrigtsen (3:43.73) Tops Yared Nuguse (3:43.97) in Epic 2023 Bowerman Mile . 2023-11-01 . LetsRun.com . en.
- Web site: One Mile – men – senior – outdoor . 2023-11-01 . worldathletics.org.
- Web site: 3000 Metres – men – senior – outdoor . 2023-11-01 . worldathletics.org.
- Web site: 100 Metres Results. www.diamondleague-eugene.com. June 4, 2011. June 5, 2011. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20120325050225/http://diamondleague.com/Results/Eugene/re4010040.pdf. March 25, 2012. mdy-all.
- News: Oliver and Jeter shine on a day when world leading marks dominate in Eugene – Samsung Diamond League. IAAF. Dave Martin. June 5, 2011. June 7, 2011.
- Web site: Prefontaine Classic 2021 Complete Results. sportresult.com. August 21, 2021. August 27, 2021.
- News: Norman reigns in fierce 400m clash with record run in Eugene. World Athletics. Cathal Dennehy. 29 May 2022. 15 June 2022.
- Web site: 800m Results. sportresult.com. 17 September 2023. 20 September 2023.
- Web site: Cairess top European in Copenhagen Half – overseas round-up. athleticsweekly.com. Steve Smythe. 19 September 2023. 20 September 2023.
- Web site: Mile Run Race Analysis. sportresult.com. 16 September 2023. 20 September 2023.
- Web site: Ingebrigtsen and Yavi shine as records fall on day one of Diamond League Final REPORT World Athletics . 2023-09-16 . worldathletics.org.
- Web site: 3000m Results. sportresult.com. 17 September 2023. 20 September 2023.
- Web site: Prefontaine Classic 2021 Complete Results.
- Web site: Pole Vault Results. sportresult.com. 17 September 2023. 20 September 2023.
- Web site: Triple Jump Results. IAAF. 27 May 2017. 27 May 2017.
- Web site: Javelin Throw Results. flashresults.com. May 25, 2018. May 26, 2018.
- Web site: 200m Results. sportresult.com. 17 September 2023. 20 September 2023.
- Web site: 800m Results. sportresult.com. 17 September 2023. 19 September 2023.
- News: Brian Russell . July 1, 2019 . Hassan takes historic 3000m victory in Stanford – IAAF Diamond League . IAAF . July 20, 2019.
- News: Mahuchikh and Taye triumph on opening night in Eugene. World Athletics. Cathal Dennehy. 28 May 2022. 10 June 2022.
- Web site: 5000m Results. sportresult.com. 17 September 2023. 20 September 2023.
- Web site: 2024-05-25 . Beatrice Chebet breaks 10,000m world record at Pre Classic . 2024-05-25 . NBC Sports . en-US.
- Web site: Prefontaine Classic 2021 Results.
- Web site: 400m Hurdles Results. sportresult.com. 17 September 2023. 20 September 2023.
- Web site: High Jump Results. flashresults.com. 30 June 2019. 18 July 2019.
- Web site: Discus Throw Results. www.diamondleague-eugene.com. May 30, 2014. May 31, 2014. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20140531105838/http://diamondleague.com/Results/Eugene/re1860040.pdf. May 31, 2014. mdy-all.
- Web site: Camryn Rogers sets Diamond League record in hammer throw. olympic.ca. Hayley McGoldrick. 25 May 2024. 26 May 2024.
- Web site: Javelin Throw Results. Diamond League. Omega Timing. May 31, 2013. June 2, 2013.