Red-hot line-ups at Pre Classic in Eugene

Diamond League on Saturday features mouth-watering fields, especially a stacked Bowerman Mile with Ingebrigtsen, Wightman and Kerr

The Bowerman Mile on Saturday (May 25) is being described as the greatest line-up for the distance in history. With Olympic champion Jakob Ingebrigtsen and the last two world champions – Josh Kerr and Jake Wightman – it is certainly hard to remember a stronger field in recent years.

After Ingebrigtsen beat Yared Nuguse in a Bowerman Mile thriller last year in 3:43.73, there is the chance the runners can get close to Hicham El Guerrouj’s long-standing world record of 3:43.13.

Elsewhere in the programme for the Nike Prefontaine Classic at Hayward Field, the line-ups ooze quality. After the early-season Diamond League events in China, Qatar and Morocco, it looks like the season is going to burst into action in style this weekend.

A number of British athletes are also in Eugene such as Keely Hodgkinson – who takes on world champion Mary Moraa in the 800m – and Laura Muir, who tackles the 1500m along with fellow Brits Georgia Bell and Katie Snowden.

Given this there is good news for British fans as the event is live on BBC3 (together with BBC online and iPlayer) from 9-11pm on Saturday.

Here is a look at the events.

Women

100m – World champion Sha’Carri Richardson of the United States faces multiple Olympic gold medallist Elaine Thompson-Herah of Jamaica, world indoor champion Julien Alfred of Saint Lucia and Marie-Josée Ta Lou-Smith of the Ivory Coast.

800m – Mary Moraa of Kenya and Keely Hodgkinson renew their rivalry in this early-season test. Moraa won the world title last year from Hodgkinson and Athing Mu, with Mu later taking a narrow victory over Hodgkinson at the Pre Classic and Diamond League final last September. Sadly Mu has dropped out of this weekend’s clash to nurse a sore hamstring but the field is still stacked. Moraa and Hodgkinson aside, the line-up features world indoor champion Tsige Duguma of Ethiopia, Natoya Goule of Jamaica, Halimah Makaayi of Uganda and Britain’s Jemma Reekie.

1500m – Brits Laura Muir, Katie Snowden and Georgia Bell take on world silver medallist Diribe Welteji of Ethiopia together with Americans Elle St Pierre and Nikki Hiltz plus Australia’s Jess Hull.

5000m – Sifan Hassan of the Netherlands is a late entry into this race as she takes on many of Ethiopia’s top runners such as Ejgayehu Taye, Freweyni and Lemlem Hailu, plus Karoline Grovdal of Norway.

10,000m – Held earlier in the programme before the Diamond League events begin, Gudaf Tsegay will attack the world record of 29:01.03 held by fellow Ethiopian Letesenbet Gidey. Tsegay ran a world 5000m record of 14:00.21 at the same Hayward Field venue last year and is in great form following a 3:50.30 1500m in Xiamen last month. On Saturday she faces, among others, double world cross-country champion Beatrice Chebet from Kenya, as the event acts as the Kenyan Olympic trials for Paris.

100m hurdles – Olympic champion Jasmine Camacho-Quinn of Puerto Rico is up against world champion Danielle Williams of Jamaica and world indoor record-holder Devynne Charlton of Bahamas.

400m hurdles – Rai Benjamin of the United States has already shown great form so far in 2024 with a 46.64 clocking.

3000m steeplechase – World champion Winfred Yavi of Bahrain takes on world record-holder Beatrice Chepkoech of Kenya.

Pole vault – Katie Moon and Sandi Morris of the United States and Alysha Newman of Canada are in the field.

Triple jump – With world No.1 Yulimar Rojas recovering from injury, Shanieka Ricketts of Jamaica, Maryna Bekh-Romanchuk of Ukraine, Keturah Orji of the United States and world indoor champion Thea LaFond of Dominica lead the entries.

Discus – Olympic champion Valarie Allman of the United States faces Yaime Perez of Cuba.

Hammer – The one-two-three from last year’s World Championships – Camryn Rogers of Canada, Janee’ Kassanavoid and DeAnna Price of the United States – square off.

Men

100m – World indoor champion Christian Coleman of the United States faces Ferdinand Omanyala of Kenya and Ackeem Blake of Jamaica.

200m – Americans Erriyon Knighton, Courtney Lindsey and Kenny Bednarek cross horns.

Bowerman Mile – Is this the greatest line up for a mile in history? Certainly, it’s the best in recent years. Olympic champion Jakob Ingebrigtsen takes on the last two world champions – Josh Kerr and Jake Wightman – together with Yared Nuguse, Hobbs Kessler, Cole Hocker and Matt Centrowitz of the United States, Olli Hoare and Cameron Myers of Australia, Geordie Beamish of New Zealand, Abel Kipsang and Reynold Cheruiyot of Kenya.

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110m hurdles – World champion Grant Holloway of the United States leads the line-up but it includes Hansle Parchment, the reigning Olympic and Diamond League champion.

10,000m – As with the women’s race, this is the Kenyan Olympic trial for Paris and entries include Daniel Simiu Ebenyo, Samwel Chebolei Masai, Kibiwott Kandie and Benson Kiplangat.

Shot put – world record-holder Ryan Crouser faces fellow American Joe Kovacs and New Zealander Tom Walsh.

Timetable and results here.

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