by Justin LagatThe World Championships are just 50 days away. And this coming weekend, the 2022 Nike Prefontaine Classic is chock full of amazing fields and events that will enthrall fans, live and remotely. That is what Nike athletics plans on with the Pre Classic. It is the yearly showcase of the global sports marketing power, and many of the top Nike athletes compete here.
The new Hayward Field is spectacular and the stadium will be completely sold out, thanks to the the excitement about the upcoming championships and the amazing fields.
Just Lagat, our Senior writer in Kenya, wrote this preview!
Keely Hodgkinson is coming to Eugene this weekend, photo by Getty Images for British Athletics
The New Hayward Field, photo by Kevin Morris / @kevmofoto
Whoever wins an event at the Eugene Diamond League meeting this weekend will automatically become the favorite to win a world title on the same track at the same venue in less than two months’ time.
During the two-day Diamond League meeting, there will be three world record attempts in the distance races, on Friday.
Francine Niyonsaba, 2021 Nike Pre Classic, photo by Star Gazer Pix, via Peacock TV
Francine Niyonsaba, who is currently in great form and is eying the world record, will be racing in the 2-mile race on Friday the 27th against Siffan Hassan, the double gold medalist (5000m and 10000m) from the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
Uganda’s Joshua Cheptegei will be attempting to break his own world record in the men’s 5000m. The fact that there will be another competitive 5000m race the following day means that Cheptegei will be relieved of the pressure to compete against some of the world’s best talents including Jacob Kiplimo, Selemon Barega, Mo Ahmed, and Paul Chelimo, among others. He will have ample time to work on lowering the world record.
Letesenbet Gidey who holds world records for the women’s 5000m (14:06.62), 10,000m (29:01.03), and half marathon (1:02:52) distances will be aiming to lower her world record of 14:06.62 further in the women’s 5000m race.
On Saturday, perhaps one event that will most likely turn out to be a rehearsal for the world championships will be the loaded women’s 3000m steeplechase race. Seven out of the top ten best runners on the current world ranking will all be there. Norah Jeruto of Kazakhstan who has the world-leading time of 9:04.95 will be running against the Olympic Champion, Peruth Chemutai of Uganda -who she already defeated at the Kip Keno Classic event earlier this month in Nairobi, and the Olympic silver medalist, Courtney Frerichs of USA.
Another competitive event will be the women’s 800m where Keely Hodgkinson, after her dominant run at the Birmingham Diamond League will meet up with Ajee Wilson of the US.
Kenya’s Olympic and world champion, Faith Kipyegon will be taking part in her favorite event this time around after being beaten by Niyonsaba in the 3000m race at the Birmingham Diamond League meeting last week. She will be lining up against Ethiopia’s Tsegay Gudaf and Laura Muir of Great Britain, who had won the 1500m race in Birmingham, among other big names entered.
The probable medalists for the men’s 1500m race at the Oregon 2022 world championships will get to gauge each other’s strengths but at a different distance. Kenya’s Timothy Cheruiyot and Abel Kipsang will run against Jakob Ingebrigtsen in the Bowerman Mile. Also worth watching out for in this event will be the 20-year-old Cole Hocker of the US.
