by Race Results Weekly
(c) 2023 Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved, used with permission.
Alan Webb, former AR at mile, 3:46.91, watching Yared Nuguse, who just broke AR at 3:43.97, from manager #RayFlynn, #nikepreclassic pic.twitter.com/YzgaL6eVJs
— RunBlogRun (@RunBlogRun) September 17, 2023
Unlike Webb –who set his record at a small meeting in Brasschaat, Belgium, where his nearest competitor finished some ten seconds behind– Nuguse had the benefit of racing the world’s #1 male middle distance runner, Olympic and world champion Jakob Ingebrigtsen of Norway. In fact, the race was set up for Ingebrigtsen to achieve a fast time and perhaps the world record. In yesterday’s press conference, Ingebrigtsen told Nuguse that he should “stick to me as long as you can,” which is exactly what Nuguse did today.
The race started quickly behind pacemakers Cameron Myers of Australia and Erik Sowinski of Iowa City, Iowa. Myers split the first quarter in 55.4 seconds with Sowinski, Ingebrigtsen, and Nuguse close behind. Myers continued to lead for the second lap but pulled aside before the finish line, where Sowinski took over. The second lap went at 56.3, and it was clear that Ingebrigtsen was looking to close his season by breaking Hicham El Guerrouj’s 1999 world record of 3:43.13.
“I wanted to race where I could challenge myself to really set out at a decent pace, somewhat conservative, and then I go as hard as I could the last two laps to try to run as fast as I could,” Ingebrigtsen told the flash quotes team at Hayward Field.
Sowinski retired about 900 meters into the race, and Ingebrigtsen became the best possible pacemaker for Nuguse. The Norwegian did not slump in the third quarter, splitting 56.1 seconds, and that set up the two men to threaten the world record over the final lap.
They nearly did it.
Ingebrigtsen ran the last quarter in 56-flat with Nuguse just two strides behind. Ingebrigtsen broke the tape in 3:43.73, the #3 time in history, just .6 seconds short of the world record. Nuguse was clearly straining in the final 50 meters and was only about a quarter of a second behind.
“I know how good he is; everyone knows,” Nuguse said of Ingebrigtsen. “I think I just had a season that I’m really proud of and wanted to end it on a strong note. I just came in, I was like, I know I’m as good as him, I know I can do it, I know I just have to stick with it.” He continued: “Didn’t quite get him there, but it was still an amazing race.”
Webb, who watched today’s race on television, sent Nuguse a congratulatory note via Instagram. “Huge congratulations to @yaredthegoose on breaking the American Record in the Mile!” Webb posted. 3:43.97!! Almost won and got WR. The LORD has blessed him and rewarded him for his humility.”
Down the finish order, another nine men broke 3:50, including third place George Mills of Great Britain (3:47.65), fourth place Mario Garcia Romo of Spain (3:47.69 NR), and fifth place Reynold Kipkorir Cheruiyot of Kenya (3:48.05 U20WR). Garcia Romo is one of Nuguse’s training partners. American Cole Hocker got sixth in a personal best 3:48.08, making him the fourth-fastest American of all time.
While Nuguse’s season is over, Ingebrigtsen is scheduled to run the 3000m tomorrow before getting married to fiancée Elisabeth Asserson in Norway next Saturday.
“Obviously, I was here to run the mile,” said Ingebrigtsen. “I’m jumping in the 3-K because I got the opportunity (he received a special wild card entry). But now it’s all about getting back home to the hotel, eating, sleeping, trying to prepare as well as I can, and we’ll see tomorrow.”
Had it not been for such a spectacular mile, the women’s 1500m would have been the race of the day. Faith Kipyegon of Kenya, the reigning world 1500m and 5000m champion, dominated the race, winning by three seconds in 3:50.72, a new meeting record and the #5 time in history. Ethiopia’s Diribe Welteji got second in a personal best of 3:53.93, and Britain’s Laura Muir third in 3:55.16.
“I didn’t watch the clock,” Kipyegon said in her mixed zone interview. “I was just running my race and see what would happen at the finish line. So it was amazing to run a meeting record, just fantastic.”
There were no surprises in today’s other two distance events, the 3000m steeplechases for both men and women. In the absence of reigning world and Olympic champion Soufiane El Bakkali of Morocco, Kenya’s Simon Kiprop Koech won easily in 8:06.26. Second went to Ethiopia’s Samuel Firewu (8:10.74) and third to New Zealand’s Geordie Beamish (8:14.01).
On the women’s side, reigning world champion Winfred Mutile Yavi of Bahrain won a last-lap shootout against Kenya’s Beatrice Chepkoech, 8:50.66 to 8:51.67. Her time was a world leader, meeting record, Asian record, and the #2 time in history. Since Kenya’s Faith Cherotich got third in 8:59.65, which duplicated the podium places from the recent World Athletics Championships in Budapest.
“Today I didn’t expect I did the second fastest time (in history),” Yavi said after the race. “I’m so happy; I’m excited at the same time.”
The Wanda Diamond League Final continues tomorrow with four more distance events: the men’s and women’s 800m, the men’s 3000m, and the women’s 5000m. Like today, each event champion will earn USD 30,000.
