The Bowerman Mile is one of the biggest events at the Nike Pre Classic. Before the mile race in 2022, 455 different men had run sub 4 minutes for the mile at this heralded mile.
Jakob Ingebrigtsen won for a second year but was just part of the story. Sean MacPherson, a University of Oregon sports journalism major, who wrote for RunBlogRun last summer, did this piece for us.
Jakob Ingebrigtsen takes the 2022 Bowerman Mile, photo by Kevin Morris / @kevmofoto
Many of the same faces from the 2020 Olympic 1500m final gathered at a windy and rainy Hayward Field on Saturday at the Prefontaine Classic, this time for the Bowerman mile. Seven Olympic finalists headlined the world-class field, joined by some exciting new faces. As the field from that Olympic final was largely the same, so was the result.
Jakob Ingebrigtsen leads the Bowerman Mile, May 28, 2022, photo by Kevin Morris / @kevmofoto
Jakob Ingibrigtsen, the gold medalist from that Olympic final back in August, once again asserted his dominance over his middle-distance counterparts. The 21-year-old Norwegian sensation crossed the finish line in a world-leading time of 3:49.76 to take the win.
“I’m pretty happy with the race,” said Ingibrigsten, “I went out at an okay pace and tried to keep the momentum, then saved something for the last lap.”
Ingibrigsten took over the lead for the first time 700 meters into the race, and never looked back. After crossing in 2:52 at the bell lap, the Norwegian picked up the pace and ran away from the field.
Ollie Hoare takes second in the Bowerman Mile, photo by Kevin Morris / @kevmofoto
Oliver Hoare used a big kick to finish second in a new personal best of 3:50.65. Timothy Cheruiyot, the 2020 Olympic silver medalist, finished third in 3:50.77.
“I’d love to be in the conversation earlier on,” said Hoare, who finished 11th in the Olympic Finals, “but at this point in time, to get second in the Bowerman Mile is a fantastic result and I should be very proud of it.”
The 2022 Bowerman Mile, photo by Kevin Morris / @kevmofoto
Right behind fourth-place finisher Abel Kipsang, Americans and former Oregon standouts Cole Hocker and Cooper Teare finished 5th and 6th place, respectively, running in their first Diamond League race.
“I think my fitness is there and I have a lot to gain,” said Hocker, “Today I think I came down several places due to tactics over the last 150.”
“This probably showed a little bit of my lack of experience” noted Teare, “I was just never in the spot I wanted to be in, I probably burned a couple too many matches when it came down to it.
This race also featured high school standout Colin Sahlman from Newbury Park, CA. Coming into the race, there was speculation that Sahlman may be able to break Alan Webb’s 21-year-old record high school mile record of 3:53.43, which took place in the 2001 Prefontaine Classic. Sahlman did not break any records on this day, but still finished in a more than respectable 3:56.24 to finish 13th.
Colin Sahlman, Bowerman Mile, photo by Kevin Morris / @kevmofoto
“I just wanted to get in my race and hopefully push for that 3:53,” said Sahlman, “but in the end it was still good to hold on and pass one person.”
Sahlman’s time of 3:56.24 puts him third all-time on the high school record list, only behind Alan Webb and Jim Ryun.
