U.S. Record Holder Grant Fisher Eyes Opportunity To Button Up A Spot On World Championships Team

By Doug Binder, DyeStat Editor

Friday night's distance races at the Prefontaine Classic include the USATF 10,000-meter championships and three events with world-record potential. 

It doesn't get any better for fans of distance running. 

The so-called 'Party at Pre' session is open and free to the public and organizers want to generate as much noise and energy as possible to inspire great running at Hayward Field. 

The weather forecast in Eugene calls for cool (low 60s) and cloudy with a chance of light rain at some point during the program. It probably won't have a negative impact on the racing unless the wind picks up.

WATCH THE LIVE WEBCAST OF THE USATF 10,000m CHAMPIONSHIPS & PARTY AT THE PRE

"A lot of things have to come into play (for a record attempt)," said Joshua Cheptegei at Thursday's press conference. "There is a weather element."

First, however, there is the serious business of choosing a U.S. team in the 10,000 meters that will compete at the World Athletics Championships in July. That event begins in 50 days, and by holding the U.S. 10,000 finals now there is some hope that the Americans running at Worlds will have a bit more time to rest. 

"Ultimately, splitting the 10 and 5K is advantageous for me," said U.S. record holder Grant Fisher, who was fifth in Tokyo in the 10,000 last summer. "I'll be coming back (to Eugene) next month for the 5,000."

Fisher finished a second behind Bowerman Track Club teammate Woody Kincaid at last year's Olympic Trials in the 10,000 meters and Joe Klecker of On Athletics Club was third. 

Fourth-and fifth-place finishers last year, veteran Ben True and first-year pro Conner Mantz, are also in Friday's field. 

Even since last summer, it's Fisher who has leveled up. 

The former Stanford star broke the U.S. indoor record in the 5,000 meters when he ran 12:53.73 at Boston in February, and then smashed the U.S. outdoor record in the 10,000 on March 6 in San Juan Capistrano, Calif., when he ran 26:33.84. 

Kincaid ran 13:05.56 in the same race in Boston and was a DNF in the 10,000 at San Juan Capistrano. 

If Kincaid can stay close, his kick could come into play like it did at the Trials. 

As a training partner, Fisher knows that final gear very well. 

"Woody is the defending champ, so respect has to go there," Fisher said. 

Klecker has raced twice in 2022, including a personal best outing of 13:04.42 in the 5,000 at San Juan Capistrano on May 6. 

"I'm going in with a lot more confidence (than 2021)," Klecker said. "Making the team isn't a dream any more. That's the bar that we've set on our club."

The women's field does not include last year's Trials winner. 

Emily Sisson of New Balance, 10th at the Olympic Games last summer, broke the U.S. record in the half marathon earlier this month. She is not on the start list for Friday and has turned her attention to summer road racing. 

Karissa Schweizer of the Bowerman Track Club and Alicia Monson of On Athletics Club, second and third at the U.S. Trials last year, are the top returners. Elise Cranny, also of Bowerman Track Club and an Olympian in the 5,000 meters, was fourth in the sweltering heat of last year's race and is a co-favorite to make the team as well. 

Weini Kelati of Under Armour/Dark Sky Athletics became eligible to compete for U.S. teams last June and is also a potential factor. 

Emily Infeld of Nike, a 2015 World bronze medalist in the 10,000 meters, is also running well. 

The women's race is first, at 7:30 p.m. Pacific, followed by the men's race at 8:15 p.m. 

World Record Attempts

Three races that cap the evening all have world-record potential. 

The women's 2-mile features appearances by Francine Niyonsaba of Burundi, double Olympic champion Sifan Hassan of The Netherlands and Konstanze Klosterhalfen, who trains with the Union Athletics Club but competes for Germany. 

The world record of 8:58.58 belongs to Ethiopia's Meseret Defar and she ran that in Belgium in 2007. 

Niyonsaba, who was pushed out of her best event (800m) in 2019 due to World Athletics' testosterone regulations, has adapted to longer distances in order to keep her career alive. 

She ran a world-leading time of 8:37.70 in he 3,000 meters on May 13 in Doha. 

Hassan, who came up short in a world record attempt in the 5,000 meters at the Prefontaine Classic last August when she ran 14:27.89, will be making her 2022 racing debut. 

Klosterhalfen was eighth at the Olympics in the 10,000 last summer. She was the bronze medalist in the 5,000 at the 2019 World Championships. 

Letesenbet Gidey from Ethiopia is set to chase her own world record in the 5,000 meters, which is 14:06.62 from 2020. 

Gidey was originally set to go after the One Hour world record but changed her mind. She said the weather would play a factor in deciding whether to chase after her best time. 

Fellow Ethiopian Fantu Worku, currently third in the world this season in the 5,000 (14.49.64) is also in the race. 

The finale features Joshua Cheptegei of Uganda going after his own world record in the 5,000 meters, which is 12:35.36. 

The Olympic champion in the event said Eugene holds a spot near and dear to his heart. In 2014, Cheptegei won the World Junior title in the 5,000. 

"It's where my journey started from," he said. 

Cheptegei won the 2-mile at the Pre Classic last summer with 8:09.55. 

On Friday, he'll run in a field with former Oregon star Edward Cheserek, British champion Sam Atkin, and Ethiopian Milkesa Mengesha, who was 10th at the Olympic Games.