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Distance Marvel Sifan Hassan Treats Hayward Field Crowd But Can't Run Down Record

Published by
DyeStat.com   Aug 21st 2021, 7:17am
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Hassan Wins 5,000m But Admits To Feeling 'Tired'; Niyonsaba Nearly Runs Under 9 minutes For No. 2 All-Time 2-Mile

By Doug Binder, DyeStat Editor

EUGENE – Double Olympic champion Sifan Hassan tried to run next to the blinking yellow pacing lights along the rail at Hayward Field, as an appreciative crowed urged her on, but Friday night the lights won. 

Hassan, who took a post-Tokyo stab at the world record in the 5,000 meters at Distance Night In Eugene, which kicked off the 46th Prefontaine Classic. She showed signs of fatigue, a rare sight indeed for the seemingly tireless superstar, yet won the race in 14:27.89.

"After the first few laps I felt tired and knew (the world record) wasn't happening," Hassan said.  

The women's 5,000 was the climax of the Friday night session, but the top performance belonged to Francine Niyonsaba of Burundi, who nearly broke the world record in 2-mile by running 9:00.75. 

Niyonsaba, who is one of the athletes who has been targeted by World Athletics over elevated testosterone levels, pulled away from 5,000 world record holder Letesenbet Gidey of Ethiopia. Gidey held on for second in 9:06.74 and Kenya's Hellen Obiri was third in 9:14.55.

In the men's International mile, New Zealander Geordie Beamish duplicated his Sir Walter Miler victory earlier this month and zoomed past leader Craig Engels and two others on the homestretch to snare the win in 3:54.86. 

Engels was second in 3:55.41. Canadian Charles Philibert-Thiboutot, coming off a victory Aug. 14 at the ASICS Falmouth Mile, was third in 3:55.48.

In the first race of the evening, Rebecca Mehra of the Bend-based Oiselle Little Wing won the North American women's 1,500 meters in 4:06.35. Sage Hurta of On Athletics, a recent Colorado grad, was second in a personal-best 4:07.50, and Dani Jones of New Balance (Team Boss) was third in 4:08.45.

Prior to the women's 5,000, the stadium lights went dark and the new Hayward Field was officially opened with a light show and ceremony that included Olympians past and present and as well as current and former members of the Oregon track and field program. 

Hassan was the featured attraction of the night and despite feeling tired -- understandable after six races and 24,500 meters in Tokyo -- she finished nearly 15 seconds ahead of Ethiopia's Senbere Teferi and Fantu Worku

A boisterous throng of people near the finish line celebrated her win and draped an Oromo flag over her shoulders. Hassan competes internationally for her adopted nation of The Netherlands but comes from a piece of Ethiopia that has been fighting for freedom for more than a century. 

American Alicia Monson ran to a huge PR with 14:48.49 to become the eighth-fastest competitor in U.S. history and the American leader this year, in addition to No. 20 in the world. 

Niyonsaba's 2-mile was second only to the all-time world best held by Ethiopia's Meseret Defar, who ran 8:58.58 in 2007 in Belgium. Niyonsaba broke Defar's U.S. soil record of 9:10.47 from the 2007 adidas Track Classic in Carson, Calif.

"I'm going to enjoy this win. I was hoping for this and now I am going to enjoy it," Niyonsaba said. "I have been working hard to do this and I am very happy."

Niyonsaba and Gidey elevated to Nos. 2 and 3 all-time in the 2-mile, with Konstanze Klosterhalfen of Germany finishing fourth in 9:18.16 to ascend to the No. 14 competitor in history.

Amy-Eloise Markovc, who attended Glacier Peak High in Washington as well as the University of Washington, ran the fastest full 2-mile race by a British athlete by placing fifth in 9:21.98. Markovc, representing Reebok Boston Track Club, already set the fastest indoor 2-mile time by a British competitor Feb. 13 by running 9:30.69 at the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix at the Ocean Breeze Athletic Complex in New York.

Paula Radcliffe was credited with a 9:17.40 split for 2 miles during her 14:29.11 effort in a 5,000-meter race in 2004 in Poland.

Elise Cranny, representing Nike Bowerman Track Club, secured sixth in 9:22.44 to elevate to the No. 4 all-time American competitor. 

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