- Faith Kipyegon broke her own 1500m world record with 3:48.68.
- Beatrice Chebet set a new 5000m world record, clocking 13:58.06.
- The Eugene meet saw strong showings from Olympic champions and world-record holders.
- Britain’s Hudson-Smith and Hughes hit season bests in 400m and 100m respectively.
- More records are expected as the Diamond League heads to Monaco and London before the finals in Zurich.
Kenya’s Faith Kipyegon and Beatrice Chebet left a lasting mark in Oregon after smashing world records in front of a roaring crowd at the Diamond League meet in Eugene. Kipyegon ran 3:48.68 in the women’s 1500m, trimming 0.36 seconds off her world record.
Her historic moment came shortly after a narrow miss in her sub-four-minute mile chase. Still, the 31-year-old proved why she’s considered the greatest in her category, bouncing back in style.
Just when the cheering hadn’t faded, Beatrice Chebet stunned fans by clocking 13:58.06 in the women’s 5000m, a fresh world record that dethroned Ethiopia’s Gudaf Tsegay. The 25-year-old now holds both Olympic and world records in the 5000m and 10,000m events.
“I came to Eugene ready for a world record,” Chebet shared joyfully after her race.
The Prefontaine Classic, known for hosting elite athletes, didn’t disappoint. With 17 Olympic champions and 14 world-record holders in action, the night was stacked with fireworks. British sprinter Matt Hudson-Smith led his country’s charge by winning the 400m with a sharp 44.10, outpacing Americans Christopher Bailey and Jacory Patterson.
British 100m record holder Zharnel Hughes clocked 9.91, his season’s best, but settled for second behind Jamaica’s Kishane Thompson, who won in 9.85. In the women’s 800m, Jemma Reekie equalled her best of 1:58.66 and finished seventh. Paris gold winner Keely Hodgkinson skipped the race due to injury.
The men’s Bowerman Mile was a thriller, as Niels Laros from the Netherlands caught Yared Nuguse in the final 10 metres to win by just 0.01 seconds. In the women’s 100m, Melissa Jefferson-Wooden surged to victory in 10.75, ahead of Olympic champion Julien Alfred, while Dina Asher-Smith finished seventh.
Sweden’s Armand Duplantis, the pole vault world record holder, soared to a comfortable 6.00m win. Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, the 400m hurdles queen, matched her season best of 49.43 to edge out fellow Americans Butler and Whittaker.
With the Eugene leg wrapped up, attention now shifts to Monaco, followed by the sold-out London meet on July 19. The grand finale will be held in Zurich on August 27-28, setting the stage for the upcoming World Championships in Tokyo.
