Almost half of the entrants in the 15-strong Prefontaine Classic field have sub-4:00 PBs

Strong 1500m set for Prefontaine Classic

The women’s 1500m at the Prefontaine Classic on May 27 could see the most sub-four-minute times in the meet’s history, thanks to the strongest field ever assembled in the United States.

Nearly half of the entrants in the 15-woman field have lifetime bests under four minutes. When these seven toe the line, it will be the most ever in one race in the US.

Laura Muir and Sifan Hassan lead the European challenge, while Olympic champion Faith Kipyegon, Hellen Obiri, Dawit Seyaoum and Gudaf Tsegay are also in action. Home main contenders will be Shannon Rowbury and Jenny Simpson.

Entries: Laura Muir (3:55.22), Sifan Hassan (3:56.05), Shannon Rowbury (3:56.29), Faith Kipyegon (3:56.41), Hellen Obiri (3:57.05), Jenny Simpson (3:57.22), Dawit Seyaum (3:58.09), Laura Weightman (4:00.17), Gudaf Tsegay (4:00.18), Sofia Ennaoui (4:01.00), Linden Hall (4:01.78), Axumawit Embaye (4:02.35), Rababe Arafi (4:02.71), Shelby Houlihan (4:03.39), Kate Grace (4:04.86).

Women’s CR under threat in Prague

The women’s course record of 2:22:34 could come under threat in the Prague Marathon on May 7, informs organisers.

The elite field is headed by a quartet of Ethiopians with sub-2:23 PBs: Feyse Tadese (2:20:27), Amane Beriso (2:20:48), Mulu Seboka (2:21:56) and Tadelech Bekele (2:22:51).

The men’s race also includes five runners with sub-2:07 PBs: Kenyans Lani Rutto (2:06:34), Frankline Chepkwony (2:06:11) and Stephen Chemlany (2:06:24) and Ethiopians Bazu Worku (2:05:25) and Feyisa Bekele (2:06:26).

Another leading entrant is Japan’s Yuki Kawauchi, who will be competing at the World Championships in London later this summer. “With plans to launch an assault on his personal best in Prague and run in under 2:08, the renowned Japanese marathon runner Yuki Kawauchi also promises to add something to the mix,” said elite athlete coordinator Jana Moberly.

Thompson at Penn Relays

A strong line-up of Olympic and World Championships competitors is set to face off at the 18th running of USA vs. The World at the Penn Relays on Saturday.

Seven nations, plus Team USATF, will light up the lanes on the track at Franklin Field. Teams from the Bahamas, Jamaica, the Dominican Republic, Guyana, Haiti, Nigeria, and the British Virgin Islands are scheduled to compete in the six events.

Team USATF clinched five of the six events last year.

Highlighting the Team USATF roster are a trio of women who won gold in Rio: English Gardner, Morolake Akinosun and Natasha Hastings.

With the USA-Jamaica rivalry always in the spotlight at Penn, Jamaica’s newest sprint queen, Rio 100m and 200m gold medallist Elaine Thompson provides international star power. She is joined by teammate Kerron Stewart, who owns two Olympic silver medals.

On the men’s side, 2008 Team USATF Olympian Wallace Spearmon leads a group of competitive men including Brycen Spratling, Casimir Loxsom and Mike Berry.

» Check out Athletics Weekly’s online news section and online event reports for more of the latest from the world of the sport

» Athletics Weekly’s global update is provided by EME NEWS. Readers interested in subscribing to receive full daily EME NEWS reports directly should contact Alfonz Juck at [email protected]