In a perhaps three-quarters empty Hampden Park stadium, the first day of the Sainsbury’s Glasgow Grand Prix featured Sifan Hassan firmly establishing herself as the the best women’s 1500 runner in the world and a rare slow men’s 5k.

Hassan simply proved that she has more tools in her arsenal than any women’s 1500 runner in the game right now. Jenny Simpson has shown that she can win from behind and place high and run really fast times from ahead, but only Hassan has demonstrated the ability to win from ahead and behind. In Paris, Hassan rode Simpson for most of the late stages before pulling away on the homestretch. Tonight, Hassan grabbed the lead much earlier and held off world champ Abeba Aregawi. Aregawi played the same role tonight that Hassan did in Paris— the only runner to go with the leader— but unlike in Paris, the sitting runner was unable to pass the leader. Hassan and Aregawi both ran 4:00, well clear of the field. Former claimant to the throne Hellen Obiri was a well-beaten 8th in 4:05.



The pace was relatively average up front but saw some solid results from the Americans in the pack. Treniere Moser ran 4:04 for fifth and a season best of 4:04.18; while Moser is a four-time US champ, that 4:04 is only 1.33 seconds shy of her PR. Morgan Uceny was tenth, but much less happy with her race than “justifiably happiest last place finisher of all time” Jordan Hasay, who ran a two-second PR of 4:07.70 for thirteenth.

I talked to Moser, Hasay and Uceny after the race.

The men’s 5000 was strange and from an American-biased perspective, ultimately disappointing.  The rabbits had an enormous gap incredibly quickly— almost as if they started the race and then rest of the field waited a few seconds to start. Augustine Choge was the only runner to go with the leaders, but as the rabbits realized that no one was going with them, the advertised 7:45 3k split fizzled to 8:00. Choge was caught shortly after 3k, and then the real race began.

Cam Levins made the first move with 400 meters to go but was quickly passed by co-favorite and Diamond Race leader Yenew Alamirew.  With Alamirew telescoping down the back straight, the outcome seemed a formality, but his countryman Hagos Gebrhiwet showed a massive return to form in the last 100m and picked up the winner’s $10,000.



Despite the hilariously slow pacing (the pack was 4:20 at 1600 meters), Levins nearly broke the Canadian record and was just a few tenths of a second off of his PR.  I talked to a pumped-up Levins after the races.

Inexplicably, though, none of the four Americans (Bernard Lagat, Andrew Bumbalough, Hassan Mead, and Ryan Hill) capitalized on a rare opportunity to hang with the leaders for 4600 meters of a Diamond League race. All four were content to stay in the second group.

Afterward, Bumbi was the most vocal in registering his disappointment, explaining that he mentally prepared to hang on the back for a fast time and that he should have made the adjustments when it became clear that fast times were out the window. Hill and Mead seem to think they made the same mistake as Bumbalough, while Lagat was more concerned about his performance. We talked to all four about their races tonight and plans for the rest of the summer.

The biggest non-distance moment of the night, whether from an American perspective or not, was Ashton Eaton’s second place and 48.69 PB in the 400 hurdles. The men he beat for third (Michael Tinsley) and fourth (Felix Sanchez) were the top two finishers (in the opposite order) at the 2012 Olympics.  I talked to Eaton and his coach Harry Marra after the race; both interviews are worth a watch.

Other highlights from the fast-twitch fiber world:

- Reese Hoffa got the shot put win over world champ David Storl and took the Diamond Race lead from fellow American Kurt Roberts.

- Gia Lewis-Smallwood stopped Sandra Perkovic’s discus winning streak at 11 and is now six inches from the American record. The IAAF has a very good recap here. 

- After winning USAs and beating a loaded field tonight, Francena McCorory has an excellent claim on being the best 400 meter runner in the world.  Tonight’s 49.93 was her fourth time under 50 in her career.

- Nickel Ashmeade bounced back from a  DQ and subsequently humorous protest in Paris to win tonight in 9.97, just ahead of American Mike Rodgers and Jamaican Nesta Carter.  Yohan Blake pulled up; his status is unknown.

Day two kicks off with the men’s 400 at 3:04 local time (10:04 eastern).