Prefontaine Classic

Alexa Efraimson Runs 4:03.39, New American Jr. Record At Prefontaine Classic

Alexa Efraimson Runs 4:03.39, New American Jr. Record At Prefontaine Classic

May 30, 2015 by Lincoln Shryack
Alexa Efraimson Runs 4:03.39, New American Jr. Record At Prefontaine Classic




FULL RESULTS

Jenny Simpson won the highly anticipated women’s 1500 at the 2015 Prefontaine Classic in 4:00.98, but it was 18-year-old Alexa Efraimson who stole the headlines on Saturday afternoon as she finished seventh in 4:03.39, a new American junior record. Her time was more than a three and a half second PB, and takes six seconds off her previous 2015 World junior lead of 4:09.43 from Mt. SAC.  
 
Efraimson smashed Mary Cain’s previous American junior record of 4:04.62 from 2013. 
 


Simpson looked very sharp in her 2015 outdoor opener, running away in the last lap from a stacked field that included her American counterpart Shannon Rowbury. Kenyan Mercy Cherono was 2nd behind Simpson in 4:01.26, with the Netherlands’ Sifan Hassan 3rd in 4:01.65. 


Jenny Simpson established herself as the early favorite for August's World Championships

Rowbury settled for fourth in 4:02.28. Americans finished in places 6-9, with Sarah Brown 6th (4:03.20), Efraimson 7th (4:03.39), Katie Mackey 8th (4:03.81), and Treniere Moser 9th in 4:04.26.

Souleiman Repeats In Bowerman Mile, Centro Impresses In 2nd

Djibouti’s Ayanleh Souleiman won his second straight Bowerman Mile in 3:51.10 to conclude the 2015 Prefontaine Classic, but did so with entirely different tactics from 2014. While his 3:47.32 winning time from 2014 was the fastest ever on American soil, any such time this year was thrown out when the pack split 2:00 through 800 meters.
 
The 22-year-old Souleiman held off a hard-charging Matthew Centrowitz and Kenyan Asbel Kiprop in the final meters. The tactical nature of the usually fast-paced Bowerman Mile played well into the hands of Centrowitz, who is among the best in the world in a kicker’s race. Holding off the two-time World champion Kiprop in a sprint shows that he is fit and in contention for a World title later this summer. Centro's time was 3:51.20, with Kiprop right behind in 3:51.25.
 
Leo Manzano finished 11th in 3:53.55.  


Ayanleh Souleiman held off Matthew Centrowitz to win his 2nd straight Bowerman Mile


Justin Gatlin Equals His 19.68 PB To Win 200 Easily

The most talked about man in track and field ran another impressive race on Saturday, dominating the men’s 200m to an easy victory in 19.68. The time ties the 33-year-old Gatlin’s personal best which he set last July in Monaco. 


Justin Gatlin equaled his PB of 19.68 on Saturday at the 2015 Prefontaine Classic

Gatlin was well away from the field just 100 meters into the race. With Usain Bolt running nowhere near as fast as the American to start the 2015 season (Bolt just ran 20.13 in Ostrava on Tuesday), you have to wonder if Bolt is starting to get nervous about the World Championships in August…

Kirani James First Man Under 44 In 2015

22-year-old Kirani James continued his brilliant start to 2015 with another dominating win in the men’s 400, running 43.95 to become the first man under 44 seconds this season. The 22-year-old Grenadian was once again untouchable in the final 100 meters, easily beating rival LaShawn Merritt who 2nd in 44.51. 


Kirani James ran 43.95 in the men's 400 at the 2015 Prefontaine Classic

The time was a season’s best for the reigning World champion Merritt, who seems to finally be rounding into form with less than a month until the U.S. Championships. Even so, James is still a man against boys right now in the 400 meters. 

Double Olympic Champ Kemboi Takes Down Birech, Jager Opens With 8:05

The men’s steeplechase was expected to be won by 2014 Diamond Race winner Jairus Birech of Kenya, but instead it was his always-entertaining Kenyan countryman Ezekiel Kemboi who had the best final 100 meters in a race that came down to the line. Kemboi crossed in a World-leading 8:01.71, with Birech a close second in 8:01.83. The 33-year-old Kemboi is known not only for his two Olympic golds ('04,'12), but also his dance celebrations after winning races. Kemboi got to break out his moves on Saturday. 


Kenyans Jairus Birech and Ezekiel Kemboi dueled to the final steeple on Saturday

American record holder Evan Jager ran the best steeple opener of his career, finishing in 8:05.28 to just miss his 8:04.71 PB that he set in September.

The Bowerman TC star was just off the pace of the top two Kenyans throughout the race, and looked crisp over the hurdles in his first steeple since the American record. With the 26-year-old opening at 8:05, the possibility of a sub-8:00 performance and a World Championship medal are certainly legitimate.