Six Events to Watch at Birmingham

Feb 20, 2015 by Meg Bellino

Flotrack will LIVE stream the Birmingham Grand Prix from the UK for the first time in our history this Saturday! The world’s top distance runner Mo Farah of the famed Nike Oregon Project will make his 2015 debut in the two-mile against the age-defying Bernard Lagat, who is fresh off his 3:54 master’s World record in the Wanamaker Mile. Both Wanamaker champions, Matthew Centrowitz and Shannon Rowbury, will also make the trip across the pond and look to keep their winning streaks alive in the 1500m and mile, respectively.

You can watch the Birmingham GP LIVE on Flotrack!

Men’s 800m, 7:51am CT
Erik Sowinski, fresh off his Millrose 1000m victory, is the top American middle distance star this season. He debuted in the distance at the AIT Grand Prix in Ireland and won in 1:47.42, and was a member of the world record-setting distance medley relay at the Armory Invitational. The 25-year-old will face young competition, but don’t let their ages fool you. 20-year-old Timothy Kitum of Kenya was the 2012 Olympic Bronze medalist and owns an outdoor pb of 1:42.53. 19-year-old Andreas Almgren of Sweden was the 2014 World Junior Bronze medalist for 800m and has run 1:46.56 so far this season. 18-year-old Alfred Kipketer of Kenya was the 2014 World Junior Champion and ran 1:43.95 this past summer.
Prediction: Sowinski hangs tough with the young guns but is no match for Kitum, as he’ll grab a new world lead en route to a victory.

Women’s 3000m, 8:21am CT
The key match-ups in the women’s 3k include Great Britain’s Laura Muir, Ethiopia’s Gotytom Gebreslase, and Nike Oregon Project’s Jordan Hasay. Muir is the hometown favorite and currently sits at No. 2 on the yearly European list after clocking an 8:49 in Karlsruhe in January. 2011 World Youth Champ Gebreslase is returning from finishing third in the 3k at the Millrose Games and holds an 8:45 3k personal best. After winning the two mile at the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix a few weeks ago and finishing fourth in the mile at the Millrose Games. Other top competitors include Hannah England, Sentayehu Ejigu, and Habiba Ghribi.
Prediction: After running 8:45 on the heels of race-winner Sally Kipyego and runner-up Betsy Saina at the Millrose Games, Gebreslase will ride her third-place performance for the win in Birmingham.

Women’s 800m, 8:59am CT
The ladies 800m features Great Britain’s Jenny Meadows, owner of the current world lead with 1:59.21. But could we see future American greatness emerge in Birmingham? Charlene Lipsey ran 2:02.05 at Millrose and Lauren Wallace ran 2:02.98 *EASILY* at the BU Valentine Invite, both indoor pubs, respectively. They may not be on everybody’s radars like Ajee Wilson, Chanelle Price, or Laura Roesler, but with a race like this, these two should be pulled along to indoor personal bests. Look out for Anika Hinriksdottir of Iceland to be in the mix, as well. She’s got season bests of 1:27.65 for 600m and 2:01.77 for 800m.
Prediction: Meadows wins in 2:00. Linsey takes second, and Wallace breaks the 2:02 barrier to solidify herself as one of the top Americans.

Men’s 1500m, 9:29am CT
It may as well be titled the Season of Centro. Owner of the current world-leading time in the mile, Centro’s season-best 1500m split (from Millrose), ranks him fifth, but that will change. Nixon Chepseba of Kenya has the 3000m world lead (7:44.72) and should prove interesting competition for Centro with his 3:29.77 outdoor 1500m mark. Great Britain’s own and former Tulsa NCAA champion Chris O’Hare will look to make a stir in front of a home crowd, too.
Prediction: Relax, folks, Centro will take care of business.

Women’s Mile, 9:40am CT
Recent Millrose Games mile champion Shannon Rowbury returns to take on a stacked field that includes Ethiopia’s Axumawit Embaye who has run 4:02 and 4:07 in the 1500m this winter. Rowbury has been dominant on the U.S. circuit this indoor season, starting with a 4:22 mile at Camel City (No. 5 all-time in the world) and continued with a 4:24 performance at the Millrose Games. Although she tied up with a few meters to spare at Millrose, Rowbury still has her sights set on the American record mark of 4:20, which has the potential to go down tomorrow. She will have several speedy ladies to push her along such as teammate Treniere Moser, Dawit Seyaum, and Gudaf Tsegay.
Prediction: Embaya will take the win, and based on her race performances to date, Rowbury will break the American record.

Men’s Two Mile, 10:13am CT
After a dramatic week that included a Twitter argument with Andy Vernon, Mo Farah will toe the line in the men’s two mile to take on on a field that includes recent Masters mile world record-holder Bernard Lagat. At the Millrose Games last week, Lagat finished fourth in a time of 3:54.91, breaking the old record of 3:58.15 set by Eamonn Coghlan, who was in attendance and congratulated him after his performance. Farah has yet to race a deep field on the track since June 30, 2013 at the Sainsbury’s Grand Prix in Birmingham, but will have a push from the distance legend on Saturday.
Prediction: The race will come down to the wire between Farah and Lagat, but Farah will benefit from the home crowd support to win on his turf.