2021 Pre Classic Recap: Elaine Thompson-Herah Scares 100m WR, Sha’Carri Richardson Humbled, Athing Mu, Courtney Frerichs American Records, Ingebrigsten, Kipyegon Keep Winning

By LetsRun.com
August 21, 2021

Saturday’s action at the 2021 Prefontaine Classic at Hayward Field did not disappoint. There were some amazing distance and sprint races with a slew of meet and national records. The women’s 100m lived up to the hype as Jamaica confirmed its dominance with Elaine Thompson-Herah running the second fastest time ever. Athing Mu and Courtney Ferichs highlighted American distance action with American records and Jakob Ingebrigsten and Faith Kipyegon maintained their status as the best milers in the world, each setting US soil records. Below are results and some quick notes from the action today in Eugene. World Athletics has a complete meet recap here.

Women’s 100m: Elaine Thompson-Herah Runs #2 All-Time; Sha’Carri Richardson Finishes DFL

Going into Pre, this was the race everyone was excited for and it did not disappoint. Well, we should say Jamaica’s Olympic medalist trio did not disappoint as they repeated their performance from Tokyo, sweeping the top-3 spots lead by Thompson-Herah’s 10.54. The matchup with Sha’Carri Richardson was a letdown however as she looked very rusty after a month off and finished a distant last in 11.14. Post-race, Richardson gave a fiery interview where she said, “This is one race. I’m not done. You know what I’m capable of. Count me out if you want to. Talk all the shit you want. Because I’m here to stay. I’m not done. I’m the sixth fastest woman in this game ever and can’t nobody ever take that from me.”

Women’s 800m: Athing Mu Closes Her Season With A New American Record

This was the Athing Mu show as she dominated from start to finish. Only GB’s Jemma Reekie dared to stick with her at the start and she paid the price as she eventually faded badly to 8th place. Mu on the other hand, looked fatigued at the finish line, but was rewarded with a new American record of 1:55.04, breaking the 1:55.21 she ran to win gold in Tokyo. Kate Grace won the race for second in 1:57.60 as the other Olympic medalists, Raevyn Rogers and Keely Hodgkinson, were 4th and 5th respectively. In her post-race interview, a happy Mu said after a long season she was looking forward to going on vacation to the beach with her brother.

More: LRC Athing Mu Caps An Incredible Year with a 1:55.04 American Record

Men’s Bowerman Mile: Jakob Ingebrigsten Showed Tokyo Was No Fluke With The Fastest Mile Ever On US Soil

At first, Aussie Stewart McSweyn was the only one to go with the rabbit, but Ingebrigsten quickly reeled him in and a 1:52 first 800m saw the two of them well clear of the rest of the field with Timothy Cheruiyot leading the chase pack. Ingebrigsten sat on McSweyn’s shoulder until passing him on the final backstretch and pulling away to win in a meet, Norway national and US soil record of 3:47.24. McSwyen finished runner-up in 3:48.40 while Cheruiyot had to fight off his countryman to take third in 3:51.17.

Jakob now has the best mile PB in the Ingebrigsten family as Filip (8th place) had the best time before today. 2016 Olympic champ Matt Centrowitz was an also ran in 9th (3:53.32).

Women’s Steeplechase: Courtney Frerichs Becomes The First American To Go Sub-9

Norah Jeruto couldn’t compete at the Olympics because she is in the process of transferring allegiance from Kenya to Kazakhstan, but showed she should have been there as she beat all three Tokyo medalists here to win in 8:53.64, becoming the 3rd fastest all-time. Behind her, Frerichs created American history by breaking the 9-minute barrier and moving to #4 on the world all-time list with 8:57.77. Tokyo bronze medalist Hyvin Kiyeng was 3rd (9:00.05) while the Olympic champ Peruth Chemutai was back in 7th place (9:10.97).

More: LRC Courtney Frerichs Runs 8:57.77 To Become First American to Go Sub 9 in Steeple

Women’s 1500m: Faith Kipyegon Dominates In A US Soil Record

The Olympic champion was the only one to go with the rabbit while the rest of the field was content to race for second place. Kipyegon split 2:04.35 for the first 800m and was so far ahead that by the finish, the camera could barely fit her in the same frame as the chase pack as she won in a US soil record of 3:53.23. Aussie Linden Hall was the best of the rest in 3:59.73 and American Josette Norris continued her string of solid summer races in third (4:00.07). Tokyo silver medalist Laura Muir was completely out of it in 12th place.

Men’s 100m: Andre De Grasse Wins With A Wind-Aided 9.74 Seconds

De Grasse, the Tokyo bronze medalist, turned the tables on Olympic silver medalist Fred Kerley, beating him 9.74 to 9.78. This was the first time in history that eight men have gone sub-10 in any conditions.

Men’s 2 Mile: The Olympic 5000m Champ Beats The Olympic 10,000m Champ

This race was a who’s who of men’s distance running in 2021 with only one medal from the Olympic 5000m and 10,000m missing. Coming off the final turn it was the four medalists from Tokyo battling it out and in the end, 5000m champ Joshua Cheptegei won in 8:09.55, actually letting up and celebrating early just before the line. 10,000m gold medalist Selemon Barega finished second in 8:09.82 and Paul Chelimo another .01 back in third.

Men’s 800m: Canada’s Marco Arop Gets Surprise Win Over The Olympic Medalists

Arop didn’t make the final in Tokyo, but got the upset win here over Olympic silver medalist Ferguson Cheruiyot Rotich and Olympic champion Emmanuel Kipkurui Korir. Clayton Murphy was the first of the Americans in 5th.

Men’s 200m: Noah Lyles Is Back!

Kenneth Bednarek finished ahead of Lyles in Tokyo to take the silver medal, but today Lyles was clearly the best as he dominated the race in 19.52, the second best time of his career (PB is 19.50 from 2019). Behind those two, Lyles brother Josephus set a 20.03 PB in third. Olympic 400H silver medalist Rai Benjamin stepped down in distance, running 20.16 for 5th.

Women’s 400H: Dalilah Muhammad Wins Easily With A 52.77 Meet Record

Without rival and WR holder Sydney McLaughlin in this race, it was an easy win for Tokyo silver medalist Muhammad as she won in 52.77.

Women’s 200m: Mujinga Kambundj Gets Shock Win Over Gabrielle Thomas

Switzerland’s Kambundj was only 7th in the Tokyo final, but got an upset win here ahead of silver medalist Thomas. GB star Dina Asher-Smith was 3rd and Tokyo 400m bronze medalist Allyson Felix a distant last.

Men’s Shot Put

The top-4 from Tokyo were also the top-4 today except Brazil’s Darlan Romani surpassed medalists Joe Kovacs and Tom Walsh to finish 2nd behind Olympic champ Ryan Crouser.

Women’s High Jump

None of the Tokyo medalists were here today and in their absence, Olympic 4th placer Iryna Gerashchenko won on countback from US’s Vashti Cunningham.

Women’s Pole Vault

Olympic champ Katie Nageotte defeated Olympic bronze medalist Holly Bradshaw.

Men’s Triple Jump

Olympic champ Pedro Pichardo won handily over bronze medalist Hugues Fabrice Zango.

More: LRC Courtney Frerichs Runs 8:57.77 To Become First American to Go Sub 9 in Steeple

LRC Athing Mu Caps An Incredible Year with a 1:55.04 American Record

Discuss the 2021 Pre Classic on our world famous message board:

• Official Pre Classic Saturday Live Thread: Can Sha’Carri Richardson Take Down The Tokyo Medalists?
• Jakob is zaddy
• Elaine Thompson 10.54!!!
• Sha’Carri Goes Home Devastated
• Athing mu 1:55.04 American Record
• ANDRE DE GRASSE 9.74 at Eugene! The successor of BOLT?
• I love Faith’s gold trimmed hair.
• Love how Chelimo races.
• Thompson-Herah legit w100 WR!!!
• Overreaction or fact? Frerichs officially passes Coburn as #1 US Steepler ever
• He’s back noah lyles 19.52
• On Letsrun we love Athing Mu, but unfortunately to the rest of America Sha’Carri Richardson “sells” better
• Why no Sydney Mclaughlin at PreFontaine Classic?
• ShaCarri is BACK BABY!!!
• Nike should pull that commercial
• Mu is the Alpha
• upper deck at hayward still looks empty… is track town DONE?