Canada’s Camryn Rogers sets Diamond League hammer throw record

Canadian hammer thrower Camryn Rogers set a Diamond League record Saturday with a 77.76-metre heave at the Prefontaine Classic in Eugene, Ore.

The reigning world champion finished ahead of her two American competitors.

DeAnna Price placed second with a throw of 76.74, while Brooke Andersen was third with a toss of 76.34. 

Saturday marks Rogers’s third competition of the season. She placed third a week ago at the USATF Los Angeles Grand Prix, site of her Canadian record and 2023 season best of 78.62.

Rogers achieved the 74.00 entry standard for this summer’s Paris Olympics the day after the July 1, 2023 qualifying window opened with a winning throw of 76.95 at the Edmonton Athletics Invitational

She capped a nine-win season (12 events) with world championship gold in Budapest, Hungary, defeating Janee’ Kassanavoid and fellow American Price. 

Richardson explodes off blocks

With the U.S. Olympic trials set for next month, world champion Sha’Carri Richardson underlined her claim as favourite for the women’s 100m, exploding off the blocks to finish in 10.83.

Saint Lucia’s Julien Alfred finished a tenth of a second slower with Briton Dina Asher-Smith third in 10.98.

Richardson’s Jamaican rival Elaine Thompson-Herah, who completed a second successive Olympic sprint double in Tokyo, finished last in 11.30.

But the spotlight was on the battle between Richardson, the 2023 world champion, and Thompson-Herah, the reigning Olympic gold medalist in both the 100 and 200m.

Thompson-Herah faded at the Pre, finishing last in the field of nine. The charismatic Richardson, wearing her long hair tied back in a ponytail, muscled her way to the finish and dramatically pushed off the tape remnants.

After crouching for a moment while her time was announced, Richardson rose to give the crowd at Hayward field a smile and a wave. Julien Alfred of Saint Lucia finished second in 10.93.

“I feel like I’m continuing to grow and develop into a mature young lady, a mature athlete, as well as a vessel that I am put on earth to continue to grow,” Richardson said.

Richardson will get her shot at a spot on the U.S. team for Paris at the Olympic trials next month in Eugene. She was denied a chance to run in the Tokyo Games because of a positive drug test for marijuana following her first-place finish in the 100 at the trials.

Richardson fell to ninth in the 100 at the 2021 Prefontaine, her first competition following the Olympics disappointment. She did not qualify for the world championships at Hayward Field in 2022.

But since then, she has steadily made a comeback. In 2023, she won her first Diamond League event in Doha. Then she blazed to a title in the U.S. national championships before winning the gold medal at the worlds in Budapest.

Asked if she would race again before the Olympic trials, she said: “We’ll see. Watch.”

WATCH | Richardson cruises to 100m win:

American Sha’Carri Richardson wins the women’s 100-metre final at the World Athletics Diamond League stop in Eugene, Ore., with a season-best time of 10.83.

In the men’s 200m final, Americans swept the top-three spots. 

Kenneth Bednarek won the race in 19.89 seconds, followed by Courtney Lindsey (20.09) and Kyle King (20.15). Toronto’s Aaron Brown finished sixth in 20.47. 

WATCH | Bednarek claims 200m race, Brown 6th:

Kenneth Bednarek of the US ran to a 200-metre winning time of 19.89 Saturday at the Diamond League event in Eugene, Oregon, Toronto’s Aaron Brown finishing sixth with the time of 20.47.

Meanwhile, American Christian Coleman won the men’s 100m race with a second’s best 9.95. Kenya’s Ferdinand Omanyala placed second at 9.98, followed by American Brandon Hicklin at 10.08.

“I feel good. I feel like I’m in the best shape I’ve ever been in and I feel like now it’s just mentally putting it all together and doing what I know I’m capable of on race day,” Coleman said.

WATCH | Christian Coleman has season-best 100-metres: 

American Christian Coleman wins the men’s 100-metre final at the World Athletics Diamond League stop in Eugene, Ore., with a season-best time of 9.95.

Kingston, Ont., native Jillian Weir, who now lives in Lethbridge, Alta. finished eighth with her best throw coming at 66.94.

In other action, Anicka Newell, from Saskatoon placed fifth in women’s pole vault. Peruth Chemutai was victorious in the women’s 3,000m steeplechase final, which Vancouver’s Regan Yee placing 14th.

WATCH | Chemutai wins 3,000m steeplechase:

Peruth Chemutai of Uganda wins the women’s 3,000-metre final at the World Athletics Diamond League stop in Eugene, Ore., with a national-record time of 8:55.09. Regan Yee of South Hazelton, B.C., finishes in 14th place.

Chebet sets world record in 10,000m

Beatrice Chebet of Kenya set a world record in the 10,000 metres at the Prefontaine Classic meet on Saturday, finishing in 28 minutes, 54.14 seconds.

Chebet bested the previous record of 29.01.03 set by Ethiopia’s Letesenbet Gidey at FBK Stadium in the Netherlands on June 8, 2021.

Chebet finished ahead of Gudaf Tsegay of Ethiopia, who finished in 29:05.92 in cloudy and cool temperatures at Eugene’s Hayward Field.

Chebet started to pull away with three laps to go, then poured herself into the final lap.

“My body was responding good and I felt strong,” she said. “I felt like I was very comfortable.”

It was her first 10,000 race since 2020 in Nairobi.

Chebet, 24, won the silver medal at the 5,000 meters at the world championships at Hayward Field in 2022. She won the bronze in the event at the worlds last year in Budapest.

The finish qualified her for her first Olympics this summer in Paris. She said Saturday she hopes to double in the 5,000 and 10,000.

“But my target is to run 5,000 first, then 10,000 comes second,” she said. “Because this is my first 10,000 outside the country to run, and I’m so happy to run 28, a world record.”

Kerr wins men’s mile

The men’s mile served up the biggest drama of the day as Kerr faced Norwegian Ingebrigtsen for the first time since he stunned the Olympic champion to win the 1,500 meters world title in Budapest.

Kerr pulled away from the pack with 600m to go but had Ingebrigtsen hot on his heels through the final stretch.

Ingebrigtsen, twice world champion over 5,000 meters, tried to find another gear but could not get past Kerr who crossed the line in a national record time of 3:45.34.

WATCH | Kerr wins Bowerman Mile with national-record time:

Josh Kerr of Great Britain wins the men’s one mile race at the World Athletics Diamond League stop in Eugene, Ore., with a national-record time of 3:45.34.

Making his season debut after missing eight months due to an Achilles injury, Ingebrigtsen finished in 3:45.60 with American Yared Nuguse third.

“These guys I’m racing against are going to get better and better each month, and I need to do the same to try and stay ahead,” said Kerr.

“I’ve got into this position because of hard work and determination and the right staff around me and I’m going to stick to doing that for the rest of the season.”

Diamond League calendar

• Oslo, Norway — May 30
• Stockholm — June 2
• Paris — July 7
• Monaco — July 12
• London — July 20
• Lausanne, Switzerland — Aug. 22
• Silesia, Poland — Aug. 25
• Rome — Aug. 30
• Zurich — Sept. 5
• Brussels (DL Final) — Sept. 13-14