Ryan Crouser sets Hayward Field record in shot put
EUGENE – A beautiful Oregon spring day in the Willamette Valley greeted the world’s best track athletes and they responded by producing world leading times across the board at the 44th Prefontaine Classic at historic Hayward Field in front of 12,667. In what was the last Pre-Classic at Hayward Field before a demolition and new stadium is built in its place, Oregon born Ryan Crouser won the Maria Mutola Award as the meet’s Outstanding Athlete by breaking his own Hayward Field and Prefontaine Classic record in the shot put with a whopping 73-11 throw. Crouser said his warmup was the key to his success today.
“I warmed up really well, now I just have to get to the transition between meet and warmups,” said Crouser. “I’m not traditionally a warmup guy, but today I warmed up pretty big. Once I get used to throwing hard again, and comepting again, I’m really excited because there is still a lot more potential there to improve.”
Other American record holders joined Crouser in winning their respective field events. Christian Taylor leaped 58-2 to win the Triple Jump. “I really wanted to go out with a bang as far as the final result,” said Taylor. “I was happy with the win, but I really wanted a big, big send off. This place, you know, the grandstands, the energy is unlike anyplace else in the world. They really get behind the jumps, they know track and field here. Whether it’s World Juniors, whether it’s the Olympic Trials, it’s really Tracktown USA, but I think it’s even bigger than that. This is a very special place in my heart.”
Jenn Suhr made 15-11 in the pole vault and beat New Zealand’s Eliza McCartney on fewer misses. “I’ve always liked coming to Eugene, and I think this meet was really important to me because the last time I was here was in 2010,” said Suhr. “I haven’t done a Diamond League in three years, and they’re renovating the stadium so it was the last time it was going to look like this, and I just wanted good memories. I’ve had great memories here before, and I just wanted one last one.”
There were some outstanding performances on the track too, all world-leading times. Team USA’s sprinters were in excellent form, even without 100-meter World Champion Justin Gatlin, who pulled out with an injured hamstring. Noah Lyles scorched the Bowerman curve and kept steady down the homestretch, running a wind-legal 19.69 in the 200-meters. Ronnie Baker (9.78) beat Christian Coleman (9.84) to the line in the men’s 100-meters in a wind-aided 100-meter-dash. Gazelle-like sprinter Shaunee Miller-Uibo of the Bahamas was sensational over the final half of the women’s 400-meters, winning by over a second in 49.52.
Shelby Houlihan unleashed a lethal kick on the home-straight to win the women’s 1,500-meters in a big Personal Record time, 3:59.06. “I was picturing that the last few weeks, and it’s kind of surreal for it to play out in my mind the way it had previously,” said Houlihan. “Going into the last 300 I was just like ‘try to switch gears every 100 meters,’ and I felt really good at that point. I was just hoping it would be enough to be able to catch them, and it was.” Ethiopia’s Genzebe Dibaba was relentless in the women’s 5,000-meters, breaking everybody on her way to an convincing win in 14:26.89.
Men’s International Mile: The pack stayed back from the pace-setters, but still ran fast as 12 men broke 4-minutes. Former Southern Oregon runner Eric Avila took the lead with 300-meters remaining and made it an all-out sprint to the finish. 20-year-old pro Drew Hunter made his move with 200-meters left and finally got by Avila at the 110-meter mark to take a clear lead entering the homestretch. Hunter stayed strong, but Australia’s Luke Mathews streaked past for the win in 3:57.02, becoming the 400th sub-4-minute miler in Pre-Classic history. Hunter finished 2nd in 3:57.29, while Henry Wynne got up for 3rd in 3:57.61.
18-year old Oregon Duck recruit Brodey Hasty of Brentwood, TN ran at the back of the pack and had even splits (:60, :61.5, 61.5, 61.53) to run a solid 4:04.53. Current Duck, redshirt junior Blake Haney finished 10th in 3:58.70, while former Washington Husky Isaac Yorks was 5th in 3:58.04. Riley Masters, one of the top U.S. milers for the past decade, became the 500th sub-4-minute miler in the history of Hayward Field with his 6th place finish (3:58.12).
