Prefontaine Classic Preview

 This is it, my friends!
It's serious from this point forward!
Named after a man who redefined the words "tough" & "charisma", the 2022 Prefontaine Classic is just hours away!
A brief Guide to this Preview---
The events are listed in order of the (updated) schedule!
I give the Meet Record, and name a few athletes to key on.
This is NOT a Predictions Preview!
The 10000's are part of the USATF Championships, and while on the Pre Classic event schedule, are SEPARATE FROM this meet, as far as Meet Records go!
I'm doing this Preview based on the latest information available about who's in and who's not!
Lots of "discussion" has been ongoing on the T&FN Message Board about Athing Mu, Lamont Jacobs, Elise Cranny, and other late withdrawals from the meet!
But as you'll soon see, this is still one of the greatest & deepest fields of elite athletes ever assembled!
Three Field events have been moved to tonight's schedule, due to forecasts of weather bad for these events on Saturday!
So without further ado---!

FRIDAY, May 27th
Pole Vault--MEN (Meet Record is 19-10.25)
Mondo Duplantis is here!
The MR is in mortal danger!
Only Chris Nilsen is a credible threat, should Mondo be a bit "off".
Watch also for the Lavillenie brothers, Renaud & Valentin!
KC Lightfoot is also entered.

High Jump--WOMEN  (6-8)
As at the World INdoors, Yaroslava Muhuchukh should be the most watched & the most loved--and for the same reason--She's from Ukraine!!
Plus, she's a viable MR challenger!
Yuliya Levchenko and Nicole Olyslager (nee McDermott) are ones to watch!
Vashti Cunningham will give the home crowd someone to cheer for!

10000--WOMEN (USATF MR is 30:59.97)
Elise Cranny is not here, saying she's not ready!
That leaves her BTC teammate Karissa Schweizer to break the tape first, assuming SHE's ready!!
I think she is!
As are Alicia Monson, Weini Kelati, Emily Infeld, and Natasha Rogers!
Marielle Hall and Ednah Kurgat are others to watch.
This will be Stephanie Bruce's last USATF Championship race (unless she's also in the 5000!).

10000--MEN (USATF MR is 27:39.4 from 1979!  NOTE: I have separate MR's for the Olympic Trials!  So the OLY Trials MR of 27:25.33 is for THAT meet, not the annual USATF Champs!!)
Grant Fisher!
If he's in 12:53 & 26:33 shape, he'll not only win this race, but dictate how it plays out!
Offering SOME threat are Joe Klecker, Will Kincaid, Lopez Lomong, Ben True, Sean McGorty, Emmanuel Bor, and Shadrack Kipchirchir!
The MR should go down!!

Discus Throw--WOMEN  (227-5)
In their recent duel, Valarie Allman's 222 beat Sandra Perkovic's 220!
So the MR will insist they do better here!
I'm sure they will!
If they're both ON, watch for the 230 line to be crossed--maybe a few times!
One of the greatest clashes of this meet, and maybe of 2022!!
Kristin Pudenz and Liliana Ca are others to watch.

Two Mile--WOMEN  (9:06.74---NOTE--I ignore all marks by Francine Niyonsaba, so this MR is the one my Record Book and blog recognizes!!)
Not the greatest field, but good enough to create several revisions to my Top 24 A-T Performers lists!!
Konstanze Klosterhalfen could get the MR!
Beatrice Chebet will challenge!
Top Americans include Dani Jones, Helen Schlactenhaufen, Elly Henes, Whittni Orton Morgan, Ella Donaghu, Anna Camp Bennett, Eleanor Fulton, and Taryn Rawlings!
They need 9:24.89 to make the World list, and just 9:54.51 to make the US list!!
KK is currently 13th A-T World!
None of the Americans here are on that list, and neither are any of them on the US list!!
Can all 8 make it there tonight??

5000--WOMEN  (14:19.76)
Letesenbet Gidey has said she'll chase the WORLD Record here--weather permitting!
I put little credence in WR promises, wavelights, pacers, and "new shooz" notwithstanding!
But Gidey is serious shit!
She has THREE WR's, including the 5K!
And she will have some credible challengers--Fantu Worku, Caroline Kipkurui, Ejgeyehu Taye, Winnie Chebet, and Lemlem Hailu!
Is Rebecca Mehra there to rabbit, or to race?

5000--MEN  (12:56.98)
Reprint what I said about Gidey, but change the name to Joshua Cheptegei!
Yep, another WR attempt, he says!
While Hassan Mead, Zouhair Talbi, and Mason Ferlic are mainly lane fillers, watch to see what Ed Cheserek does!!
Will he stay with Cheptegei past halfway??

SATURDAY, May 28th
1500--MEN  (3:32.72)
This is the "B" race, or whatever it's called!
It has some top tier names--Neil Gourley, Sam Tanner, Marc Scott, Sam Prakel, Colby Alexander--and Hobbs Kessler!!

Long Jump--WOMEN  (23-11.75)
Is Ivana Vuleta (formerly Spanovic) ready to rip one?
What has Tara Davis been doing, aside from getting married, that is??
Esa Brume and Lorraine Ugen will make those ladies nervous!!

400H--MEN  (47.16)
Let's face it---we all wish Karsten Warholm and Rai Benjamin were here!
They're not--though Benjamin HAD been entered!
That said, Alison Dos Santos ain't a dead fish!
His 46.72 PR will threaten the MR--even in a solo run!
Yasmani Copello, Jaheel Hyde, and Quincy Hall will fill some lanes.

5000--MEN  (12:56.98)
Assuming the MR has already been smashed to 1000 pieces last night, the "new" MR will survive!!
But this field is good!
In fact, aside from Cheptegei, it's deeper than Friday's version!!
We have Berihu Aregawi, Selemon Barega, Jacob Kiplimo, Getnet Wale, Sam Tefera, Mo Ahmed, and Paul Chelimo, who is always "interesting"!

100--WOMEN  (10.54)
Whether the MR goes will be dependent on the wind reading, and whether the LOADED field is even thinking about times!!
Listen, friends!!
We have Elaine Thompson-Herah!
We have Dina Asher-Smith!
And Marie Josee Ta Lou, INdoor 60 World Champion Mujinga Kambundji, Shericka Jackson, Twanisha Terry, Teahna Daniels, and the youngster Brianna Williams!
Oh golly, I forgot!
We have someone who just survived an "abusive" lesbian relationship with Janeek Brown, and lived to kiss & tell about it to the 4 corners--and beyond!
Yes, the unclassifiable Sha'Carri Richardson!!
Put 9-1-1 on speed dial!!

100H--WOMEN  (12.24)
I'm not so sure this MR will last another year!
JCQ--aka Jasmine Camacho-Quinn is here, she of 12.26 fame!
Not to mention the WR holder, Kendra Harrison!
Then there's Nia Ali, Danielle Williams, Tobi Amusan, Anna Cockrell, and the late addition, Tonea Marshall!

1500--WOMEN  (3:53.23)
The MR has an "iffy" chance to fall, but even more fun will be watching Laura Muir and Faith Kipyegon go head to head!
Gudaf Tsegay, the INdoor WR holder, will give serious challenge, as might Jessica Hull!
Gabby DeBues-Stafford can't be denied, nor can Frewayni Hailu!
Then there's the Americans--Elle Purrier St Pierre, Sinclaire Johnson, Shannon Osika, and Josette Norris!
Only EPSP and Norris, among the Americans, have gone sub-4 OUTdoors!!

400--MEN  (43.92)
Will Michael Cherry finally go sub-44??
(And break the MR in the process??)
Michael Norman, Vernon Norwood, and Kirani James are in the race also!
Is Norman ready to BE Michael Norman??

Shot Put--MEN  (75-11.50)
Ryan Crouser has been somewhat "off" of late, despite having thrown in the 73's!
And remember his shocking loss to Darlan Romani INdoors!
But ALSO remember his gigantic World Record, and his steady put-put-put output (Sic!) of throws in the 74's, 75's, and his massive WR!!
He'll have Tom Walsh, Joe Kovacs, and Darrell Hill shadowing him!

800--WOMEN  (1:55.04)
Note the MR, then note that the holder of that mark AIN'T here!!!
(Read the T&FN MB thread about her withdrawal--it's, um, fascinating!  Let's Run's MB should be jealous!)
Whatever--the Brit Babes (My given moniker!) are here--Keely Hodgkinson and Jemma Reekie!
In Athing Mu's absence, Hodgkinson might feel she has something to prove--that she doesn't need Mu in the field to run FAST!!
Then there are Natoya Goule, Halimah Nakaayi, Raevyn Rogers!
We also have the Wilson's--the unrelated Allie and Ajee!
Remember that Allie recently exploded to a 1:58.18 PR!

3000SC--WOMEN  (8:53.65)
America's Dynamic Duo are here!
Will Emma Coburn and Courtney Frerichs go after the latter's American Record of 8:57.77??
Can they stay with Norah Tanui (Jeruto), Celiphine Chespol, Winfred Yavi, and Peruth Chemutai??
Even if it rains, what Steepler is afraid of getting wet??
LOL

200--WOMEN  (21.77)
I've been waiting for years for SAFP (Shelly Ann Fraser-Pryce) to run REALLY fast over half a lap!
I know, she's run 21.79, but I'm talking F-A-S-T!!!
As in, well under this MR!!
Mujinga Kambundji is entered here also, but will she have enough left after the 100 to give serious challenge??
Brittany Brown, Jenna Prandini, Tamara Clark, and the youngster Shawnti Jackson are also in the field!

Bowerman Mile--MEN  (3:47.24)
Jakob Ingebrigtsen looked cool and calm at the press conference this morning!
He may just hang on to a solid pace, then whip through a final 200 that will take down the already super sensational Meet Record that HE set last August!!
Ollie Hoare, Abel Kipsang (Watch him closely!), Tim Cheruiyot, Cooper Teare, and Cole Hocker will try to hang with him--without damaging their own race!
Then there's the HS wonder, Colin Sahlman!
Can he come close to Alan Webb's 2001 HSR??
Or even just go sub-4...again??

100--MEN  (9.80)
This Historic Invitational (I generally ignore its Diamond League connection!) end with the Men's Century!
Despite--or maybe because of--Lamont Jacobs's withdrawal, the race could be a blazer!
Christian Coleman, Fred Kerley, Kenny Bednarek, Noah Lyles, and Trayvon Bromell will be fighting for American pride and the flag and all that!
But Canadian Andre De Grasse won't be left in the blocks---we hope!
And what about Erriyon Knighton, who has that unbelievable 19.49 to his credit--but who has yet to go sub-10??
Assuming he gets THAT, how far under does he go?
9.7, 9.8?
Pray for a legal wind reading!!

Have a great time, and thank you for using this Preview as your handy guide!!

See you soon!