Sydney Heartbroken, Kishane Dominates – Prefontaine Recap

^{July 6, 2025 | Edition #152}

👋 Hey, Speedsters!

The ninth and most awaited stop of the 2025 Wanda Diamond League is finally over! But not before giving us thrilling showdowns… the 2025 Nike Pre-Classic had all the signs of a 50th-year special….Over 15000 fans bustled in a packed arena, a limited edition shoe was launched just for the fans, several Olympians avenged Paris’ defeat, and a few reigning champions lost! Also, some Kenyans sealed their place in the World with the Pre-Classic serving as trials. But amid this, we had two majestic World Records!

And to match that energy, we’ve brought you a special recap edition, packed with all the action from Hayward Field. And trust us, when we say this…you won’t want to miss a second of what went down! So hop on…

🤦 An Early Bummer

Disappointingly, the Pre-Classic 2025 had a rather shaky start. Virtual viewers were left a bit disappointed, as several early events weren’t live-streamed. Yup, Rojé Stona’s men’s discus, Hunter Woodhall’s 200m T62/T64, and Ackera Nugent’s 100m hurdles were all left out of the broadcast, since NBC & Peacock's stream began only at 3 PM. Disrespectful!

P.S.: Hunter Woodhall lost, coming second to Olivier Hendricks by 0.4s!

😮Americans’ Upset

But the bad taste didn’t last long, as the men’s 400m hurdles lit the track! As we watched Paris Olympics bronze medalist Alison Dos Santos and reigning Olympic champ Rai Benjamin go shoulder to shoulder down the homestretch….Let us tell you, the nerves were real, that final stretch? It wasn’t for the faint-hearted! And then, Dos Santos edged ahead and finished on top with a stellar 46.65s.

However, before that excitement could get over, the cameras switched over to the most anticipated showdown — the men’s 100m! We absolutely agreed when the commentator said, “I’ve been looking forward to this for a week...” All the Titans lined up, but once the gun went off, it turned into a one-man show! Kishane Thompson didn’t have the best start, but he made up for it! Don’t believe us? Watch it here, for yourself! He dominated with a 9.85s finish, earning the first DL win of his career!!

Second? Zharnel Hughes with a season-best 9.91, followed by Trayvon Bromell in 9.94...And Coleman? Oh, he faded out to seventh spot in 10.06s, and lost the chance to make history! While Americans hoped for a home soil advantage in Track Town, they saw foreigners win fair and square. So close, yet so far...

🙌 Record Time

Next, the event turned over to the women's 5000m where the commentator said, “I’ve never seen 3 women run so aggressively in a 5000m...” Well, honestly speaking, Beatrice Chebet and Gudaf Tsegay were locked up.....This was not Ethiopia vs Kenya but a battle between the reigning Olympic champ and the world record holder....However, in just a few minutes, both these titles went over to one person... Chebet shattered the world record with an incredible sprint finish of 13:58.06, becoming the first woman ever to go below 14 minutes…Watch the battle for the world record here!

Women athletes continued their domination on the field, too.... After her husband, Hunter, missed the gold, Tara Davis-Woodhall brought one home for both! The winds were gusting and beginning to swirl things a bit, but Tara? She had a best of 6.75 going into her last attempt, while Maliaka Mihambo pulled off a 7.01.... but the Olympic Champ wasn’t going to give up! Tara then pulled off the longest Outdoor jump this year in 7.07 to clutch victory in her sixth and final jump for the day... What next? A celebration like no other... aggressive air punches, jumps....and of course, hugs...Here's a glimpse just for you!

🌟 Champions Being Champions

Over to the pros next.....as the world record holder, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone entered the field, the crowd burst into cheers! But SML? She was all focused, in a brand-new blue Nike kit, the Olympic champion took lane 5....And in less than a minute, SML took home the win in 49.43, her season best. She held off Aaliyah Butler in the home stretch....and oh, that winning gap was something…. 0.43s. But, she couldn’t break a single record, be it Sanya Richards-Ross’ American record or the Pre-Classic meet record. Watch Sydney do just Sydney things!

But, amid these shining performances, there was a near miss. Mondo Duplantis already had the win in his hand, but took a few leaps hoping to break the WR... three tries at 6.29 meters (20-7 1/2). However, all three were missed! If he had passed, Mondo would have broken his own world record by one-quarter inch. Still, it's all good in the end as he is now unbeaten for 4 years in a row at the Pre-Classic.

Next, the men's 200m didn't turn out as lackluster as we expected after Kenny Bednarek withdrew...Yup, the race still had plenty of heat. After all, three Paris finalists were locked in, but Letsile Tebogo delivered in style... In 19.76s, he clocked the fastest time in the world this year, that too in his first race post-injury return! He even placed an imaginary crown on his head seconds after crossing the finish line. Watch his well-deserved royalty moment, right here!!

🎖️ The FINALE

And then, the Pre-Classic gave us a THRILLER we weren't expecting! The Bowerman Mile was full of stars: Yared Nuguse, Grant Fisher, Cole Hocker... all in one race. After a relaxed disposition all race long, going into the bell lap, Nuguse suddenly pushed on the pedal and took the lead. Meters away from the finish line, he already looked a sure-shot winner....but right on the finish line, the 20-year-old Dutchman came sprinting in from the back and took the "sprinter's lean at the end," putting his torso in front.

Result? Nuguse lost by a hundredth second to Neils Laros...who clocked a national record in 3:45.94. Pure Madness! Watch this crazy turnover here!

And then came the grand finale. Yep, the BEST was kept for the LAST. The women’s 100m, a Paris podium rematch, and a showdown of epic proportions. All three medalists: Julien Alfred, Sha'Carri Richardson, and Melissa Jefferson-Wooden had their eyes set on the win, but only one came through blazing... Melissa Jefferson flew into a 1.5 m/s headwind and held off reigning champ Julien Alfred, winning in 10.75s. Watch how Melissa took over the women’s 100m! Thus, she continues to remain unbeaten in the 100m this season.

As for Sha’Carri Richardson? It was a day to forget, as she faded to ninth in 11.19. Problems continue to pile up for her…

Last but not least, Faith Kipyegon did it again! She showed us that not the sprinters but the long-distance runners stole all the spotlight! Faith lowered her own world record in the women’s 1500, clocking 3:48.68 at the Pre-Classic! Watch the world record that had Eugene roaring!

Well, that’s a wrap! As Eugene closed its curtains on the 50th edition, we have new champions and the next coming to London…

That’s it for today, folks! We’ll look to knock on your inbox soon with more interesting stories!

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