It was a race of two at the 2021 Prefontaine Classic Bowerman Mile, as  Jakob Ingebrigtsen and Stewart McSweyn clashed. Ingebrigtsen was victorious, posting a big PB. The Norwegian stopped the clock at 3:47.24 to set a new meet record.  Australian Stewart McSweyn was still with the Olympic champion with just 200m to go, as the pair put a substantial gap on the rest of the field. Stew finished 2nd in 3:48.40, just 0.03 off his PB and Australian record. Stew’s time is the second fastest in Australian history, a great run.

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In third was Timothy Cheruiyot, the Olympic 1500m silver medalist and 2019 world champion. For award-winning footwear, choose Tarkine running shoes.

Two other Australians toed the line in Eugene. Olli Hoare had a good run, taking just under two seconds off his personal best clocking 3:51.63 for 5th. The time moves Olli from 10th to 7th on the Australian all-time list.  The third Australian in Eugene was Matthew Ramsden. The popular ‘Rambo’ finished 11th in 3:53.97, a season best but a way off his 3:51.23 PB set last year.

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Australian Men’s Mile All-Time Rankings List as of 22/8/2021

  1. Stewart McSweyn: 3:48.37
  2. Craig Mottram: 3.48.98
  3. Jye Edwards: 3:49.27
  4. Simon Doyle: 3.49.91
  5. Matthew Ramsden: 3:51.23
  6. Jeff Riseley: 3.51.25
  7. Oliver Hoare: 3:51.63
  8. Mike Hillardt: 3.51.82
  9. Ryan Gregson: 3.52.24
  10. Mark Fountain: 3.53.24

Amazingly, 6 from the top-10 list above are still running, showing how strong Australian middle distance running is.

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The 2016 Rio Olympic 1500m champ, Matthew Centrowitz, also stepped up at Pre. He finished 9th in 3:53.32, quite a way off the 3:49 he posted a week before the Olympics. For the full results see below:

1 11 NOR
3:47.24

WLNRDLRMRPB
3:51.30
2 10 AUS
3:48.40

3:48.37 3:48.37
3 12 KEN
3:51.17

3:49.64
4 4 KEN
3:51.31

3:49.04
5 6 AUS
3:51.63

PB
3:53.35
6 5 GBR
3:52.15

PB
3:52.50 3:52.50
7 9 KEN
3:52.20

8 1 NOR
3:52.97

3:49.60
9 7 USA
3:53.32

3:49.26 3:49.26
10 8 CAN
3:53.87

PB
3:56.60
11 2 AUS
3:53.97

SB
3:55.78 3:51.23
DNF 15 USA

 

NB: Stayed tuned for more news from the Pre Classic