Over the course of two days, the world’s best track and field athletes took the stage to compete for their chance for a Diamond League Final Championship. Athletes competed in 32 events and put on a show for a sold out Hayward Field crowd for the 2023 Nike Prefontaine Classic.
Normally, the Pre Classic falls at the beginning of the Diamond League season as athletes are starting their journey on the professional circuit of track and field. This year, however, was different. The 2023 Pre Classic served as the Diamond League Final for this outdoor season.
The Diamond League Final happens at the end of the five-month season and consists of only final events. This means no preliminary rounds or qualifications, and competitors have only one chance. The qualification process for the final includes competing in various meetings throughout the season and collecting points through top finishes. At the close of the season, the top eight competitors qualify for the Diamond League Final and earn a chance to close out their season competing for a Diamond Trophy.
The Diamond League announced this 2023 Prefontaine Classic ranks as the “Best Meet Ever” in terms of competition performance rankings. This is scored based on the results and the level of the athletes that are participating. These two things are calculated using the World Athletics Scoring Tables for the results, and the participation comes from the athletes’ World Rankings.
The highlights of the meet include 21 national records, nine area records, five Diamond League records and 14 Pre Classic Records. There were also world records set for the 5000-meter and pole vault.
Holding the Pre Classic at the end of the season allowed for athletes to build up to this meet throughout their training and competition schedule. Many athletes who qualified for and competed at the World Athletics Championships in August also qualified for the Diamond League Final, making this meeting a victory lap of their season.
Aside from the Pre Classic being hosted at the end of the season as opposed to the beginning, there were many new additions made to the overall fan experience. This included a fan festival on Agate Street outside Hayward Field called the “Marshfield District,” where fans could enjoy food, drinks, games and buy merchandise prior to the start of competition, as well as following the close of the final events of the day. The main headline of the Marshfield District was the Pre-Pre Show hosted by Citius Mag. This was a live show hosted by two members of their media team and included guest appearances from athletes and coaches prior to the day’s competition. Fans were encouraged to make signs and interact with the athletes similar to ESPN’s College Gameday show.
The Prefontaine Classic will return to Hayward Field on May 24, 2024. Hopefully the high energy brought by fans this year will return to Eugene and inspire more records. The meet will take place at the beginning of the season, giving athletes a chance to experience some Hayward magic at the start of their 2024 outdoor journey.
