Future and former Olympians left their mark on Hayward Field Saturday at the 26th annual Prefontaine Classic Grand Prix.
Overall, seven meet and field records fell, with four of those belonging to women.
Although the meet was just a stepping stone to the Olympics for some athletes, their performances were enough to dazzle the 12,508 fans on hand at the Classic.
Highly touted as one of the best head-to-head matchups of the meet, the 1,500 meter run did not disappoint. Romania’s Gabriela Szabo edged former Eugenean Suzy Favor Hamilton by six-hundredths of a second to obliterate the previous meet record by six seconds.
Szabo’s time of 4 minutes, 0.73 seconds is the fastest in the world this year. Favor Hamilton led for the entire race until the last few meters, stumbling at the finish line. Szabo drafted off of Favor Hamilton, who cut the strong breeze on the backstretch of the track.
“Coming within an inch of the world best is not too bad,” Favor Hamilton said. “I’m really glad we ran a four-flat. I’m pleased.”
Szabo extended her two-year win streak with the win, which was her second ever race on American soil.
“I knew going in that Gabriela didn’t want to push the pace, so I knew I was going to lead,” Favor Hamilton said. “Sometimes you have to make sacrifices.”
The two middle distance runners will most likely meet again at the Olympics in the same event.
The same wind that got in the way of Favor Hamilton and Szabo also prevented Olympian Marion Jones from a new Pre Classic record in the 100 meters. The wind was measured at 2.6 meters per second, just over the allowable mark for records at 2. Jones, sporting a full-length Nike Swift Suit, won the 100 in 10.93 — .03 seconds faster than the previous record held by Gwen Torrence. She also won her second long jump title with a leap of 22 feet, 10 and 1/2 inches.
Still, Jones was somewhat disappointed with her performances.
“There weren’t too many things I liked about the 100,” Jones said. “The start was horrible and the transition was not very good… but all that has to get better.”
It was tough to tell which athlete with the initials M.J. was more impressive on Saturday. Marion Jones pulled off the double in the 100 meters and long jump, while Michael Johnson set a meet record with his 4
Jones’ goals for this year’s Olympics include gold medals in the 100, 200, long jump and the 4×100 and 4×400 relays. “My expectations are to hopefully win every event that I’m in,” Jones said. “I’m 24 years old. I don’t feel any stress on my body at all. So why not go for it?”
Gail Devers’ fourth Olympic bid was put in doubt earlier this season by multiple leg injuries. Devers put those doubts to rest with a meet and field record win in the 100-meter hurdles. She surpassed her own record by .2 seconds with a time of 12.64.
Earlier this spring, Devers pulled her left hamstring. To add to the troubles, her right Achilles tendon then became injured. Devers was forced to wear a boot cast for a month, which she shed only 12 days before the Classic.
“Coming into the race, I wasn’t sure what I could do,” Devers said. “I’m pleased that I don’t feel any owies.”
The biggest test, she noted, is coming up in a few weeks at the Olympic Trials in Sacramento on July 14-23.
“This is the first race in a long season,” Devers said. “I just wanted to prepare myself physically and mentally for the Olympic Trials.”
Second place Anjanette Kirkland’s time of 12.68 was the third fastest in the world this year.
Although no records were set, fans were treated to an exciting 800 meters race. Local favorite Maria Mutola’s streak of nine straight Prefontaine titles in the half mile was in danger for about 300 meters, but the Mozambique native out-kicked Olympian Regina Jacobs over the last 70 meters to keep the streak intact. Mutola’s time of 1:57.65 was .08 seconds shy of her own meet and field record.
“I’m happy the way I ran today,” Mutola said. “Sydney is far away, but this is a good start.”
Jacobs, who is primarily a specialist in the 1,500 meters and up, decided to come down to the 800 for some speedwork.
“If I had run a two-flat and won I would not have been as happy as I am running a PR and not winning,” said Jacobs, who ran a 1:58.9.
The only field event for the women other than the long jump was the discus. Australia’s Lisa-Marie Vizaniari bettered her own meet and field record of 212-11 by two feet. Oregon track and field member Mary Etter also participated, finishing eighth with a throw of 162-2.
The U.S. Olympic Trials will be the next competition for most of the athletes. The Olympic Games will begin in September in Sydney, Australia.
