Dutch distance runner is among big names at star-studded two-day meeting in Oregon this week
After winning three medals at the Tokyo Olympics, Sifan Hassan has caught her breath and is now eyeing up world records at the end-of-season meetings
This begins with an attack on Letesenbet Gidey’s world 5000m record of 14:06.62 at the Prefontaine Classic in Eugene, Oregon, on Friday (August 20).
It will be the 28-year-old’s first race since she won 5000m and 10,000m golds plus 1500m bronze in Tokyo.
“A long time ago, I decided I want to attack the 5000m world record in Eugene. It’s going to be hard after all the races in Tokyo,” said Hassan, who also plans to attack Gidey’s world 10,000m record at the Diamond League in Brussels on September 3.
Friday night at the Pre Classic is dedicated to distance running but the competition continues on Saturday (August 21) with the Wanda Diamond League events.
These include a women’s 100m that sees Sha’Carri Richardson, the US champion who missed the Olympics due to a cannabis positive, up against Olympic 100m and 200m champion Elaine Thompson-Herah and fellow Jamaicans Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Shericka Jackson.
The men’s 100m, meanwhile, features Americans Trayvon Bromell, Fred Kerley and Ronnie Baker together with Olympic 200m champion Andre De Grasse of Canada.
All three medallists in the Olympic shot put are also in action again with Ryan Crouser facing fellow American Joe Kovacs and New Zealander Tom Walsh.
Olympic 1500m one-two Faith Kipyegon and Laura Muir race again at the re-built Hayward Field arena, which is set to stage the World Championships next year.
Athing Mu, Keely Hodgkinson, Raevyn Rogers and Jemma Reekie, the top four in the Olympic 800m final, are also set to clash again.
Athing Mu, Keely Hodgkinson and Raevyn Rogers will all race over 800m at the upcoming Eugene Diamond League ?
Don't forget, this was the Olympic podium in Tokyo. pic.twitter.com/8LQrtfjEDM
— AW (@AthleticsWeekly) August 17, 2021
In addition, the first three in the Olympic 5000m final, Joshua Cheptegei of Uganda, Mohammed Ahmed of Canada and Paul Chelimo of the United States, are set to race over two miles.
Olympic 1500m champion Jakob Ingebrigtsen is in action as the Norwegian leads the fields in the Bowerman Mile in a rematch with world champion Timothy Cheruiyot, the runner-up in Tokyo.
Britain’s Jake Heyward and 2016 Olympic champion Matt Centrowitz of the United States also run. There is no Josh Kerr, though, as the Olympic 1500m bronze medallist has ended his season and gone on holiday to Las Vegas instead.