Kenyans set two track world records at Prefontaine Classic
Kipyegon finished the 1,500 in 3 minutes, 48.68 seconds, besting her own record of 3:49.04 in the event set last year.
Chebet became the first women to run under 14 minutes in the 5,000, finishing in 13:58.06 to surpass Ethiopian Gudaf Tsegay's 2023 mark of 14:00.21.
'When I was coming here to Eugene, I was coming to prepare to run a world record, and I said I have to try. I said, 'If Faith is trying, why not me?'' Chebet said about her good friend. 'And today, I'm so happy because I've achieved being the first woman to run under 14. I'm so happy for myself.'
The day's most anticipated race was the 100, which featured the top three finishers from the Paris Olympics.
Jefferson-Wooden, who took the bronze medal last summer, finished in 10.75 seconds. Gold medalist Julien Alfred of Saint Lucia was second in 10.77,and Marie Josée Ta Lou-Smith of Ivory Coast was third in 10.90.
Sha'Carri Richardson, the silver medalist in Paris, finished last in the nine-runner field. It was just the second outdoor 100 of the year for Richardson, who said she struggled with an unspecified injury in February.
'The only motivation that I had today was having a healthy race and the fact that I executed a healthy race knowing that now I have the time, because I do have that by being the reigning world champion, and all I have to do is just keep pushing and focusing in our practice, so I'm super excited to just finish,' said Richardson, who has her attention on September's world championships in Tokyo.
Jamaica's Kishane Thompson won the men's 100 in 9.86 seconds, ahead of British runner-up Zharnel Hughes. Thompson, who finished second to Noah Lyles at last summer's Olympics, went into the Pre with the world's best time this year at 9.75.
Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, who set the world record in the 400 hurdles in Paris, easily won the flat 400 in 49.43.
'It's a long year, so I'm really just taking it day by day, taking it slow, building and seeing which direction you want to go in by the end of it,' McLaughlin-Levrone said.
Ethiopian Tsige Duguma, the silver medalist at last year's Olympics, won the 800 in 1:57.10.
Rudy Winkler set an American record in the hammer throw with a hurl of 272 feet, 10 inches. Canadian Camryn Rogers won on the women's side.
'My training this week was very bad, so I kind of came into this like zero expectations of like 'Whatever I throw, I throw,' so I was super surprised by that today,' said Winkler.
In the other field events, American Chase Jackson won the women's shot put at 68-8 1/2. Lithuanian Mikolas Alekna took the discus at 232-10.
Tara Davis-Woodhall won the long jump with leap of 23-2 1/2 inches. Pole vaulter Armand Duplantis, who set a world record in Stockholm last month, cleared 19-8 1/4 at the Pre.
Biniam Mehary of Ethiopia ran the 10,000 in 26:43.82, a world best this year. Jamaican Ackera Nugent won the 100 hurdles in 12:32.
Alison dos Santos of Jamaica, the bronze medalist in both the Tokyo and Paris Games, won the men's 400 hurdles in 46.65. Olympic gold medalist Letsile Tebogo of Botswana won the 200 in 19.76. British sprinter Matthew Hudson-Smith held on to win the flat 400 in 44.10.
Niels Laros of the Netherlands won the Bowerman Mile, an event unique to the Prefontaine, in 3:45.93.
The Prefontaine Classic is named for Steve Prefontaine, the Oregon track star who died in a car accident in 1975. The event is the lone U.S. stop on the Diamond League series.
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Faith Kipyegon And Beatrice Chebet Break World Records At The 50th Prefontaine Classic
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More 1500m and setting a new world record during the Prefontaine Classic at Hayward Field on July 5, 2025 in Eugene, Oregon. (Photo by) Getty Images Just nine days after her Breaking4 attempt in the mile, Faith Kipyegon came to Hayward Field on a mission. Kipyegon lowered her world record in the 1500 meters to 3:48.68. Forbes Faith Kipyegon Sets New World Best In The Mile By Katelyn Hutchison To set her up for an elite time, the meet had green lights around the railing of the track to indicate just how fast Kipyegon would need to go to break her world record. During the last 150 meters of the race, the Olympic champion was about three meters behind the world record target. Shifting into another gear as she soared in the homestretch, Kipyegon found enough strength to pass the lights and rewrite history once again. The three-time Olympic champion was nothing but smiles after setting another world record. 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Melissa Jefferson-Wooden Takes Down Olympic Champion Julien Alfred In A Historic 100M Race EUGENE, OREGON - JULY 5: Melissa Jefferson-Wooden of the United States reacts after winning the ... More Women's 100m during the Prefontaine Classic at Hayward Field on July 5, 2025 in Eugene, Oregon. (Photo by) Getty Images The women's 100-meter dash did not fail to disappoint, featuring an Olympic-level matchup. Melissa Jefferson-Wooden, the Olympic bronze medalist in the 100-meter dash, ran 10.75 to reign victorious over Olympic champion Julien Alfred, who ran 10.77. The 100-meter dash field for this year's Prefontaine Classic included the entire Paris Olympic podium with Alfred, Sha'Carri Richardson, and Jefferson-Wooden. 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(Photo by) Getty Images Long jump Olympic champion Tara Davis-Woodhall had fans on the edge of their seats in Hayward Field. Davis-Woodhall managed to clinch the victory in an exciting fashion, jumping 7.07 meters on her final jump to beat Olympic champion and two-time world champion Malaika Mahimbo. This was Davis-Woodhall's only seven-meter jump of the day. Mahimbo and Davis-Woodhall have an exciting jumps rivalry. These two women are the most consistent seven-meter jumpers in track and field currently. Their ability to earn medals while also continuously dominating their competition will make them difficult to beat come the World Athletics Outdoor Championships in September. The long jump field included two-time Olympic medalist Jasmine Moore and world indoor champion Claire Bryant. Bryant finished third with her best jump being 6.80 meters. Moore placed fourth with 6.71 meters. US' Joe Kovacs competes in the men's shot put event of the Diamond League athletics meeting at the ... 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Olympic Champion Letsile Tebogo Proves He's Back In Form, Runs 19.76 World Lead In The 200M EUGENE, OREGON - JULY 5: Letsile Tebogo of Botswana competes in the Men's 200m during the ... More Prefontaine Classic at Hayward Field on July 5, 2025 in Eugene, Oregon. (Photo by) Getty Images The 200-meter dash Olympic champion, Letsile Tebogo, found his stride again at the 50th Prefontaine Classic. With the late withdrawal of his Olympic podium companion, Kenny Bednarek, who pulled out due to physical discomfort, Tebogo controlled the field, running 19.76, which is now a new world lead. Not too far behind him was world relays champion Courtney Lindsey, who ran a season's best of 19.87. Following his Olympic debut, Tebogo has not had it easy in competition this season. He started the year running a few 400-meter races and slowly transitioned into his main events, which are the 100-meter and 200-meter dashes. His season opener in the 100-meter dash back in April was 10.55 seconds, which is far from typical for Tebogo. He continued to improve his time in his 100-meter races, but unfortunately, he ran 10.43 at the end of May. His 200-meter races have consistently been around the low 20-second mark this season. This is Tebogo's first race back since May. His time away from competition proved to be needed, as he looked like he was back to his old self. If the Olympic champion can keep this momentum through September, there is no reason why he won't make another world championship podium. For the complete list of results from the Prefontaine Classic, fans can find it on the Diamond League website.
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