By Brooklynn Loiselle
PALO ALTO, Calif. — Timothy Cheruiyot of Kenya had intended to arrive in the United States early in the week before the Prefontaine Classic. But two days before the meet, he was not in the United States. Because of clearance issues with the embassy, he said, he was unable to arrive in Palo Alto until Saturday night.
Those struggles did not prevent the 2018 champion from defending his Bowerman Mile title on Sunday.
Cheruiyot finished in 3 minutes, 50.49 seconds, ahead of runner-up Ayanleh Souleiman, who ran 3:51.22, and third-place finisher Filip Ingebrigtsen, who was close behind in 3:51.28. Cheruiyot, the 1,500 silver medalist from the 2017 world championships, has now won nine of his last 10 Diamond League races at one mile or 1,500 meters.
Cheruiyot was already familiar with his competition ahead of Sunday’s race; 11 of 15 of last year’s field returned. Although the venue of Cobb Track and Angell Field at Stanford University was new to the Pre Classic, Cheruiyot felt at ease.
“It was almost the same,” Cheruiyot said regarding the differences between Hayward Field and Stanford’s track. “The crowd was the same.”
Yomif Kejelcha of the Nike Oregon Project, who set the indoor mile world record earlier this year, faded after a fast start, finishing in 13th in a field of 15 in 3:58.24.
Cheruiyot sat back in the beginning laps of the race, allowing for Kejelcha to set the tone. A little over three laps in, he took the lead, bringing Souleiman, and Filip and Jakob Ingebrigtsen with him.
Returning to the Pre Classic was also Matthew Centrowitz, who finished sixth in 3:52.26 after not racing for the previous 11 months following injuries to his hamstring and shin. He also switched from the Nike Oregon Project to the Bowerman Track Club. He was not able to fully practice until about five weeks ago under the direction of Jerry Schumacher.
“The last five weeks have been tremendous,” Centrowitz said. “For me to come out here, compete the way I did, run the time that I did … we’re both pretty stoked just about how I was able to compete here and then also my future.”
Centrowitz said he feels “incredibly strong,” improving from the back of the pack to sixth over the course of the final lap. He was pleased about reaching the U.S. national qualifying standard for the 1,500 meters through his mile race, especially with such few opportunities left to run this outdoor season.
Also celebrating a successful race was Craig Engels of the Nike Oregon Project, who used a strong kick over the last 100 meters to finish fifth in a lifetime best of 3:51.60.
“This is a world championship climate, and I got fifth,” Engels said. “So I got a bit of work to do, but it’s exciting.”
Many of the competitors in this event will turn to focus on the 1,500 meters because the mile is not currently an event offered at the IAAF world championships. However, the Bowerman Mile, named after the late Nike co-founder and University of Oregon track coach Bill Bowerman, continues to be a monumental victory to one’s resume.
“You could look down the line, and everyone is a medalist, a record holder, a previous winner of this race,” Centrowitz said. “I don’t take the Bowerman Mile for granted. It’s always a prestigious race, and I look forward to hopefully winning one day.”
