Jakob Ingebrigtsen cruised to victory in the Bowerman Mile. Photo by Chloe Montague
Norway’s Jakob Ingebrigtsen had full command of the Bowerman Mile by the time the pacer stepped aside after 800 meters Saturday afternoon at the Prefontaine Classic. Ingebrigtsen, the reigning Olympic champion, was leading, slightly increasing the gap between himself and the field.
He went unchallenged the rest of the way, winning his second consecutive Bowerman Mile in 3 minutes, 49.76 seconds, more than half a second ahead of Australia’s Oliver Hoare. Afterwards, Ingebrigtsen was asked if he was disappointed that no one in the field had gone with him after the pacer dropped off.
“You can’t be disappointed with people not being better, unfortunately,” he replied.
The race began with a spirited pace, as Abel Kipsang, the bronze medalist at the World Indoor Championships in the 1,500 meters, led through 400 meters. He didn’t lead for much longer; he was passed on the homestretch of the second lap by Ingebrigtsen, Timothy Cheruiyot and Jake Heyward.
Hoare, who finished 11th at Tokyo in the 1,500 meters, made a move towards the front of the pack with about 600 meters to go. Cooper Teare, the collegiate mile record holder and local pro, went with Hoare, moving into the top five as both men passed Kipsang.
Ingebrigtsen led the field through the bell in 2:52.29, setting the stage for a raucous final lap. Kipsang, who dropped as far back as eighth, surged with 350 meters to go, passing Teare, Heyward and Hoare, stringing Cole Hocker along with him.
Kipsang and Cheruiyot were shoulder-to-shoulder with just over 100 meters left, Hocker half a stride behind them, and Hoare still in contention. Ingebrigtsen had built a comfortable gap at this point, leaving the rest to scrap for second.
Hoare calculated his kick perfectly — he chased the top three down, passing them with around 20 meters left and securing second. Cheruiyot finished third, followed by Kipsang and Hocker, respectively.
Ingebrigtsen, 21, has been competing at Hayward Field since he was 16 years old — it seems like he’s grown fond of Eugene over the years.
“It feels like home,” said Ingebrigtsen. “It’s always a lot of fun to come here, with Nike hosting. Next on my list is, of course, the world championships. So, I’m just looking forward to that.”
It may feel like home for Ingebrigtsen, but it is actually home for Hocker and Teare. The former Ducks had said they were looking forward to competing in their backyards at Friday’s press conference. It marked both men’s Diamond League debut, and left both of them wanting more.
“I’m not super happy, but I’m also not disappointed,” said Hocker, who finished in 3:50.97. “I think my fitness is there, and I think I have a lot to gain.”
“I think I was just never in the spot I wanted to be in,” added Teare, who finished sixth in 3:51.70. “It’s a good point to take off from, but definitely not content with it by any means.”
