Prefontaine Classic 2023: All American Stars Set to Ablaze Eugene Track for Glory

The 2023 Diamond League Finals are almost here. With the latest Brussels leg of the competition now over, athletes and coaches turn their attention to the finals in Eugene, which are scheduled for the 16th and 17th of September 2023. With multiple world records on the line, the Prefontaine Classic 2023 will be hosting a range of the world’s best athletes later this week.

Since the 2024 Paris Olympics are just a year away, all athletes will be looking to end their 2023 season on a high with amazing performances at the 2023 Diamond League finals. Athletes like Noah Lyles, Shericka Jackson, and Armand Duplantis will all be chasing history as they aim to set new world records in Eugene and claim the 2023 Diamond League Champion title in their respective sports.

2023 Diamond League Final

The 2023 Diamond League finals will be hosted at Hayward Field, Eugene, and will mark the first time that the U.S. is hosting a Diamond League final. It is a competition that was started in 2010 and each year 14 elite track and field events are included in the Diamond League that takes place all over the world.

Athletes will face off in 32 events throughout the competition, with 16 events equally divided between the men’s and women’s divisions. Jamaican track star Shericka Jackson will be looking to break Florence Griffith Joyner’s 35-year-old world record as she laces up her spikes in Eugene.

Similarly, US-born Swede Armand Duplantis, who came narrowly close in Brussels, will also be aiming to set a new world record at the 2023 Diamond League finals. According to an Olympics report, joining them would be Faith Kipyegon and Jakob Ingebrigtsen, who have set new world records in the 2023 Diamond League. As all these world-class athletes head to Eugene, it is also important to understand why the Prefontaine Classic has such a huge influence over world athletics and the American history behind the prestigious competition.

American History Behind Prefontaine Classic 2023

The Prefontaine Classic is the longest-running outdoor invitational track and field meeting in the United States. It is named after Steve Prefontaine, a local track legend of Eugene, who is revered for his legendary distance running. Over the course of his career, Prefontaine participated in the 1500m, one mile, 2000m, 3000m, two miles, 5000m and 10,000m. At the peak of his powers, Prefontaine held every American track and field record between 2,000m to 10,000m.

He even secured an NCAA Championship in the 5000m in front of his home crowd of Eugene in 1972. During the same year, the legendary distance runner also secured an impressive fourth-place finish in the 5000m discipline at the 1972 Olympic Games. Prefontaine was also an activist for college amateur athletes and challenged the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) on a number of occasions.

He also urged big business and like-minded people to invest in training camps in order to improve the plight of collegiate athletics. This also led him to become the first paid athlete for Nike in 1974. Sadly, Steve Prefontaine passed away in a tragic car accident in 1975, just a year before the 1976 Olympics, where many believed that the NCAA champion would have secured an Olympic gold medal in the 5000m event.

After his passing, Prefontaine’s hometown of Eugene honored their legendary distance runner by establishing a track and field meet in his name at Hayward Field, which is now known as the Prefontaine Classic. This year’s Prefontaine Classic is the 48th annual edition of the legendary track and field competition that attracts top athletes from all over the world and also features some of the nation’s best talents.

American Athletes to Blaze Through the Home Soil in Prefontaine Classic 2023

The 48th edition of the Prefontaine Classic will see a host of American star power arrive in Eugene at the top of their game. Heading the lineup will be track star Noah Lyles who had earlier ended his 2023 season after the Zurich leg of the 2023 Diamond League. However, the reigning 100m and 200m world champion soon changed his mind and tweeted that he would make one last appearance at the 2023 Prefontaine Classic before saying goodbye to his 2023 season.

1. Noah Lyles

2023 was full of success for Noah Lyles, who secured a hat trick of gold medals at the recent 2023 World Athletics Championships in Budapest. He became the new 100m world champion with a personal best and world-leading time of 9.83 seconds. Following this, he won the 200m world crown for the third straight year when he dominated his opponents with a 19.52s time. Lyles completed his hat trick by helping his 4x100m relay teammates to the finish line and set a world-leading time of 37.38 seconds.

However, Lyles has not featured much in the 2023 Diamond League and has only participated once in the 100m event and twice in the 200m event. But that has not stopped him from winning, as Lyles aced all his 2023 Diamond League races to secure top spots ahead of the Prefontaine Classic 2023 later this week.

2. Sha’Carri Richardson

Another American track star in top form is Sha’Carri Richardson. The newly crowned 100m world champion has completely dominated the women’s 100m event this year. During the recent world championships in Budapest, Richardson bested the likes of Shericka Jackson and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and not only claimed gold but also set a championship record time of 10.65 seconds.

She further set another personal best in the 200m event as she claimed the bronze medal before anchoring her 4x100m relay teammates to a gold medal and a championship record time of 41.03 seconds. Like Lyles, Richardson has also not participated much in the 2023 Diamond League with only three appearances in the 100m event. However, that has not affected the track sensation as she has won all her 2023 Diamond League races and is now focused on the upcoming finals in Eugene.

3. Erriyon Knighton

19-year-old Erriyon Knighton is already going toe to toe against some of the best athletes in the world. The track prodigy secured a silver medal at the 2023 World Championships in Budapest when he stopped the clock in 19.75 seconds behind fellow U.S. teammate Noah Lyles.

This was an upgrade for the 19-year-old from last year, who had previously won bronze in the same event. When it comes to the 2023 Diamond League, Lyles has focused on the men’s 200m division and won two out of the three races he has participated in. While he registered wins in Firenze and Oslo, he secured a second-place finish in Zurich behind Noah Lyles. However, Knighton will be looking to go out strong in Eugene and end his season with a win.

4. Fred Kerley

Fred Kerley, who was the defending 100m world champion, did not feature in the final race in Budapest. Kerley, who had recorded a 9.86s time last year, came third in the 100m semi-finals in Budapest. However, he leads the men’s 100m standings in the 2023 Diamond League.

The 2022 100m world champion sits at the top with 29 points after his wins in Rabat and Firenze while managing a second and third-place finish in Silesia and Xiamen respectively. Fans of the sprinter will be hoping for him to maintain his top spot by becoming the 2023 100m Diamond League Champion in Eugene.

5. Chase Ealey

American shot putter Chase Ealey successfully defended her world champion crown at this year’s world championships in Budapest. After winning gold in Oregon last year, Ealey secured another world championship gold this year with her 20.43m throw.

She also sits 2nd in the 2023 Diamond League standings with 20 points after securing a first, second, and fourth position this year. With just a few days to go for the Prefontaine Classic 2023, Ealey would be looking to repeat her form of last year and become a champion once again in Oregon.

6. Christian Coleman

Former world champion Christian Coleman finished a lowly fifth in the recent World Championships in Budapest. However, he did leave with a gold medal from Budapest after helping the U.S. 4x100m relay team win gold and set a world-leading time of 37.38 seconds. As for the 2023 Diamond League, his only appearance came recently in Xiamen when he not only won the 100m event but also ended up matching the 100m world-leading time with his 9.83s run. Coleman will now shift his attention to the Prefontaine Classic 2023, where he will once again go head-to-head with the likes of Noah Lyles.

7. Ryan Crouser

American shot putter Ryan Crouser holds the current men’s world record for throwing 23.56m, a feat he achieved earlier this year at the Los Angeles Grand Prix. Only a few months later, he also successfully defended his world champion crown in Budapest with a championship record throw of 23.51m.

The Olympic gold medalist ranks 2nd in the 2023 Diamond League standings after winning all three events he participated in this year. He will now be looking to end his 2023 season with another championship win in Eugene later this week.

8. Tara Davis-Woodhall

Tara Davis-Woodhall earned herself a silver medal at Budapest with her 6.91m long jump. She also sits 3rd currently in the 2023 Diamond League standings with 20 points after she secured 2 second-place finishes in the Firenze and Monaco leg of the competition. Davis-Woodhall also finished third during the London leg of the Diamond League. With the Prefontaine Classic 2023 on the horizon, the talented long jumper will be aiming to become the 2023 Diamond League women’s long jumper champion in Oregon.

Read more: “USA Be Standing on S***”: Millions Applaud After Noah Lyles and Sha’Carri Richardson Led Teams End Jamaican Rivalry at World Athletics Championship

With just days to go for one of the most prestigious track and field competitions in the world, all eyes will be on the high-performing American track and field athletes. With an impressive lineup of several record holders, fans will be expecting these athletes to dominate their respective events and close their 2023 season on a high at the Prefontaine Classic 2023.

Watch this story: After Flaunting World Championship Medals, Noah Lyles Gets Back to Hustle Again Ahead of Prefontaine Diamond League