Brilliant triumphs by Camryn Rogers and Abdihamid Nur highlighted the first evening of action at the USATF Los Angeles Grand Prix, a World Athletics Continental Tour Gold meeting, on Friday (26)
World-class athletes gathered in southern California at UCLA’s Drake Stadium and in the women’s hammer competition Rogers broke her own Canadian record when she reached 78.62m on her final attempt. The distance moves the world silver medallist to fifth on the world all-time list.
“I was very surprised,” Rogers said, “but also very happy. We’ve put in a lot of work going into this competition and I feel like we’re off to a really good start for the season.”
World champion Brooke Andersen of the USA finished second with a 76.06m throw, while US record-holder DeAnna Price took third with a season’s best of 75.89m.
In the men’s hammer throw, Olympic champion and world silver medallist Wojciech Nowicki of Poland achieved a winning 77.18m throw. He beat USA’s Rudy Winkler by only a centimetre, with the pair tied at 77.17m until the sixth and final round. Winkler finished in second and Ethan Katzberg finished third with 75.28m.
After a dramatic tumble on the first lap of the men’s 5000m, Abdihamid Nur unearthed a jaw-dropping recovery — he set a Drake Stadium record and shot under the qualifying standard for the World Athletics Championships Budapest 23 (13:07.00) with a 13:05.17 personal best. The field maintained a determined pace from the gun, and 13 of the 24 finishing athletes set personal bests.
Nur said he was bumped on the back, which threw him off his rhythm and caused the fall.
“I just stayed calm, respected the competition and let it come to me,” Nur said. “I went out at two and a half laps because that’s where I feel confident. And when I knew to strike.”
Edwin Kurgat of Kenya finished second in 13:08.46, and USA’s Morgan Beadlescomb was third in 13:08.82.
Competition winnowed down in the pole vault to bring USA’s Olympic and world silver medallist Sandi Morris head-to-head with Canadian champion Alysha Newman. Morris’ single successful vault at 4.61m ultimately brought her the win ahead of Newman, who needed two attempts to clear the height. Both women attempted 4.71m and missed. Rachel Baxter of the USA finished third after reaching 4.51m.
Olympic and world champion Katie Moon struggled to hit her typical heights and exited the competition when she failed to clear the second height progression of 4.41m.
USA’s Craig Engels celebrated his win early in the second of the evening’s men’s 800m races by throwing his fist into the air a few metres from the finish line. His celebration of the win in 1:47.32 was narrowly earned, as runner-up Abraham Alvarado was close behind in 1:47.48. Ghana’s Alex Amankwah took third in 1:47.52.
USA’s Laurie Barton went quickest in the women’s 800m races, winning in 2:02.54 ahead of Sweden’s Hanna Hermansson (2:03.63).
The 3000m steeplechase races were won with PB performances by Madie Boreman of the USA (9:22.99) and Tunisia’s Ahmed Jaziri (8:17.64). Lifetime bests were also set by the 1500m winners, Canada’s Kieran Lumb clocking 3:35.99 and USA’s Emily Mackay running 4:07.03.
USA’s Emily Lipari won the women’s 5000m in 15:08.87. Australian Lauren Ryan finished second in a 15:11.84 PB and Bethany Hasz of the USA also achieved a personal best of 15:14.08 for third.
The USATF Los Angeles Grand Prix continues on Saturday.
Madeline Ryan for World Athletics