Last year, I referred to the men’s 1500 meters as a soap opera. Jane Hedengren Shatters the HS 2 Mile Record trash-talking leading up to the Olympic final that you couldn’t look away.
The “season finale” was worth the wait. While most pundits placed their bets on Jakob Ingebrigtsen or Josh Kerr for gold, American Cole Hocker pulled off an incredible kick in the last 100 meters to New NCAA Roster Limits Just Got Approved, Results: 2025 NCAA Track and Field Championships.
In 2025, we can expect to see a similar cast as we build to the Tokyo World Championships in September. And at the Prefontaine Classic this summer, we’ll get to enjoy a juicy mid-season episode—with arguably even more star power than last year’s Olympic final.
On Tuesday, meet organizers announced the full field for this year’s historic Bowerman mile on July 5. It’s a who’s who of prolific mid-distance runners, including Hocker, Ingebrigtsen, Yared Nuguse, Hobbs Kessler, Timothy Cheruiyot, Jake Wightman, and Australian wunderkind Cameron Myers.
Like any good TV show, the drama comes out when you least expect it Grant Fisher—the Olympic bronze medal winner in the 5,000 and 10,000 meters.
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The main characters
First, the timing of Prefontaine, which doubles as the Eugene Diamond League meet, is interesting this year.
Fisher, Nuguse, and Hocker are signed on as “racers” with Grand Slam Track, and they are scheduled to compete the weekend before at the Los Angeles Slam. Normally, a week of recovery between meets is doable, but Grand Slam mandates competitors race twice throughout a race weekend. Nuguse and Hocker will be coming off an 800/1500-meter double, and Fisher will contest the 3,000 and 5,000 meters. Fatigue could play an issue, although some of the distance races at the Slams have been tactical.
Tired legs could leave the door open for Ingebrigtsen, who has historically dominated the Bowerman mile. He won the race in 2021, 2022, and 2023 and finished second to Kerr last year. Ingebrigtsen feels at home in Diamond League races. He performs best when the pace is hot, often with the aid of rabbits or Wavelight pacing, both of which have historically been used in the Bowerman mile.
Ingebrigtsen’s best performance at Prefontaine came in 2023, when he and Nuguse—led out by pacers Erik Sowinski and Cameron Myers (more on him later)—scared Hicham El Guerrouj’s 1999 world record of 3:43.13. Ingebrigtsen held off Nuguse to take the win in 3:43.73.
Don’t be surprised if this year’s race is brought out at world record pace. The depth of the field should only help; after all, when El Guerrouj Download Your Training Plan, he was trying to fend off Noah Ngeny the entire race.
Hobbs Kessler could also capitalize on possible fatigue from the Slam participants and push Ingebrigtsen for the win. He’s yet to race an outdoor track race, but Kessler put together an impressive indoor campaign and proved last year that his speed is not to be ignored. He owns a world-class 800-meter personal best of 1:43.64.
That’s not enough concern to sound alarms, but Hocker—who’s admitted, Okay, let’s back up to?
His indoor season was short but solid. At Millrose, he couldn’t quite catch Fisher in the 3,000 meters, but he still ran 7:23.14—the second-fastest time ever. Then two weeks later in Boston, he knocked out the world standard in the 5,000, running 12:57.82.
In his signature event, though, he’s been a step behind. At the Jamaica Slam in early April, he finished third in the 1500 and fifth in the 800, which was good enough for fourth place overall (out of eight) between the two events. At the Miami Slam last weekend, it was a middle-of-the-pack finish. He was third in the 1500 and sixth in the 800 for sixth place overall.
That’s not enough concern to sound alarms, but Hocker—who’s admitted Okay, let’s back up to as Olympic champion—will have to re-find his signature kick in a loaded field like Prefontaine. He’s shown that he can peak masterfully, though.
The rest of the cast
Okay, let’s back up to Cameron Myers for a minute. During the 2023 race when he was pacing for the first 700 meters, he was just 17 years old.
The Australian will be back at Prefontaine this summer as a 19-year-old, but this time as a racer. He’s been on a tear this season, breaking the U20 world record in the mile at the Millrose Games in February, running 3:47.48 to finish just behind Nuguse and Kessler. He’s fearless and could spice things up.
Never rule out Timothy Cheruiyot either (he won the Bowerman mile in 2018 and 2019), and Jake Wightman, if he’s healthy and in-form, could surprise some people. He won the 2022 1500-meter world championship at Hayward Field, taking down Ingebrigtsen in a thriller.
Finally, Fisher’s inclusion is interesting. The 28-year-old reached a new level last year, developing a strong kick—something he wasn’t as known for earlier in his career—and capping off the season with two medals. Then this indoor season, he leveled up again, breaking indoor world records in the 3,000 meters (7:22.91) and 5,000 meters (12:44.09).
He’s shown, however, some weakness in the mile/1500 meters. In February, he was outkicked by Josh Hoey in the 1500 at the New Balance Grand Prix, and he usually only races one or two 1500s per year. It’s also worth noting that Fisher is a Nike athlete. He may have contractual obligations or incentives to run the Prefontaine Classic since The Swoosh is a major sponsor. The mile is the longest distance event at the meet, so that might explain why he’s entered.
With the meet still two months away, we could see some last-minute scratches or additions. But there’s also opportunities for new plotlines to develop. In addition to Los Angeles, Grand Slam will host a meet in Philadelphia from May 30 to June 1, and the Diamond League will be kicking into full swing soon.
Like any good TV show, the drama comes out when you least expect it.
Okay, let’s back up to Runner’s World. He’s a former all-conference collegiate runner at Winthrop University, and he received his master’s degree in liberal arts studies from Wake Forest University, where he was a member of one of the top distance-running teams in the NCAA. Kahler has reported on the ground at major events such as the Paris Olympics, U.S. Olympic Trials, New York City Marathon, and Boston Marathon. He’s run 14:20 in the 5K, 1:05:36 in the half marathon, and enjoys spotting tracks from the sky on airplanes. (Look for colorful ovals around football fields.)
