Barega improves on own world-leading mark to prevail in 12:51.60, helping 11 athletes eclipse 13-minute barrier; St. Pierre runs No. 4 outdoor 5,000 in U.S. women’s history with 14:34.12 effort, McCabe sets Canadian 3,000 steeplechase record 9:20.58, Ukraine’s Kokhan triumphs in hammer at 263-6 (80.33m), with Allman, Andersen, Morris and Stona also victorious

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

Photos by Chuck Aragon and Kirby Lee/Image of Sport

LOS ANGELES, Calif. – Grant Fisher has now been part of the two deepest 5,000-meter races in history, but the showcase Friday at the USATF Los Angeles Grand Prix Distance Classic was even more significant for the American record holder for multiple reasons.

First, the Nike standout finished in the top five in 12 minutes, 53.30 seconds at UCLA’s Drake Stadium, in comparison to 11th last year in 12:56.99 at the Golden Gala Pietro Mennea Diamond League event in Florence, Italy.

And second, the race boasted the most sub-13 performances ever achieved on U.S. soil, with 11 competitors eclipsing the barrier, just missing the all-time mark of 13 produced last year in Italy.

RESULTS | EVENT VIDEOS | INTERVIEWS | PHOTOS by Chuck Aragon

It marked only the fifth time in any global outdoor 5,000 race that at least 10 athletes delivered sub-13 efforts, with the others in Rome in 2006, Oslo in 2010 and Saint-Denis in 2012.

In the clash of global gold medalists, Selemon Barega of Ethiopia – winner of the 10,000-meter title at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics – emerged victorious in the 5,000 in a world-leading 12:51.60.

Fellow Ethiopian standout Berihu Aregawi – the world record-holder in the 5-kilometer road race – finished second behind Barega in 12:52.09.

Uganda’s Joshua Cheptegei, the reigning Olympic gold medalist in the 5,000 as well as a three-time World Athletics Championships winner in the 10,000 along with being the world record-holder in both events, took third Friday in 12:52.38.

Jacob Kiplimo, two-time gold medalist for Uganda at the World Athletics Cross Country Championships, finished fourth in the 5,000 in 12:52.91.

Behind Fisher, Ethiopia’s Biniam Mehary secured sixth in 12:54.10, Canadian competitor Moh Ahmed was seventh in 12:54.22 and British standout Sam Atkin earned eighth in a personal-best 12:54.66.

American athletes Cooper Teare (12:54.72) and Cole Hocker (12:58.82) were ninth and 11th, respectively, both in lifetime-best efforts. Australian competitors Stewart McSweyn (12:56.07) and Morgan McDonald (13:00.48) finished 10th and 12th overall, both in personal-best performances.

Although it was a daunting task for the women’s 5,000 field to follow the men’s competition, American athlete and New Balance performer Elle St. Pierre elevated to the No. 4 all-time U.S. outdoor performer by winning in 14:34.12.

St. Pierre, who ascended to No. 5 on the absolute athlete list in U.S. history, led four competitors to sub-15 efforts, including Venezuela’s Joselyn Brea, with the On Athletics representative improving on her own South American record.

Brea ran 14:36.19 to place second, improving on her 14:47.76 performance last year at the Sound Running Track Festival at Mt. San Antonio College in Walnut, Calif.

Hannah Nuttall, a British competitor, took third in a lifetime-best 14:57.91 and Ella Donaghu from Nike Union Athletics Club placed fourth in a personal-best 14:58.39.

Allie Buchalski of Brooks was fifth in her fastest career effort of 15:01.75, Abby Nichols of HOKA Northern Arizona Elite secured sixth in a personal-best 15:03.17 and Bethany Hasz from Boston Athletic Association achieved seventh in a lifetime-best 15:05.80.

Ceili McCabe, a West Virginia standout competing unattached, produced the Canadian record in the women’s 3,000-meter steeplechase by clocking 9:20.58, holding off last year’s winner and Oiselle athlete Madie Boreman, who ran a personal-best 9:21.98.

McCabe eclipsed the 9:22.40 effort established by Genevieve Lalonde at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics.

Norah Jeruto of Kazakhstan, who won the 2022 World Athletics Championships gold medal in the 3,000 steeplechase, took third in 9:22.45, just ahead of Germany’s Lea Meyer in 9:22.51 and Poland’s Alicja Konieczek clocking 9:22.52.

American athletes Angelina Ellis (9:25.25) and Logan Jolly (9:26.23) both achieved personal-best efforts to secure sixth and seventh overall.

Jean-Simon Desgagnes, another Canadian athlete representing New Balance, prevailed in the men’s 3,000 steeplechase in 8:16.49, edging American competitor Matthew Wilkinson in a lifetime-best 8:16.59, with six entries running sub-8:22.

Alec Basten clocked 8:19.96, British competitor Zak Seddon ran 8:20.77, Derek Johnson finished fifth in 8:20.90 and Joey Berriatua secured sixth in 8:21.98, with all four individuals earning personal-best performances.

Mykhaylo Kokhan of Ukraine triumphed in the men’s hammer throw with a third-round effort of 263-6 (80.33m), his second 80-meter performance of the season, including a 264-11 (80.76m) mark April 20 at the Kip Keino Classic in Kenya.

Denzel Comenentia improved on his own Dutch record with an opening-round throw of 259-5 (79.09m), with American athletes Daniel Haugh and Rudy Winkler finishing third and fourth at 252-2 (76.86m) and 248-1 (75.62m), respectively.

Brooke Andersen emerged victorious in a showdown of the top four women’s hammer throw competitors in North American history, achieving a second-round effort of 253-8 (77.32m).

DeAnna Price placed runner-up, also with a second-round mark of 253-2 (77.16m), and reigning World champion Camryn Rogers of Canada took third at 247-11 (75.56m).

Rogers won last year’s event with a 257-11 (78.62m) throw in the fifth round.

Valarie Allman produced another discus throw victory at UCLA’s Drake Stadium, with her third-round mark of 222-10 (67.93m) more than enough to defeat Cuba’s Yaime Perez at 213-1 (64.95m).

Allman secured the victory last year with a 224-4 (68.39m) performance.

Jamaica’s Roje Stona was triumphant in the men’s discus competition with a fifth-round effort of 219-7 (66.93m), with LSU’s Claudio Romero – representing Chile – placing second at 210-4 (64.12m) as a tuneup for the NCAA Division 1 East Regionals on May 22-25 in Kentucky.

Sandi Morris cleared 15-5 (4.70m) on her first attempt in the women’s pole vault to capture back-to-back victories, following last year’s winning 15-1.50 (4.61m) performance, but no other competitors managed to produce a 15-foot clearance.

Kate Grace returned to competition for the first time since September 2021 following the birth of her son, who is now 14 months old. Grace prevailed in her section of the 800 meters in 2:01.93 and finished fifth in her 1,500 race in 4:11.92.

Lauren Ryan, an Australian athlete representing Under Armour Mission Run Baltimore Distance, achieved a lifetime-best 4:08.15 to win her 1,500 section.

Heather MacLean of New Balance, triumphed in her 1,500 section in 4:02.49.

Morgan Beadlescomb, representing Very Nice Track Club and adidas, produced a personal-best 3:35.84 to win his section of the 1,500.

Abdihamid Nur won the 5,000 for the second year in a row at UCLA, clocking 13:04.40 in his section after earning the victory last season in 13:05.17.

Lauren Gregory, representing Nike, achieved a personal-best 15:22.48 effort to prevail in her 5,000 section.