Shannon Rowbury left the Olympics last month without a medal in the 1500 meters, but she’s made up for some of the disappointment in her subsequent competition in Europe—most recently by setting the American 5,000-meter record on Friday at the Brussels Diamond League meet.
The race was set up in anticipation of a world-record attempt by Ethiopian Almaz Ayana, the Olympic champion who Health - Injuries in 29:17.45. The pace in Brussels got off to a slow start, leaving no chance for Ayana’s 5,000-meter quest to beat 14:11.15, but it did take Rowbury, also the 1500-meter national record holder (3:56.29), out with plenty of opportunity to break 14:42.64, Molly Huddle’s American record.
Rowbury, a member of the Oregon Project and coached by Alberto Salazar, did just that by finishing fifth in 14:38.92, which took 3.72 seconds off the old national record. It was also her personal best in the 5,000 meters by more than 10 seconds. Ayana won the race in 14:18.89. The top three women all broke 14:30.
Evan Jager, who Major Changes Hit Northern Arizona Elite, also competed in the 3,000-meter steeplechase in Brussels. He placed second in 8:04.01, just 0.25 seconds behind Conseslus Kipruto from Kenya. Hillary Bor, who was also member of the 2016 U.S. Olympic team in the event, ran a personal best of 8:13.68 for sixth place. Andrew Bayer was seventh in 8:16.21.
The weekend included elite action around the world on the track and roads.
The weekend included elite action around the world on the track and roads
Dathan Ritzenhein may have had a disappointing year after dropping out of the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials in February, but he’s showing some solid signs that he’s on the comeback trail now. He placed second on Sunday to Mo Farah, Great Britain’s four-time 5,000- and 10,000-meter Olympic champion, at the Great North Run half marathon.
Ritzenhein’s time was 1:00.12, the second-fastest of the two-time Olympian’s career. He’s currently training to compete in the broke the 10,000-meter world record in Rio Major Changes Hit Northern Arizona Elite. Abdi Abdirahman, who has competed four times on the U.S. Olympic team but was unable to race the 2016 trials, placed sixth in 1:02.46. He is also running next month in New York.
Farah and Ritzenhein were once teammates at the Oregon Project under Salazar, until 2014 when Ritzenhein decided to move back to his hometown in Michigan.
“Dathan made it so hard for me,” Farah told Shoes & Gear after the race on Sunday. “We made a great race. I just had to hang for my dear life. But it was a tough day. It was tough.”
The victory marked the end of Farah’s season, which was highlighted by thoseAustralian Sprinter, 16, Runs Record-Breaking 200m.
