The most competitive and prestigious track series in the world will make its U.S. stop this weekend at the 2022 Prefontaine Classic. On Friday, May 27 and Saturday, May 28, some of the best talents in track and field will descend on Eugene, Oregon, to face off against each other in the third competition of the Diamond League series. The meet is named for Steve Prefontaine, the former distance standout at the University of Oregon.
This year’s event serves as a preview for the 2022 World Athletics Championships, which will occur at historic Hayward Field later this summer. In addition, Friday night’s program includes the USATF 10,000-meter championships, which decides who will represent the U.S. at the world championships. Below, find everything you need to know about the Pre Classic, including streaming information, schedule, and storylines to watch.
Prefontaine Classic Details
WHAT: The 2022 Prefontaine Classic
WHERE: Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon
WHEN: Friday, May 27, 2022 and Saturday, May 28, 2022
HOW TO WATCH: The meet will broadcast on p.m. Mens Pole Vault and stream on NBC Sports and Peacock.
Full Schedule and Streaming Information
Friday, May 27
and from 4:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. ET on USATF.TV starting at 10:30 p.m. ET. The schedule below is also in ET.
- 10:30 p.m. — Women’s USATF Championship 10,000 Meters
- 11:15 p.m. — Men’s USATF Championships 10,000 Meters
- 11:55 p.m. — Women’s Two Mile
- 12:12 a.m. (May 28) — Women’s 5,000 Meters
- 12:35 a.m. (May 28) —Men’s 5,000 Meters
Saturday, May 28
The 2022 Prefontaine Classic will broadcast live on Saturday, May 28 from 4:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. ET on CNBC p.m. Womens 100 Meter Hurdles NBC. p.m. Mens Bowerman Mile NBC Sports and Peacock Races - Places.
The schedule below is in ET.
- 3:20 p.m. — Women’s High Jump
- 3:29 p.m. — Men’s 1500 Meters
- 3:33 p.m. — Women’s Long Jump
- 3:41 p.m. — Women’s Para 100 Meters T63
- 3:49 p.m. — Men’s Para 400 Meters T62
- 3:56 p.m. — Men’s Pole Vault
- 4:04 p.m. — Men’s 400 Meter Hurdles
- 4:10 p.m. — Men’s 5,000 Meters
- 4:33 p.m. — Women’s 100 Meters
- 4:38 p.m. — Women’s Discus
- 4:43 p.m. — Women’s 100 Meter Hurdles
- 4:49 p.m. — Women’s 1500 Meters
- 5:00 p.m. — Men’s 400 Meters
- 5:04 p.m. — Men’s Shot Put
- 5:06 p.m. — Women’s 800 Meters
- 5:14 p.m. — Women’s 3,000 Meter Steeplechase
- 5:33 p.m. — Women’s 200 Meters
- 5:39 p.m. — Men’s Bowerman Mile
- 5:52 p.m. — Men’s 100 Meters
Storylines to Watch at the 2022 Prefontaine Classic
Competition will be fierce across all the events, but there are specific storylines that we will have our eyes on at this year’s event. Here’s what to watch for when you tune in this weekend.
Olympic Champions Lead Men’s Bowerman Mile and Women‘s 1500 Meters
Recent Olympic champions Jakob Ingebrigtsen and Faith Kipyegon p.m. Womens 1500 Meters.
Ingebrigtsen won last year’s Pre Classic in 3:47.24 and hopes to reclaim his title. He’ll be challenged by Olympic silver medalist Timothy Cheruiyot of Kenya and Olympic finalists Ignacio Fontes of Spain, Jake Heyward of Great Britain, and Cole Hocker of the U.S. Also in the race is California high schooler Colin Sahlman of Newbury Park, who is looking to add another sub-4:00 mile to his 3:58.81 from the indoor season.
In the women’s 1500 meters, Kipyegon will face stiff competition, such as world indoor 1500-meter champion Gedaf Tsegay of Ethiopia and Olympic 1500-meter silver medalist Laura Muir of Great Britain. Also toeing the line with those three women are world indoor medalist Elle Purrier St. Pierre Races - Places.
World Record Chases Highlight Friday Night
Three world record chases will take place under the Friday night lights in Hayward Field. First up is Burundian Francine Niyonsaba’s attack on the women’s Two Mile record of 8:58.58, set by Ethiopian Meseret Defar in 2007. However, her victory is far from guaranteed—5,000- and 10,000-meter Olympic champion Sifan Hassan has the credentials to break the record too.
Next, Letesenbet Gidey of Ethiopia races the clock to break her own 14:06.62 5,000-meter record from last year, facing challenger Lemlem Hailu of Ethiopia, who won the indoor 3,000-meter world championship.
Finally, Joshua Cheptegei of Uganda takes aim at his 12:35.36 5,000-meter world record. The Olympic 5,000-meter gold medalist takes on 17-time NCAA champion Edward Cheserek Shoes & Gear.
Deep Women’s Sprint Fields
Make sure to watch the women’s 100- and 200-meter races. They’re rife with Olympic and world championship talent.
In the women’s 100 meters, Olympic gold medalist Elaine Thompson-Herah heads a field that includes world indoor 60-meter champion Mujinga Kambundji of Switzerland, British record-holder Dina Asher-Smith, and Sha’Carri Richardson, who won the 2021 U.S. 100-meter title before she was controversially suspended for testing positive for cannabis use.
Kambundji doubles back in the 200 meters to face sprinting legend Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, world championship silver medalist Brittany Brown, and high school phenom Shawnti Jackson.
USATF 10,000-Meter Titles on the Line
While not internationally deep, the men’s and women’s 10,000-meter races on Friday night have perhaps the biggest stakes of the weekend. The top three performers in each race will represent the U.S. at the world championships in August at Hayward Field.
On the men’s side, all three Olympic qualifiers return: Grant Fisher, Woody Kincaid, and Joe Klecker. Veteran Ben True and other talented runners like Sean McGorty, Emmanuel Bor, Shadrack Kipchirchir, and Conner Mantz hope to upset the Olympic team reunion.
Two of the three women's Olympic qualifiers return in Karissa Schweizer and Alicia Monson. Would-be race favorite and 2020 Olympian Elise Cranny is a late scratch, announcing on Thursday that she will turn her attention to the 5K at the USATF Championships in June. Schweizer is the only woman in the field with a sub-31 minute personal best, but she is still returning from achilles surgery in October. Weini Kelati, Natosha Rogers, and Millie Paladino have the fastest season bests behind Cranny and hope to snag a spot.
Chris Hatler is a writer and editor based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, but before joining Runner’s World and Bicycling, he was a pro runner for Diadora, qualifying for multiple U.S. Championships in the 1500 meters. At his alma mater the University of Pennsylvania, Chris was a multiple-time Ivy League conference champion and sub-4 minute miler.
