Jakob Ingebrigtsen beats Webb’s landmark time in Bowerman Mile
“When I saw Manangoi I was like ‘Wow,’ this is a dream come true to be racing against the best guys in the world and doing as good as I did today. It feels really good.”
By Chris Hansen, The Register-Guard
It was the very last Bowerman Mile to ever be contested at storied Hayward Field and Jakob Ingebrigtsen wanted to send the old stadium out with a bang on Saturday afternoon.
The 17-year-old from Norway was taking aim at Alan Webb’s revered time of 3 minutes, 53.43 seconds, set 17 years ago when Webb shattered Jim Ryun’s American high school record in what is considered to be one of the greatest moments in the 44-year history of the Prefontaine Classic track & field meet.
Ingebrigtsen did more than just beat Webb’s time.
With a finishing kick that had him running shoulder-to-shoulder with the reigning world champion down the homestretch, Ingebrigtsen finished fourth in 3:52.28 in front of an announced crowd of 12,667. According to the IAAF, it was the second-fastest Mile recorded by someone younger than 18.
“Before the race, of course, I had a lot of nerves because it’s crazy running here in the Hayward Field and the crowd is amazing,” Ingebrigtsen said. “I was really looking forward to racing.”
Kenya’s Timothy Cheruiyot was the winner in 3:49.87, followed by Ethiopia’s Samuel Tefera, 18, (3:51.26) and Kenya’s Elijah Manangoi (3:52.18), who won 1500 meter gold in London last summer at the World Outdoor Championships.
But it was the teen phenom Ingebrigtsen who stole the spotlight, making a move toward the front with two laps to go, and then getting into a race with Manangoi over the last 100 meters for third place.
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