Olympic Bronze Medalist Beats Jakob Ingebrigtsen, Cole Hocker and Josh Kerr; Sha'Carri Richardson Defeats Julien Alfred 

By David Woods for DyeStat

Photos courtesy Diamond League

There were no world records Thursday at Zurich but plenty of rain.

There was redemption for Yared Nuguse, Sha’Carri Richardson and Jasmine Camacho-Quinn . . . and a world record (of sorts) by Grant Holloway. He became the first man to run a dozen sub-13-second times in the 110-meter hurdles.

In what is often the best meet on the Diamond League circuit, the wet track and 60ish temperatures put a damper on marks, if not on competition.

On the other hand, it was a reminder of how close Nuguse came to 1,500-meter gold at the Paris Olympics. As Cole Hocker was overtaking Josh Kerr on the rail, Nuguse was charging on the outside and took bronze – just .15 behind Hocker.

In the rematch, Nuguse beat everyone to become a repeat Zurich winner. In the closing 100 meters, he passed Jakob Ingebrigtsen to win in 3:29.21. (The time is equivalent to a 3:45.95 mile.)

Ingebrigtsen, of Norway, was second in 3:29.52. He was fourth at the Paris 1,500 but has subsequently won Olympic gold in the 5,000 and broken a 25-year-old world record in the 3,000.

Hocker was third in 3:30.46. Niels Laros, a 19-year-old Dutchman, was fourth in 3:31.23. Kerr, silver medalist at Paris, was fifth in 3:31.46.

The race was reminiscent of the 2023 Prefontaine Classic mile, in which Ingebrigtsen and Nuguse ran stride-for-stride until the end. Ingebrigtsen won in 3:43.73 to Nuguse’s American record of 3:43.97.

Nuguse said the Olympic medal changed the way he feels about himself and enhanced his confidence.

“From the beginning, I just tried, like, not to do any wrong move and to be where I wanted to be,” he said. “And then you need to be ready for the end.

"It is definitely a lot less stressful. The Olympics were like a huge milestone and when you got over it, it just felt like fun racing.”

 Nuguse, Ingebrigtsen and Hocker are expected to meet again Sept. 13 in the Diamond League final at Brussels.

In a pre-race news conference, Ingebrigtsen said he has been ill recently.

“My race was better than I expected it yesterday. I still have not recovered,” he said. “It was worth it to come here and race. But one more week of recovery would have been better for me and given me more stimulation.”

Two days after winning his Aug. 6 gold medal, Hocker left for Lucerne, Switzerland, to train. He lost to Ingebrigtsen in an Aug. 22 rematch at Lausanne and is 0-2 as an Olympic champion.

“Tactically, it is always more difficult when you have a pacer, but it makes it interesting nevertheless,” Hocker said. “In races like this, with such a field, it makes you appreciate even more when you win or do well.”

With a lap to go, the leader was pacemaker Elliot Giles, who later dropped out. On Sunday, the British runner set a road mile world record of 3:51.3 at Dusseldorf, Germany, beating Nuguse.

At 1,100 meters, Giles was first in 2:33.7, Ingebrigtsen second in 2:33.9, Nuguse third in 2:34.1 and Hocker fifth in 2:34.9. Nuguse ran the last 200 meters in 26.8 to Hocker’s 27.2.

An attempt on the 25-year-old world record of 3:26.00 never materialized.

Neither did it materialize in the women’s 5,000, in which Kenya’s Beatrice Chebet ran her first race since winning a 5,000/10,000 double at Paris. She had a pacemaker for 2,000 meters and finished in 14:09.52, a world leader and meet record.

“I guess I do not have the world record in my legs any more for 2024. Next year,” Chebet said.

She clocked 14:05.92 at Pre last year, behind the world record of 14:00.21 by Ethiopia’s Gudaf Tsegay.

In a rematch of the Olympic 100 meters, Richardson won in 10.84, overtaking Olympic champion Julien Alfred of Saint Lucia and Dina Asher-Smith of Britain. The latter’s times were 10.88 and 10.89, respectively.

Podium in the 100 hurdles was the same as in Paris, with former Kentucky hurdlers Camacho-Quinn and Masai Russell changing places. The 28-year-old Puerto Rican was first in 12.36, followed by France’s Cyrena Samba-Mayela in 12.40 and Russell in 12.47.

Despite cool temps and slight (-0.3) headwind, Holloway won the 110 hurdles in 12.99. He broke a tie with Allen Johnson, who had 11 times of sub-13.

“I follow the stats. I think that is what keeps me motivated,” Holloway said.

France’s Sasha Zhoya was second in a PB 13.10 and Freddie Crittenden third in 13.15. Jamaica’s Hansle Parchment and Daniel Roberts were fourth and fifth, both in 13.18.

Tebogo overtakes Bednarek in 200

In other men’s highlights:

>> Kenny Bednarek ran a PB of 19.57 in the 200 – and still lost to Botswana’s Letsile Tebogo, who came from behind for a time of 19.55. Bednarek climbed to No. 8 on the all-time world list, No. 5 American. Tebogo was a full tenth behind at 160 meters – 15.77 to Bednarek’s 15.67. Tebogo, after a first 100 of 10.30, ran the second 100 in 9.25. At the Olympics, Tebogo’s respective 100s were 10.12/9.34 for 19.46.

>> One miss at 17-9.25 (5.42m) cost Sam Kendricks a chance to tie or beat Mondo Duplantis in the pole vault. Duplantis and Kendrick, gold and silver medalists at Paris, both vaulted 19-1 (5.82m) for first and second in the slippery conditions.

>> Norway’s Karsten Warholm complained of a tight hamstring and was a late withdrawal from the 400 hurdles a day after he lost to Duplantis in a 100-meter exhibition race. As promised, he did show up in a Swedish kit. Brazil’s Alison Dos Santos stopped halfway through the race and trotted off.  Jamaica’s Roshawn Clarke held off Qatar’s Abderrahman Samba, 47.49 to 47.58, season bests for both.

>> A slick ring could not restrain Ryan Crouser. The three-time Olympic champion had the six longest distances of the shot put, featuring 74-4.25 (22.66m) in the second round. Italy’s Leonardo Fabri was second at 71-8.75 (21.86m) and Payton Otterdahl third at 70-1.75 (21.38m). Three-time Olympic silver medalist Joe Kovacs was fourth at 68-7 (20.90m).

Mahuchikh Unbeaten In Outdoor High Jump

In other women’s highlights:

>> A clutch clearance allowed Ukraine’s Yaroslava Mahuchikh to win the high jump at 6-5 (1.96m). Because she was behind on misses, she passed a third attempt at 6-4 (1.93m). The Olympic champion and world record-holder was the only one to make 1.96m. Australia’s Nicola Olyslagers was second and Ukraine’s Iryna Geraschenko third, both at 1.93m. Mahuchikh is 4-0 in the Diamond League and 6-0 since finishing second to Olyslagers at indoor worlds.

>> Addy Wiley was third in the 800 behind two women coming off Paris medals. Kenya’s Mary Moraa finished first in 1:57.08 and Britain’s Georgia Bell second in 1:57.94. They won bronzes in the 800 and 1,500, respectively. Wiley’s time was 1:58.16. Wiley was coming off a Saturday race at Bialystock, Poland, in which she broke a 25-year-old American record in the 1,000 meters. Her time of 2:31.49 broke the 1999 record of 2:31.80 set by Regina Jacobs, who was later banned from the sport for doping.

>> Jamaica’s Shiann Salmon came from behind to beat Olympic silver medalist Anna Cockrell in the 400 hurdles, 52.97 to 53.17. It was a PB for Salmon, who came within .17 of Femke Bol’s meet record. Bol had pulled out because of illness.

>> The pole vault, held Wednesday inside a train station, reprised the Olympic podium. Gold medalist Nina Kennedy of Australia won at 15-11.75 (4.87m). Canada’s Alysha Newman and Katie Moon reversed Paris positions, finishing second and third, both at 15-9.75 (4.82m).

Contact David Woods at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter: @DavidWoods007.