Track star Yared Nuguse broke the American record in the men’s 1,500 meters Thursday at the Bislett Games in Oslo, Norway, with a time of 3 minutes, 29.02 seconds.
Nuguse broke the previous American record of 3:29.30 set by former Washington State Cougar Bernard Lagat in 2005.
Former Oregon Ducks Matthew Centrowitz (3:30.40) and Andrew Wheating (3:30.90) are the third- and fifth-fastest Americans all-time in the 1,500. Former Duck Cole Hocker is close behind with a personal best of 3:31.40.
Nuguse, who formerly ran for Notre Dame and is sponsored by On Athletics, finished third in the Bislett Games race behind Norwegian phenom Jakob Ingebrigtsen, who won in a European record time of 3:27.95. Eight runners broke 3:30, marking one of the fastest 1,500 races in history. Scottish Olympian Josh Kerr, who trains in Seattle for Brooks Beasts, finished ninth in 3:30.07.
The Diamond League track and field meet at Bislett Stadium in Oslo is one of the premier annual events in the world of athletics.
In the Bislett Games women’s mile, former Oregon Ducks star and Australian Olympian Jessica Hull finished in third in 4:18.24, which is a new Australian record. Ethiopian 17-year-old prodigy Birke Haylom won the race in 4:17.13, a new world junior record, followed by American Cory Ann McGee in 4:18.11. Eugene resident Mary Decker Slaney set the American mile record of 4:16.71 in 1985.
Oregon Duck Jorinde Van Klinken continued her world domination at the Bislett Games in the women’s discus with a winning toss of 218 feet, 10 inches. The Dutch thrower was coming off her NCAA championships victory in the discus last week in Austin, Texas.
Several athletes will compete for their final chance to qualify for the USA Track & Field Outdoor Championships at the Stumptown Twilight on June 24 at Jesuit High School in Portland. The USATF championships will run from July 6-9 at Hayward Field in Eugene. The world-class Diamond League track and field athletes will be at Hayward Field for the Prefontaine Classic on Sept. 16-17.
— Will Lee for The Oregonian/OregonLive
