Hocker, Hull and a host of other Oregon Ducks entered in Prefontaine Classic

Oregon Ducks entered in the Prefontaine Classic, Oregon State Beavers entered in the Prefontaine Classic, Prefontaine Classic track and field meet schedule, How to watch the Prefontaine Classic track and field meet

For one day every year, Hayward Field is home to the Prefontaine Classic.

For all the others it belongs to the Oregon track and field program.

On Saturday, during the 50th edition of Pre Classic Diamond League meet, those two worlds will collide for 11 former, current or future Ducks.

Most notable among them is Cole Hocker, the 2024 Olympic champion in the men’s 1,500 who will be competing at his former college home for the first time since that gold-medal performance in Paris.

Hocker is the headliner in an elite field of participants scheduled to race in the Bowerman Mile.

“I think it probably goes without saying how special it is to come back here,” Hocker said Friday afternoon during a Pre Classic press conference at the Graduate by Hilton hotel in downtown Eugene. “This race is the pinnacle in my mind of the Hayward experience and this Oregon environment.”

Among those joining Hocker in the race is American bronze medalist Yared Nuguse, who set the American mile record at the 2023 Pre Classic when he ran 3 minutes, 43.97 seconds.

“I’ve always loved Pre,” Nuguse said Friday. “This is my third year now at Pre and my first one was where ran that American record and it was really a magical time.

“… I think all of us are curious to see just how fast we can run this mile.”

Also in the Bowerman Mile field is American Grant Fisher, who won Olympic bronze in the 5,000 and 10,000 but is going to run the mile for the first time since 2015.

“Everyone thinks of a few people that have transcended this sport and Steve Prefontaine’s one of them … so it’s fun to be in the 50th anniversary of this,” Fisher said. “I wish there was a Prefontaine 5K, maybe next year. But I’ll hop down to the mile and have some fun.”

Hocker isn't the only Duck with an Olympic medal entered in the meet. Australian Jessica Hull won silver in the women’s 1,500 last summer and Raevyn Rogers took home a bronze medal from Tokyo in the women’s 800. They’re entered in those same events Saturday.

Paris Olympians Jaida Ross (women's shot put), Susan Lokayo Ejore (women's 1,500) and Jorinde van Klinken (women's discus) are entered in the Pre Classic as well.

Oregon Ducks entered in the Prefontaine Classic, Oregon State Beavers entered in the Prefontaine Classic, Prefontaine Classic track and field meet schedule, How to watch the Prefontaine Classic track and field meet

Former Oregon athlete Raevyn Rogers, center, is entered in the Mutola Women's 800 July 5 at the Prefontaine Classic at Hayward Field.

Also competing is the newest Duck – Mykolas Alekna, the world record-holder and 2024 silver medalist in the men’s discus who announced his transfer to Oregon from California earlier this week.

He'll be joining new teammates Simeon Birnbaum and Elliott Cook – who are both entered in the men's International Mile – in the meet on Saturday.

Oregon Ducks entered in the Prefontaine Classic

  • Mykolas Alekna: Men's discus
  • Simenon Birnbaum: Men's International mile
  • Elliott Cook: Men's International mile
  • Cole Hocker: Bowerman Mile
  • Jessica Hull: Women's 1,500
  • Kyree King: Men's 200
  • Susan Lokayo Ejore: Women's 1,500
  • Sam Prakel: Men's International mile
  • Raevyn Rogers: Mutola Women's 800
  • Jaida Ross: Women's shot put
  • Jorinde van Klinken: Women's discus

Oregon State Beavers entered in the Prefontaine Classic

  • Kaylee Mitchell: Women's 3,000 steeplechase
Oregon Ducks entered in the Prefontaine Classic, Oregon State Beavers entered in the Prefontaine Classic, Prefontaine Classic track and field meet schedule, How to watch the Prefontaine Classic track and field meet

Prefontaine Classic track and field meet schedule

  • Where: Hayward Field
  • When: Saturday, July 5
  • Schedule: 10 a.m. – Men's hammer. 10:30 a.m. – Men's and women's community wheelchair 100 meters. 10:40 a.m. – Girls 1,500. 10:50 a.m. – Men's discus. 10:52 a.m. – Boys 1,500. 11:10 a.m. – Men's 10,000. 11:25 a.m. – Women's hammer. 11:45 a.m. – National Anthem. 12 p.m. – Women's para athletics 100 mixed classification. 12:07 p.m. – Men's para athletics 100 mixed classification. 12:14 p.m. – Women's para athletics 800 T54. 12:24 p.m. – Men's para athletics 200 T62/T64. 12:27 p.m. – Women's shot put. 12:30 p.m. – Men's pole vault. 12:35 p.m. – Women's 100 Invitational. 12:38 p.m. – Women's long jump. 12:44 p.m. – Women's 100 hurdles. 12:51 p.m. – Men's International Mile. 1:04 p.m. – Men's 400 hurdles. 1:12 p.m. – Men's 100. 1:20 p.m. – Women's 5,000. 1:43 p.m. – Men's 400. 1:46 p.m. – Women's discus. 1:51 p.m. – Women's 400. 1:55 p.m. – Men's shot put. 1:58 p.m. – Mutola 800. 2:07 p.m. – Women's 3,000 steeplechase. 2:23 p.m. – Men's 200. 2:32 p.m. – Bowerman Mile. 2:44 p.m. – Women's 100. 2:50 p.m. – Women's 1,500.

How to watch the Prefontaine Classic track and field meet

  • TV: NBC (1-3 p.m.)
  • Stream: Peacock (1-3 p.m.), USATF.TV (10 a.m.-1 p.m.)

Chris Hansen covers University of Oregon football, men’s basketball, track and field, cross-country and softball for The Register-Guard. You can reach him at [email protected] and you can follow him on X @chansen_RG

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