Track and field’s sprint stars are descending on Hayward Field at the University of Oregon for the 50th edition of The Prefontaine Classic, promising fast times in this year’s Prefontaine Classic Men’s 100m.
Kishane Thompson (JAM) returns to Hayward Field to make his second Prefontaine Classic appearance after earning an Olympic silver medal in the closest 100m race in Olympic history last summer in Paris. Kishane’s 9.79 time resulted in a photo finish to keep him from the gold medal. Thompson burst on the Wanda Diamond League scene during the 2023 season with a 9.85 time in the Men’s 100m race in Xiamen. Two weeks later in his lone Hayward Field appearance at the Diamond League Final, Kishane ran a 9.87 to finish fourth. His personal best in the 100m is 9.77 seconds, run in the 2024 Jamaican Olympic Trials.
Joining Thompson on the line is Trayvon Bromell (USA), whose wind-legal personal best 100m time stands at 9.76 seconds. Bromell is the owner of two World Athletics Championships bronze medals, both in the 100m, and one Diamond Trophy, also in the 100m. One of Bromell’s World bronze medals was achieved here at Hayward Field, when the venue hosted the World Athletics Championships in 2022. So far this season, Bromell has posted a world-leading 9.84-second 100m, run at the Rome Diamond League meeting. Bromell has experienced success at Hayward Field, winning the 100m NCAA Division I Championships in 2014 and the 100m at the 2021 U.S. Olympic Team Trials – Track & Field.
Zharnel Hughes (GBR) joins the sprint party as Great Britain’s national record holder in both the 100m and 200m. Both marks, 9.83 and 19.73 respectively, were run in 2023. A few years prior, Zharnel was also part of the national record-setting 4x100m relay team, which ran 37.36 seconds. Hughes’ global medal collection includes one Paris Olympic Games bronze medal, one World Athletics Championships silver medal, and two World Athletics Championships bronze medals – one of which was in the 4x100m relay at 2022 World Athletic Championships at Hayward Field.
The 50th edition of The Prefontaine Classic will be held on Saturday, July 5 at Hayward Field at the University of Oregon. Lexus Legacy Experience VIP packages, which can be purchased in addition to an event ticket, are on sale now. The Prefontaine Classic will be broadcast live on NBC Sports and Peacock.