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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Records Fall At Prefontaine; Mead Star Takes Prep Mile

Suzy Hamilton set an American record in the 1,000-meter run Sunday in the Prefontaine Classic track and field meet that featured more than a dozen Olympic and World Championships gold medalists.

A crowd of 13,655, biggest in the meet’s 21-year history, watched the event named in honor of Oregonian Steve Prefontaine, who held every American record between 2,000 and 10,000 meters when he died in a car wreck in 1975.

In the high school mile, Mead standout Micah Davis finished first in 4 minutes, 8.78 seconds - breaking the meet record of 4:10.90 held by runner-up Billy Harper, who finished Sunday in 4:08.90. Skiy DeTray, also of Mead, was third in 4:11.93.

Hamilton’s time of 2 minutes, 32.93 seconds broke the American record of 2:34.04 set by Julie Jenkins in 1990. Hamilton was second to Maria Mutola, whose time of 2:32.33 was the best in the world this year and broke her own meet and Hayward field records of 2:32.57 set in 1993.

“I’m so happy to be a part of the Pre,” said Hamilton, who set her first American record. “It makes you feel special when you’re a part of something everyone wants to be a part of.”

A duel between Bob Kennedy and Todd Williams in the featured 2-mile run, held in Prefontaine’s honor on the track where he ran his last race, fell nearly 2 seconds short of Marc Davis’ ‘94 American mark.

Kennedy finished in 8:14.53, a meet and field record but short of Davis’ mark of 8:12.74 set last year. Williams was second in 8:14.58.

“I really wanted to set the American record,” Kennedy said. “I was feeling the emotion warming up and on the line, but as soon as the gun went off it was just another race, which I’m sure is the way Pre would have felt, too.”

Laura Mykotok beat American 5,000-meter record-holder and Central Valley High School graduate Annette Peters and hung on to win the women’s 3,000 in 8:51.37, an American best for the year. Peters was second in 8:54.75.

“It’s hard to lose here and in front of these fans,” said Peters, who ran at Oregon. “Pre’s family has always been great to me. Every time I run at Hayward Field, it’s always a special place.”

Michael Johnson held off Carl Lewis in the men’s 200 with a time of 20.15, his best so far this season.

World decathlon record-holder Dan O’Brien, looking ahead to the upcoming USA Track and Field Championships, took part in a minidecathlon. The Moscow, Idaho, resident was second in the discus with a toss of 160 feet, 10 inches, tied for second in the high jump with a leap of 6-10 3/4, and fifth in the men’s 110 hurdles in 13.68 seconds. American record-holder Roger Kingdom won the 110 hurdles in 13.30 seconds.

American record-holder Gail Devers won the women’s 100 hurdles in 12.84 seconds, and world heptathlon record-holder Jackie Joyner-Kersee was third in the high jump with a leap of 5-10 3/4. Steve Holman won the men’s mile in 3:52.89, setting a meet and field record and leading a field that included 13 under 4 minutes.