Nikki Hiltz stuns Pre Classic crowd in upset win over Faith Kipyegon

June 2021 was the last time distance running legend and world record-holder Faith Kipyegon lost at either the mile or 1,500 meters.

Over five years later at the Prefontaine Classic in front of 12,452 spectators at Hayward Field, American Nikki Hiltz took down the legend in the women’s mile race on the Fourth of July in 4 minutes, 17.49 seconds.

Kipyegon finished third in 4:17.80 while fellow Kenyan Dorcus Ewoi was second in 4:17.62 for a personal best.

Kipyegon, who typically rushes out to the front and has dominated opponents and put races away with more than a lap to go in the past, uncharacteristically ran a much-slower pace Saturday in Eugene.

Hiltz, who got the vibe that Kipyegon would do that very thing after her pre-race press conference, took advantage of the rare opportunity to outkick her down the homestretch to secure the stunning upset.

“Faith is so incredible and she’s someone we obviously all look up to,” Hiltz said. “I’ve always thought it would be so cool to see if I could outkick her over the last 100 but she’s always so far ahead … it was cool to come out on top, it was really fun.”

Hiltz said this was the race she wanted to be at her best, given she won’t have European Championships or Commonwealth Games to participate in like some of her competitors.

She knew she would be in good enough race shape and put herself in position to contend at one of the premier meets in the United States.

“I’m American,” Hiltz said with a laugh. “This is my big one and I want to be really ready for this one. I just had a lot of confidence and belief that whatever was going to happen today, I was going to be ready for anything.”

Kipyegon, for her part, said she was happy with her race. She indicated earlier in the week she wouldn’t be leading like she usually does and said “nobody knows behind the scenes of everything” following the race, but didn’t expand on what exactly that meant or if she wasn’t healthy.

“The race was good,” Kipyegon said. “This is sports and we accept the outcome. It’s a little tough, I wanted just to follow the ladies. That’s why I’m not going crazy.”

Klaudia Kazimierska finished fourth with a new Polish national record in 4:17.90 and Australian Jessica Hull, a fellow former Oregon Duck, finished fifth in 4:18.03.

Kazimierska, who has moved back to the U.S. to train with Eugene-based Swoosh TC, improved her mile personal best by almost 15 seconds.

“I know I can compete with anybody in the world now,” Kazimierska said. “I know I’m prepared, so for me it was just not looking at the names not looking at who’s around you, just focusing on running your own race.”

Keely Hodgkinson didn’t know if she’d be able to race in the Pre just before flying out to Eugene ahead of the Maria Mutola women’s 800.

The reigning Olympic champion and British national record-holder took a nasty fall the day before her scheduled flight to Eugene, resulting in deep cuts and tape over her knees due to swelling.

She did race, and led over the final 100 meters, but was passed by Kenyan Lilian Odira over the final 50 meters to finish second in 1:56.73.

Odira won with a season-best 1:56.19.

“I’m so grateful,” Odira said. “Coming to the USA and doing my first Pre Classic and becoming a winner, wow, so amazing and I’m so happy.”

Hogskinson, meanwhile, was visibly shaken in the mixed zone following the race. She admitted though she could probably take the positive of being able to race at all following the scary fall, she couldn’t help but be extremely disappointed.

“It’s not anywhere near ideal but I still felt I hadn’t lost anything and I’m still fit,” Hodgkinson said. “I just felt I could put together a better performance than that.”

Hodgkinson will make a world-record attempt in the coming weeks and expects to recover from her fall and the swelling by then.

Twenty-year-old Aleshign Baweke of Ethiopia claimed the title in the women’s 2 mile race, running a world-leading 9:20.02 to beat out fellow Ethiopian Hirut Meshesha (9:20.20) and American Shelby Houlihan, third in 9:21.42.

“It was a very good race,” Baweke said. “The race was not fast, but because I won, I’m very happy. When I saw it was slow, I thought I will need to finish fast. So, all the way I was thinking that I need to finish fast on the last lap.”

Pacer Mia Barnett, a former Duck, was looking to really push the race out early at a record pace. But a large Ethiopian contingent near the front, along with Houlihan, didn’t follow suit.

Houlihan said afterward she was a bit “bummed” the field didn’t follow Barnett’s pace.

“When it wasn’t that (pace), it was just like, ‘All right, we’re just adapting or we’re going to go slow and it’s gonna be more of a kick race,'” Houlihan said. “Which is fine, but I was a little bummed we didn’t go with it and run fast.”

Still, a world-leading time was run by Baweke, who put herself in position to take the race in the last lap when Houlihan got pushed toward the back of the front group.

Baweke, already leading, extended her edge over the final lap and never relented with a strong kick over the final 100 while Houlihan fought back to third place.

“I think I should have just taken it with 400 to go,” Houlihan said. “I should have been in the front because then they have to run faster and if I have a good kick, they have to try to go around me, which I think I would’ve been able to hold on to.”

In a strong field that featured a national record being set, Kenyan Faith Cherotich outlasted Bahraini’s Yavi Winfred and Tunisia’s Marwa Bouzanyani to win the women’s 3,000 steeplechase in 8:51.74.

Winfred finished second in 8:52.84 and Bouzayani set a Tunisia national record in 8:54.32 to finish third.

“I’m happy the race was good,” Cherotich said. “I’m happy I’m back and I thank God because I’m back after a long injury.”

Alec Dietz covers University of Oregon football and women’s basketball for The Register-Guard. You may reach him at adietz@registerguard.com.

This article originally appeared on Register-Guard: Nikki Hiltz stuns Pre Classic crowd in upset win over Faith Kipyegon