Track Fest: Sifan Hassan Wins, Luis Grijalva Impresses & Calls Out Katir, Kenneth Rooks & Krissy Gear PR & More

By Cathal Dennehy for LetsRun.com
May 11, 2024

LOS ANGELES – On a cool night in Los Angeles on Saturday, some big names in US and global distance running turned up at Occidental College for the Sound Running Track Fest, a World Athletics Continental Tour bronze meeting. Sifan Hassan, Luis Grijalva, and Nikki Hiltz were among the winners. We recap the best of the action below. *Full Results *Post-race video interviews from LA

(We gave lots of post-race video interviews from LA up on our YouTube channel and have embedded two of them from Hassan and Grijalva below)

Women’s 5000m: Hassan coasts to sub-15

In her first track race since the World Championships in Budapest last year, Sifan Hassan took a comfortable victory, surging away from the field on the second lap and clicking off three-minute kilometers before a 66-second last lap carried her to the line in 14:58.83. It was the Dutch star’s first race since finishing fourth in the Tokyo Marathon in March.

“I really don’t know where I am, I just wanted to see how it’d feel,” she said. “It’s not bad. I came from a really long season of marathons and forgot how to run with the spikes.”

Hassan said she didn’t train during Ramadan in March/April and only commenced track workouts two weeks ago. “My endurance is very amazing, but it’s like endurance above 10K. The short distance, I have to improve.”

What are her plans for the Paris Olympics?

“I can’t judge it (now) because I’m just building up, but I have two months to decide,” she said. “I really don’t know. First I have to run a good 5000m. After this, for one month, I’ll be really pushing myself hard and then I can decide.”

Hassan will race next week at the Los Angeles Grand Prix and then at the Prefontaine Classic in Eugene before more events in Europe. She intends to compete over 1500m, 5000m and 10,000m in the buildup to Paris.

Men’s 5000m: Grijalva doubles up, calls out Katir

Luis Grijalva made it a good night’s work with two victories from two races, clocking 13:16.53 to win the 5000m a little over two hours after winning the second section of the 1500m in 3:38.20 with a 55.00-second last lap.

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Grijalva ticked off 2:40 kilometers throughout the 5000m (13:20 pace) before surging clear on the penultimate lap, his last 800m covered in 2:02.32.

“I got hurt this fall and I wanted to get more races, this is a good way to break up training and get into some competitive fields that make me be more tactically aware,” said Grijalva, who missed nine weeks with a stress reaction in his sacrum in the winter.

“I didn’t start running really until February which might help in the long run. I’m trying to be my best on August 10 and not trying to get caught up in the American system where they’re trying to be their best in June. I know where I’m at and I’m confident in my training, my racing.”

He will race over 5000m in Oslo and a 3000m in Stockholm and while reflecting on his fourth-place finish in Budapest and what he learned for Paris, he said: “I know I can be there with a lap to go, but it’s about positioning.”

One of those who beat him in Budapest was Mohamed Katir, the Spaniard who was banned for two years in February after missing three drug tests, two of which came before that world final. How does Grijalva reflect on that now?

“It’s upsetting,” he said. “If you’re a two-time medalist, then your standards are the highest. This is what we sign up for and if you want to compete on the world stage, then you have to submit your whereabouts. It sucks for the sport but also at the same time, it’s good for the sport because we all play fair, play clean.

“I had a lot of respect for him but at the same time, man, you miss three tests within a year … I don’t want to say too much but like, be more accountable for yourself and be smart. If you’re making a lot of money, you have two medals, you’re driving a Mercedes, whatever, then obviously submit your whereabouts and don’t try to cheat the system. That’s all.”

Men’s steeple: Kenneth Rooks blows them away as Jager blows off dust

There may still be six weeks to go until the Olympic Trials, but barring injury or illness, Kenneth Rooks is shaping up as a lock for the US team. The reigning NCAA and national champion stamped his supremacy over several rivals here as he set a PR of 8:15.08.

Sensing he could hit the Olympic standard (8:15.00), Rooks went for broke on the penultimate lap, covering it in 61.63, and followed it with 60.17. Anthony Rotich finished second in 8:23.00.

Behind them, Evan Jager, who returned to the steeplechase for the first time since August 2022, fell off the leading pack with just over a kilometer to run and came home eighth in 8:33.19. Emmanuel Bor had a baptism of fire in his steeplechase debut at age 36, his hurdling technique looking less than convincing as the the 13:00/27:22 man finished 14th and last in 8:53.91.

“I wasn’t really sure what to expect,” said Rooks, who said the big lesson from last year’s World Championships was “to just focus on my game plan and what I need to do, and less on what’s around me.”

Jager was content, if not thrilled, with his run. “It felt comfortable early on and then it started building pretty heavy the last three laps,” said Jager, who opened up at 8:34.89 in 2022 (but on April 14) and ended up 6th at Worlds. “A little bit of that is fitness, but I just need more reps over hurdles to get that strength you need for the steeple back under me. It’s a decent first steeple in two years. I’ve got a lot of solid work in the legs. I’m in a decent spot. I’d have liked to run faster and been a little more competitive, but it’s not the end of the world.”

For the record, despite missing the Olympic standard by .08, Rooks is safe on the Road to Paris rankings as he’s ranked #17 and they take 36. Jager has no ranking as this was his first steeple since the qualifying window opened last July and you need three steeples.

Women’s steeple: Constien shows her class in comeback

In her first steeplechase since tearing her anterior cruciate ligament in Doha last May, Valerie Constien showed she’s a strong contender to repeat as a member of the US Olympic team, sprinting clear over the final water barrier to win in 9:27.22, with Kaylee Mitchell next best in 9:29.26 ahead of Gracie Hyde (9:31.07) and Allie Ostrander (9:32.87).

“I’m really happy I’m healthy enough to be here and both my knees are holding up really well,” she said. “I had to take it super, super slow. I had surgery May 23 and didn’t run on the ground until September 10. It was a long time of just rehab, biking, walking, but clearly it paid off.”

Women’s 800m: Hiltz holds on

World indoor 1500 silver medallist Nikki Hiltz continued early-season sharpening with Hiltz’s second 800m victory in successive weeks at this track, clocking 2:00.46 to hold off world indoor 1500 bronze medallist Emily Mackay (2:00.85) and McKenna Keegan (2:00.89).

“I just wanted to win, I really didn’t care how fast we went,” said Hiltz. “On Fridays, I do speedwork anyway and last Friday and this Friday, we said let’s just mix it up with racing.” Hiltz has been dealing with allergies in Flagstaff but “other than that, it’s so smooth sailing” in preparation for the US Trials.

Men’s 800m: Lopez wins as Engels struggles but vows he’ll contend at the US Trials

Mexico’s Jesus Tonatiu Lopez took victory in 1:44.71 ahead of Morocco’s Moad Zahafi (1:44.93), with Isaiah Jewett third in 1:45.28. After clashing with Noah Kibet and others during the race, Craig Engels finished eighth in 1:47.05.

“I felt like a little boy out there, I was getting pushed around,” said Engels. “I was hoping to run 1:44, 1:45. I’m fitter than I’ve ever been, faster than I’ve ever been, stronger than I’ve ever been, lighter than I’ve ever been. I don’t know. At some point, it’s going to click and everything is going to come together. I don’t know when that is.”

Despite his sub-par time, Engels was adamant he’ll be a contender at the US Trials. “I still believe in myself and that’s all that matters. I don’t really care if the strangers believe in me, but I do and I truly mean it. I have a decent chance to make the 1500m and a good chance to make the 800m.”

Women’s 1500m: Gear smashes PR with 4:03

2023 US steeple champ Krissy Gear unleashed a 62.22-second last lap to carve over five seconds off her PR (4:09.00), winning in 4:03.65 ahead of Canada’s Lucia Stafford (4:03.87) and India’s KM Deeksha (4:04.78). Gabriela DeBues-Stafford had a race to forget, getting detached on the second lap and coming home 13th in 4:23.48.

“I wanted the (Olympic standard of) 4:02.5, just to say I could do it,” said Gear. “I have a goal to repeat as US champ (in the steeplechase) but you can’t always have control of that. As my boyfriend would say: loosen the grip on the hockey stick.”

Gear said she was “devastated” to see the news about Emma Coburn’s injury which will rule her out of the US Trials. “It sucks when you see something like that happen to one of your heroes, especially someone who doesn’t deserve that at all.”

Men’s 1500m: Herrera wins in a kick

Former Colorado runner Eduardo Herrera, who ran the World Indoors for Mexico this winter, showed impressive closing speed to take victory in 3:36.51, his last lap covered in 55.73, with Justin Kipkoech, the 3:34 man from Kenya, second in 3:37.29 and BTC’s Kieran Tuntivate third in 3:37.41.

Women’s 10,000m: McClain wins in return to the Track

Three months on from her fourth-place finish at the US Olympic Marathon Trials, Jess McClain got an impressive win in 31:35.28, bringing her home ahead of Katrina Coogan (31:37.85) and Maggie Montoya (31:54.34). McClain was just shy of the auto standard for the US Olympic Trials (31:30).

“Damn,” she said about her time. “The track is hard. Today was a lot about getting back on the track. I had a lot of anxiety about racing on the track after college so it was really fun to get out and feel like my old self. I’m just going to go to the Trials and put myself in it. I don’t have the Olympic standard – it’d be just like me to get third and not have the time.”

Online results show that expected Olympic standard chasers of Emily Infeld, Elly Henes and Keira D’Amato all did not start the race with a messageboard poster saying D’Amato ran 16 miles at home in Richmond. According to another poster, both Henes and Infeld warmed up for the race (one poster said Infeld even ran a few laps but she has no splits in the results) so we’ll see if they end up running at the Night of the 10,000m PBs or the 10,000 at the Prefontaine Classic.

Men’s 10,000m: Clinger dips under 28:00

Casey Clinger, who’s redshirting this year at BYU, proved a class apart as he ticked off kilometer splits of 2:47 for much of the race before fading slightly in the closing part. He fell short of the standard for the US Olympic Trials (27:45) but still came home a distant winner in 27:57.90, with India’s Kartik Kumar second in 28:07.66.

“I was hoping to get the OTQ but the 10K is pretty unforgiving, it takes everything out of you so hopefully that’s good enough to get in,” said Clinger, who had surgery on a partially ruptured plantar last fall. “We figured putting off this NCAA season would be best for my health and it gives me a little bit more time to get fit, to run the best I can.”

B Races

As noted above Grijalva won the “B” 1500. Matthew Centrowitz did not run the “B” 800 but Canada’s Jazz Shukla went sub-2:00 in the women’s race.

B Women’s 800

1️⃣ Jazz Shukla (Royal City AC) – 1:59.94
2️⃣ Alison Andrews-Paul (unattached) – 2:02.11
3️⃣ Kendra Coleman (Oiselle) – 2:02.15
4️⃣ Stephanie Brokaw (unattached) – 2:03.20
5️⃣ Brooke Feldmeier (Nike) – 2:05.16
6️⃣ Lora Roff (Randwick Botany Harriers) – 2:05.41
7️⃣ Olivia Baker (Atlanta Track Club) – 2:05.97
DNF Addy Townsend (New Balance)

B Men’s 800

1️⃣ Abe Alvarado (Under Armour Dark Sky) – 1:46.38
2️⃣ Luciano Fiore (Atlanta Track Club) – 1:47.35
3️⃣ Shane Streich (Atlanta Track Club) – 1:47.50
4️⃣ Charles Jones (Under Armour) – 1:47.90
5️⃣ Morgan Beadlescomb (Adidas) – 1:48.09
6️⃣ Cass Elliott (Under Armour Baltimore 800) – 1:48.11
7️⃣ Clay Pender (Atlanta Track Club) – 1:49.03
8️⃣ Thomas Staines (Basingstoke & Mid Hants AC) – 1:50.75

B Women’s 1500

1️⃣ Micaela DeGenero (Puma) – 4:08.23
2️⃣ Laurie Barton (Atlanta Track Club) – 4:10.01
3️⃣ Anna Gibson (Brooks Running) – 4:10.34
4️⃣ Grace Barnett (Asics) – 4:11.08
5️⃣ Jenn Randall (Oregon Track Club) – 4:11.15
6️⃣ Melissa Tanaka (Oiselle) – 4:12.72
7️⃣ Gabrielle Wilkinson (Atlanta Track Club) – 4:16.08
8️⃣ Casey Monoszlay (Valor Track Club) – 4:17.12
9️⃣ Vanessa Fraser (Saucony) – 4:17.50
🔟 Tracee Van der Wyk (unattached) – 4:18.66
1️⃣1️⃣ Jennifer Martinez (Mexico) – 4:22.83
1️⃣2️⃣ Cameron Ormond (Royal City AC) – 4:26.02

B Men’s 1500

1️⃣ Luis Grijalva (Hoka) – 3:38.20
2️⃣ Theo Quax (unattached) – 3:38.69
3️⃣ Matthew Wilkinson (Under Armour Dark Sky) – 3:39.18
4️⃣ Christian Noble (New Balance) – 3:39.34
5️⃣ Ajay Kumar Saroj (India / ADP) – 3:39.88
6️⃣ Daniel Schaffer (ZAP Endurance) – 3:40.08
7️⃣ Anthony Camerieri (Tinman Elite) – 3:41.79
8️⃣ Austen Dalquist (Roots Running Project) – 3:42.17
9️⃣ Aiden Ryan (Atlanta Track Club) – 3:43.46
🔟 Eric Avila (Adidas) – 3:44.08
1️⃣1️⃣ Brennan Benson (unattached) – 3:44.79

Talk about the meet on our messageboard:

Official 2024 Track Fest at Oxy Live Discussion Thread