DyeStat.com – News – Lex Young Re-Takes The High School 5,000m Record At USATF Distance Classic

Abdi Nur Overcomes Early Fall To Win Men’s 5,000m In 13:05.17; Newbury Park Senior Lex Young Goes 13:34.96; Camryn Rogers Breaks Canadian Hammer Record

By David Woods for DyeStat

Crash Kamon photos

Galen Rupp’s national high school record for 5,000 meters lasted nearly 19 years until broken by Connor Burns. Burns’ record lasted 20 days.

Instead of this weekend’s California state meet, Lex Young of Newbury Park CA raced an international field Friday night at UCLA’s Drake Stadium. Back in 18th place, he was rewarded with a time of 13:34.96 at USATF’s Distance Classic, a prelude to Saturday’s Los Angeles Grand Prix (NBC-TV).

There was drama at the front with Abdihamid Nur, who fell on the first lap but recovered to win in 13:05.17. Top eight ran PBs, although only Nur met the World Championships standard of 13:07.

Kenya’s Edwin Kurgat was second in 13:08.46, Morgan Beadlescomb third in 13:08.82 and Kenya’s Athanas Kioko fourth in 13:09.51. Emmanuel Bor was fifth in 13:10.91 and British miler Neil Gourley sixth  in 13:11.44.

Ethiopia’s Addisu Yihune, a world under-20 champion with a 12:58 PB, was 11th in 13:17.09.

Woody Kincaid, after setting an American indoor record of 12:51.61 on Jan. 27, was entered but withdrew before the race.

Burns, of Southern Boone MO, had clocked 13:37.30 at Walnut, Calif., to break Rupp’s long-standing record of 13:37.91 from the summer of 2004 at a professional meet in Belgium.

Coincidentally, Young’s older brother, Nico, set a pending under-20 American record of 13:24.76 in 2021.

Elsewhere, Lex Young’s twin, Leo, was sixth in the B 1,500 in 3:39.66.  Leo Young remains No. 4 on the all-time high school list with a 3:39.39 from last month at Azusa, Calif. The twins are Stanford recruits.

Kieran Lumb of Canada closed in 55.30 to win the B 1,500 in 3:35.99,  followed by Eric Holt in 3:37.57. Both ran PBs.

Ahmed Jaziri, a Tunisian who became NCAA steeplechase champion for Eastern Kentucky last year, won his specialty in a PB of 8:17.69. Isaac Updike was second in 8:17.96 and New Zealand’s Georgie Beamish third in 8:21.84.

In a non-distance event, Poland’s Wojciech Nowicki, the 2021 Olympic champion and 2022 world silver medalist, beat Rudy Winkler by one centimeter in the hammer. Nowicki threw 253-2 (77.18m) to Winkler’s 253-2 (77.17m).  Each had four throws exceeding 75 meters.

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