Coburn, Klosterhalfen to make outdoor debuts and Praught-Leer returning following meniscus injury, Jager still searching for World steeplechase standard, with strong lineups in 800 and 1,500 at meet also featuring high jump and triple jump

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

One the strongest collections of distance talent, both domestic and international, will be featured Thursday for the first time since 2019 during the return of the USATF Distance Classic at Mt. San Antonio College in Walnut, Calif.

In addition to men’s and women’s races in the 800, 1,500 and 5,000 meters, along with the 3,000 steeplechase, there is also expected competitions in the high jump and triple jump for both male and female athletes, with the event being held at the renovated Hilmer Lodge Stadium after several years of Occidental College serving as the host site for the meet before being halted during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The women’s high jump is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. Pacific Time and the men’s triple jump is expected to begin at 6:30 p.m., before races start on the track at 7 p.m. The event will be broadcast live on USATF.TV and can be viewed with a RunnerSpace+PLUS subscription.

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Impressive fields in both the men’s and women’s 1,500 highlight the schedule, including the outdoor debuts for American Emma Coburn and Germany’s Konstanze Klosterhalfen. Coburn is expected to race for the first time since competing in the Tokyo Olympics in the 3,000-meter steeplechase.

They will be joined by Japan’s Nozomi Tanaka, Canada’s Natalia Hawthorn and Portugal’s Marta Pen Freitas, along with Australian athletes Abbey Caldwell and Natalie Rule, in addition to American standouts Helen Schlachtenhaufen, Dani Jones, Taryn Rawlings and Michaela Meyer.

In an earlier 1,500 section, Aisha Praught-Leer of Jamaica is also scheduled to race for the first time since the Tokyo Olympics, following her recovery from a medial meniscus tear in July.

The men’s 1,500 is led by U.S. competitors Cole Hocker, Hobbs Kessler, Vincent Ciattei, Josh Thompson, Colby Alexander and Sam Prakel. They will be joined by Scotland’s Neil Gourley, Guatemala’s Luis Grijalva, New Zealand’s Sam Tanner and Canada’s Cameron Proceviat.

Elite depth will also be showcased in the 800 meters, with the men’s race featuring American athletes Isaiah Jewett, Isaiah Harris, Craig Engels and Brannon Kidder, as well as Canada’s Brandon McBride, Kenya’s Michael Saruni and Australia’s Charlie Hunter.

Hanna Green, Sinclaire Johnson and Anna Camp-Bennett are among the U.S. competitors entered in the women’s 800 and are scheduled to compete against Canadian athletes Madeleine Kelly and Addy Townsend, along with Mexico’s Luisa Mariel Real Crespo.

Evan Jager is still pursuing the World Championships standard of 8:22.00 in the men’s 3,000-meter steeplechase, and he is scheduled to be joined in the field by fellow American competitors Daniel Michalski and Mason Ferlic, as well as India’s Avinash Sable, Australia’s Matthew Clarke, plus Canada’s Matthew Hughes and John Gay.

The women’s 3,000 steeplechase is expected to include American athletes Amy Cashin, Katie Rainsberger and Gabrielle Jennings, in addition to Canada’s Jessica Furlan and Australia’s Brielle Erbacher.

The men’s 5,000 also features a diverse international lineup, including American entries Willy Fink, Biya Simbassa, Josef Tessema, Joshua Yeager, Reid Buchanan and Brian Shrader, along with Australian competitors Jack Bruce, Sam McEntee and Kang Nyoak, Canadians Ben Flanagan and Thomas Fafard, and a Chinese quartet led by GuangYue Ren.

Katie Izzo, Alycia Cridebring and Makenna Myler are U.S. athletes in the women’s 5,000, in addition to Great Britain’s Jenny Nesbitt, Australia’s Paige Campbell and China’s WuGa He.

Vashti Cunningham, Jelena Rowe and Rachel McCoy are American athletes competing in the women’s high jump, along with British competitor Morgan Lake.

Donald Thomas of the Bahamas and American entry Trey Culver are scheduled to participate in the men’s high jump.

Keturah Orji is the top American entry in the women’s triple jump, with fellow U.S. athletes Will Claye and Chris Benard scheduled to compete in the men’s triple jump.