Olympic-caliber talent ready to clash across distance events

By Scott Bush, DyeStat Editor

With the USATF Distance Classic a week away, start lists were officially released this week and the talent heading to Occidental College in Southern California is once again an impressive list of Olympians, national champions and future stars of the sport.

Give the start lists a look over yourself, but here are a few of the most intriguing entries.

Jenny Simpson is entered in the 800 meters.

Did you know since 2007, the Olympic 1,500 bronze medalist has only competed in the two-lap event 10 times? With a PR of 2:00.45, Simpson falls behind the likes of Brenda Martinez, Chrishuna Williams, Chanelle Price, Laura Roesler and even rival Shannon Rowbury on paper, but it’s rare to see the Boulder-based athlete racing the 800, so it’s worth the watch.

Donovan Brazier took the track and field world by storm last year as a freshman at Texas A&M. Not only did he run the 10th-fastest time in the world in 2016 with his 1:43.55 effort at the NCAA Outdoor Championships, but he was also the only teen ranked in the world’s top 10. The future looked bright, going pro by signing with Nike, but then Brazier ran into some trouble at the U.S. Olympic Trials, finishing a disappointing fourth in his prelim heat, not even making it to the semifinals. He returns to action at the USATF Distance Classic and should be ready to put his stamp on the 800 event, once again, this time facing off against Olympians Matthew Centrowitz, Charles Jock and David Torrence.

Mo Farah is racing! The reigning Olympic 5,000 and 10,000 champion is set to compete in the 1,500, where he’ll face off against teammates Matthew Centrowitz and Eric Jenkins, as well as Olympians Leo Manzano, Nathan Brannen and deep and talent lineup of veteran middle distance runners. Farah ranked eighth in the world over 1,500 last year with his 3:31.74 seasonal best, after ranking fourth in 2015 and second in 2013. He clearly has the wheels to compete with anyone in the event, and while this race is still early in his season, expect Farah to test his speed with a furious kick over the final 400 meters of the race.

Amanda Eccleston has quietly become one of the very best 1,500 runners in the United States. After finishing a heartbreaking fourth at the U.S. Olympic Trials in the event last summer, the former University of Michigan standout lowered her PR to 4:03.25. With a new year, Eccleston is testing out her strength at the USATF Distance Classic, seeing just how good she can be over 5,000. Her PR was set last year with a 15:44.14 effort. She’ll need a faster mark to win this race against recent USATF Half Marathon champion Natosha Rogers, Lauren Paquette, Leah O’Connor, Stephanie Bruce and others.

Futsum Zienasellassie races the 5,000, and while fans shouldn’t expect the former Northern Arizona University standout to necessarily win, it wouldn’t be surprising if he did. Signing with HOKA ONE ONE Northern Arizona Elite earlier this year, Zienasellassie is coming off a tremendous fall, where he helped guide his NAU squad to the school’s first national title at the NCAA Cross Country Championships, where the then senior placed fourth. Now a pro, Zienasellassie will look to lower his PR of 13:37.89, racing against the likes of Tom Farrell, Shadrack Kipchirchir and Garrett Heath.