Young Runs 12:45.27 For Stunning Victory; Karsten Warholm Breaks 300-Meter Hurdles World Record

By David Woods for DyeStat

Photos courtesy Diamond League AG

From a high school superpower in Newbury Park, Calif., to the college dynasty at Northern Arizona, Nico Young has been surrounded by other top runners – and usually beaten them.

On an international stage, he shows he can do the same.

The 22-year-old broke the outdoor American record in the 5,000 meters Thursday night and won at the Diamond League meet in Oslo, Norway.

His time of 12:45.27 bettered the mark of 12:46.96 set in 2022 by Grant Fisher, a 2024 Paris Olympics double bronze medalist. Young was 12th in the 10,000 at Paris.

The overall American record is 12:44.09, a world indoor record by Fisher on Feb. 14 at Boston. Young’s previous best was 12:51.56, also indoors.

Only other American men to win a Diamond League 5,000 were Paul Chelimo at London in 2018 and Ben True at New York in 2015.

Wavelights were set for an attempt to break the world record of 12:35.36 by Uganda’s Joshua Cheptegei.

“It was a crazy race. I mean, not being on the wavelights and still running so fast was awesome,” Young  said.

He said his only plan was to stay on the pace.

“As it progressed, and I got 3K in, I was like, ‘I don’t feel too terrible,’ “ he said. “I tried to make some moves. I was maybe a little bit too antsy but ended up being good.”

Ethiopia’s Yomif Kejelcha was in front after pacesetters left past 2,000. Four Ethiopians were at the front by 3,000, led by Kejelcha in 7:42.09.

Great Britain’s George Mills led at 4,000 in 10:20.28 as Young moved to fourth. Mills and Young were 1-2 with 200 to go. Young accelerated again into first, followed by 18-year-old Biniam Meharry, who finished second in 12:45.93 -- just off Selemon Barega’s U-20 world record.

Kuma Girma was third in 12:46.41. Mills set a British record of 12:46.59 in fourth, breaking the mark of 12:53.11 set in 2011 by four-time Olympic champion Mo Farah.

New pro Graham Blanks was seventh in 12:48.20, climbing to No. 3 on the all-time U.S. list.

The race had such depth that records for place were set for sixth through at least 12th, according to Track & Field News.

The meet’s other highlight was Karsten Warholm, who smashed the world record in the 300-meter hurdles with a time of 32.67.

Previous mark recognized by World Athletics, 33.05, was set April 26 by Warholm at Xiamen, China. The 29-year-old Norwegian set a world record of 45.94 in the 400 hurdles at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics.

“I usually fade at the end of the 400, so the 300 suits me to some degree, but I will be back strong in the 400 on Sunday,” Warholm said. “Tonight it was the others that faded and I came strong. I have been doing a lot of 200-meter practices, and as you can see from today, I was very clean over the hurdles.

“The crowd was amazing as ever, and the atmosphere was something else."

Rai Benjamin, in his first hurdles race since winning gold at Paris, was second in an American record of 33.22. Listed American record had been 34.83 by Vance Nilsson at last year’s Arizona high school state meet.

“I want the gold medal in Tokyo at the World Championships, but it's very early days for me,” Benjamin said. “So I have to get back into training and keep on chopping that wood.”

The third Paris medalist, Alison dos Santos of Brazil, was third in 33.38.

Mondo vaults to outdoor world lead

In other men’s events:

>> Sweden’s Mondo Duplantis, the seven-time global gold medalist, cleared 20 feet, 2 inches (6.15m) in the pole vault. It was a meet and stadium record and outdoor world leader. Olympic silver medalist Sam Kendricks tied for fifth at 18-5.25 (5.62m). Duplantis said he stopped jumping then because temperatures cooled.

“On Sunday in Stockholm it would be an absolute dream to break the world record. In fact, I could retire if I do!” he said. “At the moment the forecast is good for Sunday and I am feeling good, I am in good shape and tonight shows I am jumping well, so who knows?”

>> In a Dream Mile historic for depth, Isaac Nader set a Portuguese national record in beating 19-year-old Cameron Myers of Australia, 3:48.25 to 3:48.87.  Eleven men were under 3:50, equaling the record set at the 2023 Prefontaine Classic. Eleven of the top 12 set PBs (all except Myers). Stefan Nillessen of The Netherlands was third in 3:49.02 and 2021 Olympic silver medalist Timothy Cheruiyot of Kenya fourth in 3:49.06. The lone American, Vincent Ciattei, was eighth in 3:49.37.

>> Olympic champion Emmanel Wanyonyi of Kenya took the 800 in 1:42.78, just .18 off the world lead. Spain’s Mohamed Attaoui was second in 1:42.90 and Algeria’s Djamel Sedjati third in 1:43.06. Six men were under 1:44.

Alfred wins in year’s first 100

In women’s events:

>> In her first 100 meters of the season, Olympic champion Julien Alfred of Saint Lucia won in 10.89. Marie-Josee Ta Lou-Smith of Ivory Coast was second in 11.00 and Britain’s Dina Asher-Smith third in 11.00. Alfred sounded more excited about meeting Usain Bolt for the first time than for her victory.

“It was a great honor to have met him,” she said.

>> Isabella Whittaker took her first Diamond League victory in the 400 with a time of 49.58, overtaking Norway’s Henriette Jaeger, who set a national record of 49.62. Whittaker climbed to No. 5 in the world this year and No. 3 among Americans, behind Gabby Thomas (49.14) and Aaliyah Butler (49.44).

>> Dalilah Muhammad, in her final season at age 35, took the 400 hurdles in 53.34.

>> Olympic bronze medalist Faith Cherotich of Kenya ran to a world lead of 9:02.60 in the steeplechase, beating gold medalist Winfred Yavi of Bahrain for the second time this season. Courtney Wayment was sixth in 9:13.65, best by an American this year.

>> The first of the meet’s four world leads came Wednesday in the 10,000, in which 18-year-old Yenawa Nbret  of Ethiopia ran to 30:28.82.

Contact David Woods at dwoods1411@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter: @DavidWoods007.