Little, Purrier and Nilsen also achieve top global efforts, as 14 facility records are achieved in showcase at renovated Hilmer Lodge Stadium; Benjamin eclipses 1979 mark held by Moses, with Richardson and Hoare continuing strong seasons

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor/Photos by Chuck Utash

WALNUT – Among the four world-leading marks and 14 facility records produced Sunday at the USATF Golden Games and Distance Open at the new Hilmer Lodge Stadium at Mt. San Antonio College, the return to the 400-meter hurdles for Rai Benjamin was perhaps the most significant, not only for the athlete, but for the sport.

Not only did Benjamin, who attended both UCLA and USC and is a veteran of the Mt. SAC Relays, appreciate the opportunity to compete at an elite global meet in Southern California in his first 400 hurdles race since securing the silver medal at the 2019 World Championships in Doha, Qatar, but his 47.13-second effort eclipsed the 1979 stadium record of 47.89 achieved by Edwin Moses.

“(NBC reporter) Lewis Johnson told me when I was doing my interview after the race, and I told him it was funny, because I was on a Zoom call with (Edwin Moses) a few weeks ago, and we were just talking shop about the race and competitive mentality,” Benjamin said. “It was pretty awesome that he shared some gems with me, about what he did in his race, and I’ve tried to incorporate some of it into my practices and stuff like that, so it’s pretty awesome how things come full circle.”

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Benjamin, a Nike professional, ran the fastest 400 hurdles opener of his career and produced the third-fastest performance overall, joining Norway’s Karsten Warholm and Moses as the only individuals to run under 47.15 at least three times.

Kyron McMaster of the British Virgin Islands was second in 47.50 and Alison dos Santos of Brazil took third in 47.68, both athletes achieving national records.

Benjamin is targeting a return to Doha on May 28 to compete against Abderrahman Samba of Qatar, who boasts the same personal best as Benjamin at 46.98. They are two of four athletes in history to eclipse the 47-second barrier, along with Warholm and world record holder Kevin Young at 46.78.

Sha’Carri Richardson, another Nike professional, ran the Xfinity 100-meter dash prelims in a wind-legal 10.74, just off her world-leading mark of 10.72 from April 10 at the Miramar Invitational in Florida.

Richardson, who eclipsed the 1987 stadium record of 10.87 established by former Jamaican star Merlene Ottey, then pulled away from the field in the second half of the final to run 10.77 into a headwind. Javianne Oliver was second in 11.08 and Briana Williams of Jamaica took third in 11.15.

New Balance athlete Elle Purrier became the second female athlete to run under 4 minutes this year in the 1,500 meters, lowering the previous world-leading performance achieved April 1 by Australia’s Linden Hall to run a lifetime-best 3:58.36.

Purrier, already the American indoor record holder in the mile, elevated to the No. 6 all-time U.S. outdoor competitor, with third-place finisher Shannon Osika (4:00.73) ascending to No. 13.

Canadian record holder Gabriela DeBues-Stafford, who ran 3:56.12 in 2019, placed second in 4:00.69.

Eilish McColgan of Great Britain finished fourth in 4:03.89, as a quartet of athletes all ran faster than the 2013 stadium record of 4:04.86 produced by Brenda Martinez.

Chris Nilsen, representing Nike, cleared 19-4.75 (5.91m) on his first attempt to take over the world lead, then missed three opportunities at 19-8.25 (6.00m).

It marked the second-highest outdoor clearance for Nilsen, trailing only his career-best 19-6.25 (5.95m) that captured the 2019 NCAA Division 1 Outdoor title in Austin, Texas.

Nilsen also surpassed the 2007 stadium record of 19-1 (5.82m) held by Mt. SAC coach and Mexican standout Giovanni Lanaro.

Following several strong performances in recent weeks in the 400 and 800 meters, three-time Division 1 champion Shamier Little returned to the 400-meter hurdles for the first time in more than 20 months and clocked a world-leading 53.65.

Little, who has to contend at the Olympic Trials with world record holder Dalilah Muhammad and 2019 World silver medalist Sydney McLaughlin, smashed the 2004 stadium record of 55.18 held by Brenda Taylor.

Gianna Woodruff, who trains with Muhammad and the Hurdle Mechanic group trained by Lawrence Johnson, eclipsed her own Panamanian national record for the second time this spring, running 54.70.

Darrell Hill became the third American shot putter this season to surpass the 22-meter mark, joining Ryan Crouser and Joe Kovacs, producing a fourth-round mark of 73-3.50 (22.34m). Hill also added a 72-9.75 (22.19m) effort in the third round.

In the first triple jump matchup this year involving American outdoor record holder Keturah Orji and U.S. indoor record holder Tori Franklin, it was Jamaican standout Kimberly Williams who grabbed the spotlight with a fourth-round effort of 47-11.75 (14.62m).

Orji, who regained the outdoor mark from Franklin after jumping 48-11.50 (14.92m) on April 25 at the Chula Vista High Performance meet, took second Sunday at 47-2.25 (14.38m). Franklin finished fifth at 45-9.75 (13.96m), with the top four competitors all surpassing the previous stadium record that had stood since 2004.

Michael Norman, who trains with Benjamin in Los Angeles and has competed at the Mt. SAC Relays in high school, college and as a professional athlete, won the 400 in 44.40, with fellow American Michael Cherry finishing second in 44.86. Norman’s performance eclipsed the 1992 stadium record of 44.45 established by Steve Lewis.

Although much of the attention in the Nike men’s 100-meter dash surrounded Seattle Seahawks receiver DK Metcalf, who ran 10.37 in the prelims, it was the return to Mt. SAC of Cravon Gillespie that wound up being the primary storyline in the final.

Gillespie, who competed at Mt. SAC before graduating from Oregon, prevailed in a wind-legal 9.96, with Isiah Young clocking 9.99 to place second.

Keni Harrison triumphed in the women’s 100-meter hurdles in a wind-legal 12.48, with Great Britain’s Cindy Sember running a personal-best 12.53 to place second. McLaughlin continued her improvement in the event by finishing fifth in a personal-best 12.65.

Gabby Thomas ran the best all-conditions race of her career, emerging victorious in the BD Ventor women’s 200 in 22.12, with the wind just over the allowable limit at +2.1 m/s. Allyson Felix was second in 22.26 and Lynna Irby took third in 22.27.

Noah Lyles surged late in the Xfinity men’s 200 to edge Kenny Bednarek by a 19.90 to 19.94 margin, both running faster than the stadium record of 19.97 achieved in 2007 by Wallace Spearmon.

Ollie Hoare of On Athletics Club, representing Australia, continued his streak of impressive performances this year with a personal-best 3:33.19 in the men’s 1,500 for the No. 2 mark in the world this year. Canadian Justyn Knight also ran his fastest career race to place second in 3:33.41, elevating to No. 3 in the world.

Scotland’s Jemma Reekie led seven athletes under the 2-minute mark in the Nike women’s 800, running the No. 2 time in the world at 1:58.26. Laura Muir (1:58.46), Reekie’s training partner and fellow countrywoman, elevated to No. 3 and Canada’s Melissa Bishop-Nriagu (1:58.62) ascended to No. 4.

Bryce Hoppel became the third male athlete to run under 1:45 this season in the EPSON men’s 800, clocking 1:44.94 to edge Kenya’s Michael Saruni (1:45.18) and American Clayton Murphy (1:45.31).

Katerina Stefanidi of Greece eclipsed the stadium record in the women’s pole vault with a third-attempt clearance at 15-9 (4.80m), helping her equal the No. 2 mark in the world. Stefanidi had endured a disappointing no height in her first appearance at the new stadium last year for the Inspiration Games.

Americans Katie Nageotte and Olivia Gruver both cleared 15-5 (4.70m).

Will Claye matched the No. 2 global effort in the triple jump with his fifth-round mark of 56-3.25 (17.15m).

Maggie Ewen equaled the No. 4 performance globally this year in the shot put with a second-round effort of 63-4.75 (19.32m). 

Kord Ferguson led an American sweep of the top three spots in the men’s discus throw with a personal-best performance in the opening round of 209-2 (63.75m). Mason Finley closed the gap in the fifth round with a throw of 208-6 (63.57m), but couldn’t catch Ferguson.

Gwen Berry prevailed in the women’s hammer throw to open the meet with a fifth-round effort of 241-10 (73.73m).

In the night distance section, Sean McGorty of Nike Bowerman Track Club made his debut in the 3,000-meter steeplechase, relying on pacing from teammate Evan Jager through the first 2,000 meters, then surviving a late surge by Daniel Michalski to prevail in 8:20.77.

Michalski (8:21.25) and Obsa Ali (8:22.61) both ran personal-best efforts to finish second and third.

Courtney Frerichs, the American record holder and World silver medalist, returned to the 3,000 steeplechase for the first time since the 2019 World Championships and triumphed in 9:27.70, ahead of U.S. competitors Leah Falland (9:28.72) and Marisa Howard (9:29.65).

Canadian Julie-Anne Staehli led four women to achieve the Olympic standard in the 5,000 meters, clocking a lifetime-best 15:02.34 to edge Laura Galvan Rodriguez, who lowered her own Mexican national record to 15:02.48.

Natalia Hawthorn, also from Canada, took third in a personal-best 15:05.91 and Jessica Judd of Great Britain placed fourth, also in a career-best 15:06.02. Americans Molly Huddle (15:23.24) and Maggie Montoya, who ran her fastest time of 15:25.81, secured fifth and sixth.

American Mason Ferlic, who already ran 8:18.49 in the 3,000 steeplechase April 24 at the USATF Grand Prix at the Oregon Relays, returned to the 5,000 and achieved a personal-best 13:24.94 to qualify for the Olympic Trials in a second event. Canadian Kieran Lumb, representing the Vancouver Thunderbirds, was second in 13:25.86.

Katie Snowden of Great Britain won the second section of the 1,500 in 4:06.06. American Pat Casey prevailed in the men’s race in 3:38.67, with Rob Napolitano clocking 3:38.95.