With Two Global Golds In His Pocket, Kerr Looks To Keep Momentum Going With Outdoor Opener; Karissa Schweizer Dominates Women's 1,500 In First Race Back From Ankle Surgery

By Lori Shontz for DyeStat

Becky Holbrook photos

Josh Kerr, reigning outdoor world champion in the 1,500 meters and reigning indoor world champion in the 3,000 meters, showed up at Hayward Field on Saturday evening wanting to run a fast 800.

He dominated the men’s pro 800 at the Oregon Relays presented by AthleticNET, winning in 1:45.94, well ahead of Oregon junior Elliott Cook (1:47.01) and two of his Brooks Beasts teammates, Brandon Miller (1:47.83) and Kyle Langford (1:48.02).

“I was hoping to go faster,” Kerr said. “But as soon as the crowd started going crazy afterward, I thought I’d at least give them a lap of honor.”

RESULTS/VIDEOS

The crowd – mostly high school and middle school athletes who had competed earlier – was cheering from the outer lanes, and they were thrilled to slap hands with Kerr, who has become one of the leading athletes and personalities in the sport.

Kerr said that kind of recognition has been a long time coming; he has been a pro for six years, and he first came to the United States to train in 2015. “We’re finally getting to the place where we’re putting on good performances – we’re coming away with medals in pretty much every championship and getting some good gold ones. I’m just working with my range right now, and I hope I can continue picking up medals.”

The other two professional winners Saturday night were both Bowerman Track Club athletes who were essentially competing instead of running a hard workout.

Karissa Schweizer continued her comeback from ankle surgery by winning the women’s 1,500 in 4:08.66, nearly a second ahead of Maddy Berkson of Battle Creek TC, who finished in a personal best time of 4:09.60, and Bowerman teammate Christina Aragon, who ran 4:09.71.

Race day was simple for Schweizer, who lives about a mile from Hayward. She woke up, went to Brails for brunch, spent a chill afternoon at her house and walked to the track.

She showed up with a plan to make a move with about 500 to go, but she was feeling so good that moved to the front immediately and kept pulling a way, running most of the last lap and a half alone.

“I wanted to be able to try and win a race, however that played out,” she said. “I wanted to play with that strategy.”

Schweizer said her recovery from surgery on her left heel to repair Haglund’s deformity, which she underwent in October, continues to progress. She was able to wear spikes again just before competing at The Ten in late March, and although she wished she’d achieved the Olympic 10,000-meter standard of 30:40, she was mostly fine with her sixth-place finish in 31:04.80.

“I was a little bummed not to get the time, but it was good work to get out there and just feel that pain of the 10K again,” she said.

Saturday night’s race gave her a chance to work on her speed and get ready for what she hopes will be a 5K soon.

Bowerman Track Club teammate Kieran Tuntivate won the men’s mile in 4:00.26, outkicking On Running’s Kieran Lumb, who finished in 4:00.71, Bowerman teammate Duncan Hamilton, who finished in 4:00.97 and Dillon Maggard of Brooks Beasts, who ran 4:00.98.

“It was just practice racing,” Tuntivate said. “Just getting used to that racing mentality again.”

Tuntivate’s plan was to give himself a shot to be up front. “It just so happened that I got off the line well, and I was right up there. There wasn’t much I had to do maneuvering or tactics-wise – just say right where I started.”

Tuntivate, who competes for Thailand, leaves Monday for China, and he’ll compete in the 5,000 meters in the Shanghai Diamond League on April 27.