Summary
– Los Angeles Grand Prix: Star-studded men’s 5000m.
– Barega wins with 12:51.60, Aregawi second, Cheptegei third.
– Barega aims for 10,000m in Paris, possible 5000m double.
– Cheptegei targets 10,000m win, cautious about record attempts.
The first night of action at the Los Angeles Grand Prix saw a horde of global stars in action highlighted by the men’s 5000m where a field worthy of an Olympic final was assembled
The best race of the night, featuring three global champions, was a field worthy of an Olympic final, competing in the host city of the 2028 Games.
The race
The tempo was steady for much of the first 3k (7:47) with the Western runners up front and the stars from Africa in the back before they let the pace lights (set to 12:54 pace) go clear of them during the 4th km (10:25).
But then the wheels began to turn, Olympic 10,000 champ Selemon Barega, the 2024 outdoor world leader coming in for 5000 at 12:55, reeled off a 2:25 final kilometer and a 54.15 final lap to hit the line in 12:51.60 ahead of fellow Ethiopian Berihu Aregawi (12:52.09), who was running his first race since winning silver at World Cross Country.
Ugandan Olympic 5000 champ Joshua Cheptegei, who made up several meters in the last 200, took third in 12:52.38. World Cross Country champion Jacob Kiplimo was fourth in 12:52.91, with Grant Fisher fifth in 12:53.30.
Further back, Cooper Teare (12:54.72, 9th) and Cole Hocker (12:58.82, 11th) both joined the sub-13 club and got the Olympic standard, with Teare going fourth on the U.S. all-time list.
Barega said he’s chiefly targeting the 10,000m in Paris but that he hopes to double with the 5000m if the Ethiopian federation allows him.
Cheptegei said he also plans to double at the Games. “Most importantly I want to win the 10, that’s my special distance,” he said. “If I win the 10K, I don’t care about the 5K.”
The Ugandan will be part of a loaded 5000m field at the Oslo Diamond League next month but when asked whether it will be an attempt on his world record of 12:35.36, Cheptegei said:
“I don’t know who is going to run that, but I wish them the best of luck. For me, I wouldn’t want to go fast, especially being Olympic year.”
Results
| POS | NAME | NAT. | RESULT |
| 1. | Selemon BAREGA | ETH | 12:51.60 |
| 2. | Berihu AREGAWI | ETH | 12:52.09 |
| 3. | Joshua CHEPTEGEI | UGA | 12:52.38 |
| 4. | Jacob KIPLIMO | UGA | 12:52.91 |
| 5. | Grant FISHER | USA | 12:53.30 |
| 6. | Biniam MEHARY PB | ETH | 12:54.10 |
| 7. | Mohammed AHMED | CAN | 12:54.22 |
| 8. | Sam ATKIN PB | GBR | 12:54.66 |
| 9. | Cooper TEARE PB | USA | 12:54.72 |
| 10. | Stewart MCSWEYN PB | AUS | 12:56.07 |
| 11. | Cole HOCKER PB | USA | 12:58.82 |
| 12. | Morgan MCDONALD PB | AUS | 13:00.48 |
| 13. | Anthony ROTICH PB | USA | 13:15.25 |
| AJ ERNST | USA | DNF |
Other Races
In other races on the night, American Hobbs Kessler won the 800m in 1:45.07 in the fastest of three sections. Fellow American Morgan Beadlescomb won the 1500m in 3:35.84. In the 3000m steeplechase, Canadian Jean-Simon Desgagnés won in 8:16.49 nearly one second off of his personal best.
