Dutch star clocks 51.45 to join Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone and Dalilah Muhammad as only athletes to eclipse 52-second barrier; Nuguse wins 1,500 in 3:30.44, with Monson running 14:19.45 to set American 5,000 record, Crouser surpasses 23-meter mark again and Lyles achieves 35th sub-20 effort

By David Woods for DyeStat

Yared Nuguse and Alicia Monson continued historic seasons Sunday during the Muller Anniversary Games, London’s Diamond League meet before a sellout crowd of 50,000.

Less than a month from opening of the World Athletics Championships, Nuguse won the men’s 1,500 meters and Monson set an American record in the women’s 5,000 meters.

PHOTOS by John Nepolitan | RESULTS

Elsewhere, Noah Lyles won the 200 meters in a meet record of 19.47 seconds, fastest time in the world this year and a record 35th sub-20-second, wind-legal time. The previous record was 34 by Jamaica’s Usain Bolt. Twenty-year-old Letsile Tebogo of Botswana was second in an African record of 19.50.

Also, the Netherlands’ Femke Bol ran the women’s 400-meter hurdles in 51.45, a European record and third-fastest time ever – behind two world records by Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone. Bol is a clear favorite for gold at Budapest, Hungary, because McLaughlin-Levrone is running the flat 400 instead of hurdles.

In the 1,500, Nuguse timed his kick perfectly, running the final 400 meters in 54.0 and finishing in 3:30.44. He became the first American to win a Diamond League 1,500 or mile since Leo Manzano did so in 2011, also at London.

Narvae Gilje Nordas of Norway was second in 3:30.58 and Great Britain’s Neil Gourley third in 3:30.60.

The race was so deep that Wisconsin collegian Adam Spencer, of Australia, was 12th in a five-second PB of 3:31.81 and Cole Hocker 13th in 3:32.14 – fastest times ever for those respective places. Spencer climbed to No. 6 on the all-time, all-dates collegiate list.

Hocker, still rounding into fitness after an Achilles’ injury, was never higher than 10th after the first lap and was passed by three men in the closing 100 meters.

Nuguse’s time is fifth-fastest ever by an American. His six finals this year at 1,500/mile:

>> 3:47.38i mile (American record), first.

>> 3:33.69i, first.

>> 3:33.02, second.

>> 3:29.02 (American record), third.

>> 3:34.90 (U.S. title), first.

>> 3:30.34, first.

So the 24-year-old Nuguse has affirmed he will be a medal contender in Budapest. He said that is his goal as he prepares for a training camp at St. Moritz, Switzerland.

“I know I have the potential, so now I’ve just got to do it,” Nuguse said.

Monson might not medal but has placed herself among the elite. She was fifth in the 5,000 in 14:19.45, becoming the first American woman under 14:20. Shelby Houlihan set the old record of 14:23.92 in 2020 and is now serving a doping ban.

Monson has set American records this year in the indoor 3,000 and outdoor 5,000 and 10,000.

Reigning world champion Gudaf Tsegay of Ethiopia overtook Olympic champion Sifan Hassan of the Netherlands to set a meet record of 14:12.29.

Kenya’s Beatrice Chebet, the world cross-country champion, was second in 14:12.92. Hassan was third in a European record of 14:13.42. Ethiopia’s Media Eisa was fourth in a World Under-20 record of 14:16.54.

Top five rank Nos. 4, 7, 9, 12 and 14 on the all-time world list.

In other men’s events:

>> Shot putter Ryan Crouser increased his 2023 ledger to 11-0. He won at 75 feet, 8.25 inches (23.07m) with the No. 9 performance ever. He holds six of the top nine outdoor marks, including his world record of 77-3.75 (23.56m) from May 27 at Los Angeles.

>> High jumper JuVaughn Harrison won a third in a row over Olympic gold medalist Mutaz Essa Barshim of Qatar, leaping 7-8.50 (2.35m). Barshim is world leader at 7-8.75 (2.36m).

>> Grant Holloway, bidding for a third world title, won the 110 hurdles in 13.01. Olympic gold medalist Hansle Parchment of Jamaica was fourth in 13.26.

>> World record-holder Wayde van Niekerk barely stayed unbeaten this year at 400 meters. The 31-year-old South African clocked 44.36, holding off American veterans Bryce Deadmon, 44.40, and Vernon Norwood, 44.46.

In other women’s events:

>> Because of a sore hamstring, Sha’Carri Richardson withdrew from what would have been a race among the three fastest women of the year. Marie-Josee Ta Lou of Ivory Coast won in 10.75 to beat Britain’s Dina Asher-Smith, 10.85. Jamaica’s Shericka Jackson, the world leader at 10.65, was third in 10.94. (Richardson’s best this year is 10.71.)

>> Jackline Chepkoech, a 19-year-old Kenyan, set a meet record with a world-leading time of 8:57.35 in the steeplechase. She beat world record-holder Beatrice Chepkoech (no relation) by seven seconds. Courtney Wayment was fourth in 9:17.21 and U.S. champion Krissy Gear was sixth in 9:25.49.

>> Finland’s Wilma Murto vaulted 15-9 (4.80m) on her second attempt to beat Katie Moon, who cleared the same height. Moon is the Olympic and world champion and 2023 world leader. Sandi Morris was sixth at 14-9.50 (4.51m).

>> Quanesha Burks achieved a wind-legal personal-best 22-11 (6.98m) in the first round of the long jump to emerge victorious. Burks had a wind-aided mark of 23-2 (7.06m) at last year’s Toyota USATF Outdoor Championships. Reigning U.S. champion Tara Davis-Woodhall took third at 22-0.75 (6.72m).

>> British athlete Jemma Reekie closed out the meet by winning the 800 in 1:57.30, with Jamaica’s Natoya Goule-Toppin placing second in 1:57.65. Halimah Nakaayi of Uganada achieved a national record to take third in 1:57.62 and Catriona Bisset of Australia lowered her own Oceania record to finish fourth in 1:57.78.

Contact David Woods at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter: @DavidWoods007.