KIMbia Athletics

As members of the Oregon Track Club, Wisconsin transplants Chris Solinsky, Matt Tegenkamp and Evan Jager get to call Hayward Field their home away from home. And after turning in terrific performances at Sunday’s Prefontaine Classic, the trio seems to feel plenty comfortable there, showing great form in their final tune-ups before the US Outdoor Championships.

In a strong Men’s 3000 field, Chris Solinsky and Matt Tegenkamp stayed just off a hot early pace, which had been aimed at the 7:30 barrier.  When things slowed with a kilometer to go, Solinsky and Teg closed a small gap and attached themselves to the back of a lead pack consisting of six world-class athletes.  With 200 meters remaining, Qatar’s Saif Saaeed Shaheen made a bid for the win, and the pair of KIMbia athletes responded.  While Tegenkamp got caught in some traffic, Solinsky stepped wide and positioned himself well, as the lead pack entered the homestretch.  When the field spread itself across multiple lanes with 100m to go, Teg found some space and the pair blasted toward home.

When the dust settled, Solinsky and Tegenkamp had left former World Champion and Olympic Silver Medalist Eliud Kipchoge in their wake, along with 2008 Olympians Alistair Cragg and Moses Ndiema Masai, earning 3rd and 4th place, respectively.  Solinsky came within inches of successfully running down 2-time World Champion Saif Saaeed Shaheen, as well as a new PB, with his 7:37.05 clocking landing just .15 shy of the 7:36.90 PB from 2007 — a time, it bears mentioning, that was run in mid-July of that season. Tegenkamp finished in 7:37.32 — a few ticks off of his PB, but a good early-season performance against a field of this caliber.  To wit: Kipchoge entered the race as the 2009 world leader at 7:28, and, after Sunday, Solinsky and Tegenkamp were the 8th and 9th fastest performers in the world, this year.

In the Bowerman Mile, 20-year-old Evan Jager ran a man’s race, setting a big PB of 3:54.35, shaving a second from his previous best equivalent performance, and taking 7th in a very good field — right on the heels of the top American finisher in the race.  With Bernard Lagat holding a free pass to this season’s World Championships as the defending 1500m champion, all three American spots are up for grabs, and with his race at Pre, Jager has put himself on the short list of  contenders to make it to Berlin.

Men’s 3000m
Chris Solinsky, 7:37.05 – 3rd
Matt Tegenkamp, 7:37.32 – 4th
Brent Vaughn, 8:09.82 – 11th

Bowerman Mile
Evan Jager, 3:54.35 – 7th PB