The Prefontaine Classic To Host Athletics Kenya 10,000m Olympic Team Selection Event

The Prefontaine Classic will host the selection events for this year’s Athletics Kenya 10,000m teams, the meet announced today.

The women’s 10,000m will now compete at 10:50 a.m. Pacific time with the addition of Kenya’s top talent in the distance vying to make the team for this year’s Paris Olympic Games. The women’s field is expected to include 2023 world outdoor bronze medalist Beatrice Chebet, who is currently ranked No. 2 globally in the 5,000m and is a two-time world cross country champion; Emmaculate Achol, who placed fourth at the 2024 world cross country championships; and Grace Loibach Nawowuna, who is currently ranked eighth in the world over 10,000m and has a personal best of 29:47.42 over the distance. The Olympic qualifying standard for the women’s 10,000m is 30:40.

The men’s 10,000m will be added to the meet’s program at 12:05 p.m. Pacific time. Those expected to make the field include Daniel Simiu Ebenyo, the 2023 world outdoor silver medalist currently ranked No. 1 in the world over 10,000m; Samwel Chebolei, who has a personal best of 27:10.06 in the event; and Benson Kiplangat, the 2021 world U20 champion and 2024 world cross country bronze medalist. The Olympic qualifying standard for the men’s 10,000m is 27:00.

“We are thrilled that Athletics Kenya has once again chosen The Prefontaine Classic to host the selection event for their 10,000m Olympic team,” said Pre Classic co-Meeting Director Jody Smith. “Pre Classic is committed to bringing the world’s best athletes, and the world’s best athletics competitions, to Hayward Field. Hosting the selection event for such a prestigious team is fully aligned with that commitment.”