Meet the Athletes of the 50th Prefontaine Classic Official Poster
50 Years of Legendary Performances
Read more below to learn about the legends of the Pre Classic featured on this year’s special edition poster.
Free posters will be available at the Hayward Field information booth at the south end of the concourse on Saturday, July 5.
Fans can pick up a free copy of the poster at the following Eugene locations while supplies last:
Valarie Allman
Valarie Allman is already one of the most decorated Women’s Discus throwers in history – and with plenty of her professional career still to go. The two-time Olympic Champion has won the past three Women’s Discus competitions at the Pre Classic, including the 2023 edition when the meet served as that year’s Wanda Diamond League Final. Valarie owns a total of four Diamond Trophies, six USA outdoor titles, two World Athletics Championships medals, and the American record in the event.
Rai Benjamin
Four-time Olympic medalist Rai Benjamin continues to make his mark on track & field, leveling the Men’s 400m Hurdles up each year. In addition to his four Olympic medals between the 400m Hurdles and 4x400m relay, three of which are gold, Rai owns five national titles and five World Athletics Championships medals. One of two of Rai’s Pre Classic victories occurred in 2023, when the meet served as that year’s Wanda Diamond League Final, giving Rai his first-ever Diamond Trophy.
Joe Kovacs
Fans have come to expect world-class performances in the Men’s Shot Put at the Pre Classic, and Joe Kovacs is part of the reason why. The four-time Pre Classic Champion has claimed silver medals in the past three Olympic Games, and medals in the past five World Athletics Championships. So far in his career, four of Joe’s 10 furthest throws have occurred at Hayward Field.
Ryan Crouser
We talk about fans expecting world-class throws at the Pre Classic, and Ryan Crouser is the other half of the reason why. The Oregon-native has won the Men’s Shot Put at the Pre Classic four times so far in his career and is the current world record-holder in the event. Ryan has claimed gold in the past three Olympic Games, past two World Athletics Championships, and seven of the past eight USATF Outdoor Championships.
Lance Deal
An 11-time Pre Classic Champion in the Men’s Hammer Throw between 1988-2000, Lance Deal is the second-most decorated Pre Classic athlete in the history of the meet. His dominance in the event extended beyond the Pre Classic. Lance boasts five USA outdoor titles in the Hammer Throw, five USA indoor titles in the Weight Throw, and the 1996 Olympic silver medal in the Hammer Throw. After his professional throwing career, Lance served on the University of Oregon Track & Field staff from 2002 until 2018.
Mary SLANEY
One of the most dominant American distance runners of her era, Mary Slaney was a fixture at the Pre Classic, claiming three victories over 5,000m, one over 3,000m, and one over 1500m. The four-time Olympian is the only athlete ever to hold every American record from 800m to 10,000m, and set national records a total of 36 times over the course of her career. In 1983, she was named Sports Illustrated’s “Sportsperson of the Year” following her double gold in the 1500m and 3,000m at that year’s World Championships–a feat dubbed the “Decker Double.”
Gail Devers
One of the most decorated female sprinters of all time, Gail Devers made a lasting impact at the Prefontaine Classic through her victories in both the 100 meters and 100-meter hurdles. An athlete who epitomizes performance under pressure, Gail has three Olympic gold medals and five outdoor world titles to her name, Gail became the first ever female sprinter to simultaneously hold the world and Olympic titles in the 100 meter.
Mondo Duplantis
Already regarded as the greatest pole vaulter of all time, Mondo Duplantis has broken the world record 11 times – two of which occurred at Hayward Field. The Swede has cleared six meters in competition more than any other athlete in history, and earned two Olympic gold medals, five World Athletics Championships indoor and outdoor gold medals, and four Diamond Trophies along the way.
Alan Webb
Alan Webb first made his mark on The Prefontaine Classic in 2001, when he broke the American high school mile record and ran one of the most memorable races in the meet’s history. A three-time U.S. Champion over 1500 meters, Alan represented the United States at the 2004 Olympic Games, then went on to break the American record in the mile in 2007. His 2007 mile record still stands as the third-fastest mile ever run by an American.
Hicham El Guerrouj
Hicham El Guerrouj is a legend in middle distance athletics, with both his 1500m and mile world-record marks still standing. During his career, he earned three Olympic medals and nine World Athletics indoor and outdoor medals. Hicham cemented himself in Pre Classic legacy as a back-to-back Bowerman Mile winner, including the 2001 race that saw Alan Webb break Jim Ryun’s high school record in the event.
Keely Hodgkinson
Still with plenty of her professional career in front of her, Keely Hodgkinson has already cemented herself as one of the greatest British middle-distance runners. The two-time Pre Classic winner medaled in both of the most recent Olympic Games–including earning gold this past summer in Paris. Keely also owns two silver medals from the most recent World Athletics Championships, and one Diamond Trophy from the 2021 Wanda Diamond League Final. Her personal best of 1:54.61 is the current national record for Great Britain.
Reese Hoffa
Reese Hoffa is one of the most accomplished shot putters in American history. A three-time Olympian, he earned a bronze medal at the 2012 London Games and three World Athletics Championships medals over his career. At The Prefontaine Classic, he earned four meet titles and consistently ranked among the meet’s top finishers. Reese threw over 21 meters more than 100 times during his career. His consistent dominance helped elevate the status of the shot put on the international stage.
Jakob Ingebrigtsen
Jakob Ingebrigtsen is a three-time Bowerman Mile Champion and regarded as one of the greatest middle-distance runners of all time, as the current world record-holder in four events spanning from the 1500m short track to the 3000m. The two-time Olympic gold medalist is also a two-time World Champion, and four-time Diamond Trophy winner. Two of those Diamond Trophies came from the in the 1500m and 3000m at the 2023 Pre Classic, which served as that year’s Wanda Diamond League Final.
Michael Johnson
Michael Johnson made history in the sport in 1996 when he became the first man in history to win Olympic gold in both the 200m and 400m. Michael won the Pre Classic 400m twice and 200m thrice over the course of his professional career. Michael retired as a four-time Olympic gold medalist, eight-time World Champion, and multi-time world record setter. His 43.18-second 400m still stands as the American record in the event.
Maria Mutola
With 16 wins at the Prefontaine Classic over, no athlete has won more at the Prefontaine Classic than Maria Mutola. From Mozambique, Maria moved to Springfield, Oregon as a teenager to further her athletic training and soon became a dominant force in the 800. Maria is the first Mozambique athlete to win an Olympic Gold medal, solidifying herself as a symbol of resilience and excellence. A beloved figure in the Eugene and Springfield community, Maria’s legacy is immortalized through the Oregon22 Heritage Trail Plaque at Willamalane Park and the Pre Classic’s 800-meter dedication of the “Mutola 800”.
Connie Price-Smith
Connie Price-Smith is a four-time Olympian and one of the most accomplished throwers in United States track and field history, excelling in both the shot put and discus. At the Prefontaine Classic, she claimed the women's shot put title with a meet record in 1997. She served as head coach for a U.S. Olympic track and field team at the 2016 Rio Olympics.
Brittney Reese
Brittney Reese is one of the most accomplished long jumpers in track and field history, with three Olympic medals and seven World Championship titles to her name. At the Prefontaine Classic, Brittney showcased her dominance with multiple victories, including back-to-back wins in 2016 and 2017, where she delivered world-class jumps that ignited the Hayward Field crowds.
Sanya Richards Ross
Sanya Richards-Ross made her mark on the Pre Classic with five victories in the 400m between 2006 - 2012. She owns five Olympic medals, four of which are gold, from three Olympic Games. During that span of her career, Sanya also earned five World Champion titles and two World Athletics Championships silver medals.
Sha’Carri Richardson
Sha’Carri Richardson is one of the most influential athletes in track & field. A two-time Olympic medalist, Sha’Carri earned both gold in the 4x100m relay and silver in the 100m this past summer in Paris. She also has three World Athletics Championships medals to her name, two golds and one bronze all from the 2023 edition in Budapest. The back-to-back national champion personal-best of 10.65 seconds is the fifth-fastest time ever run in the Women’s 100m.