Illinois standout prevails against field of professionals in 3:33.81 to ascend to No. 12 all-time among all-dates collegiate competitors, along with elevating to No. 20 performer in American history in final tour stop at Occidental College; Hiltz, Jewett and Southerland all win with season-best marks

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

LOS ANGELES – Jonathan Davis balanced the emotions Friday night of running the most impressive race of his career in the 1,500 meters at the third leg of the Under Armour Sunset Tour, presented by Sound Running, at Occidental College’s Jack Kemp Stadium and wishing it instead occurred at Hayward Field.

Davis, an All-American at Illinois, ran the No. 7 time in the world this year to prevail in a lifetime-best 3 minutes, 33.81 seconds, a mark that would have placed in the top 10 in every 1,500 final in World Championships history, and would have won gold medals at the majority of them.

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However, since Davis finished second June 25 in the 1,500 final in 3:46.01 at the USATF Championships, and didn’t possess the 3:35.00 standard necessary to return to Hayward Field on Saturday for the opening round of the World Championships, he elevated to the No. 20 all-time American competitor wearing the orange, navy blue and white of Illinois, instead of the red, white and blue kit connected with making his third appearance this year at Hayward Field.

It was the second-fastest performance in Illinois program history, trailing only a 3:33.05 effort by Marko Koers in 1996 in France. Davis also ascended to No. 12 all-time among the all-dates collegiate competitors. 

Davis led five competitors to sub-3:35 performances, with Australian Charlie Hunter (3:34.32), representing Nike, and Kenyan Festus Lagat (3:34.65), competing for Under Armour, also achieving three-second improvements on their personal bests.

Drew Hunter, an adidas athlete who won the mile July 9 in 3:54.80 at the second leg of the Under Armour Sunset Tour, added another lifetime-best 3:34.86 to finish fourth, lowering his mark for the first time since 2018.

Sam Prakel, another adidas competitor who had a 3:35.66 indoor performance in 2009, clocked 3:34.92 to finish fifth.

It marked the deepest 1,500 race on American soil this year, with only the Diamond League competition June 5 in Rabat producing more sub-3:35 athletes overall with seven.

Only the collegiate record of 3:33.74 achieved April 13 by Alabama’s Eliud Kipsang at the Bryan Clay Invitational at Azusa Pacific University has been a faster performance at an event held in the U.S. this year. Davis ran 3:36.85 to secure sixth in the same race.

Sabrina Southerland, representing Nike Oregon Track Club, produced her third sub-2 effort this season in the women’s 800 meters, running her fastest time of the year following an Achilles’ injury that sidelined her until May by prevailing in 1:59.63.

Southerland, who ran 1:59.70 in the June 24 semifinals of the USATF Championships and was the fastest non-qualifier for the final, held off Brooks Beasts teammates Nia Akins (2:00.11) and Laurie Barton (2:00.93).

Sammy Watson, representing adidas, achieved another sub-2:01 effort by clocking 2:00.99 to finish fourth, with Golden Coast Track Club athlete and adidas professional Taryn Rawlings following her No. 2 mile in the world July 9 with a 4:24.95 performance by running an 800 personal-best 2:01.12 to finish fifth.

Isaiah Jewett, a Nike athlete and U.S. Olympian, ran a season-best 1:45.68 to triumph in the men’s 800, relying on the pacing of former USC teammate Zach Shinnick covering the first lap in 50.74 and then surging late to secure victory against Brooks Beasts teammates Brannon Kidder (1:46.09) and Isaiah Harris (1:46.41).

Nikki Hiltz, a Lululemon athlete who placed 10th in the June 25 final at the USATF Championships, won the 1,500 in 4:04.12, covering the final lap with a 63.87-second split to lead five competitors to sub-4:07 efforts.

Hiltz, who represented the U.S. at the 2019 World Championships in Doha by reaching the 1,500 final, made a decisive move in the final 200 meters and pulled away from Susan Ejore of Cascadia Elite (4:05.47).

Elly Henes lowered her personal best by two seconds to take third in 4:05.71, with fellow adidas athlete Whittni Orton-Morgan clocking 4:05.97 to finish fourth after leading with a lap to go. Allie Wilson of Atlanta Track Club, also representing adidas, was fifth in 4:06.43.

Daniel Michalski, a Nike athlete, won the men’s 3,000 steeplechase in 8:22.56, rebounding from a 13th-place finish June 25 at the USATF Championships.

Anthony Rotich of the U.S. Army World Class Athlete Program placed second in 8:26.44.

Lauren Hurley, representing Tracksmith and Rise Athletics, overcame an early fall and won the women’s 5,000 in 15:18.76, just off her personal-best 15:16.33 from June 4 in Pittsburgh.

Eleanor Fulton, who took sixth earlier in the evening schedule in the 800 in a lifetime-best 2:01.27, returned to run a 5,000 personal-best 15:19.19 two hours later to place second behind Hurley. Former Portland State standout Katie Camarena ran a lifetime-best 15:27.23 to take third.

Minnesota graduate Abby Kohut-Jackson, who finished 12th in the women’s 3,000 steeplechase final June 26 at the USATF Championships, continued her comeback from a foot injury that cost her most of the spring outdoor season to prevail in 9:52.43. Former New Mexico athlete Alondra Negron, representing Proceres Club, placed second in 10:01.57.

Tom Anderson of Club Northwest triumphed in the men’s 5,000 in 13:31.39.