Athletes to watch in the 2025 Prefontaine Classic
Kishane Thompson, men’s 100m
When the fastest man of the year is competing, there will always be a high amount of hype. But when that athlete just became the fastest 100m runner in a decade, the levels of excitement can reach near stratospheric levels.
Such is the anticipation surrounding Kishane Thompson at this year’s Eugene Diamond League, after the Jamaican set the quickest 100m time (9.75 seconds) since the Usain Bolt era at the 2025 Jamaican athletics trials.
Thompson was inches away from winning the Paris 2024 100m final, having led for most of the race before being pipped to the line by the USA’s Noah Lyles.
Even though it was his debut Olympic Games, the Jamaican was bitterly disappointed with his inability to claim gold, and will be motivated to show he is the dominant 100m runner on the planet.
However, after recent performances, perhaps Thompson has an even loftier objective in sight this year.
“I am very confident; even if I break the world record,” he said after his historic trials victory on 27 June. “It wouldn’t surprise me because I am that confident, and I’m working to achieve all my goals and the accolades.”
Sha’Carri Richardson, women’s 100m
In the same manner as Thompson, the USA’s Sha’Carri Richardson is looking to return to winning ways in 2025, after finishing second in the 100m final at Paris 2024.
Richardson began this outdoor season with a modest showing in May’s Golden Grand Prix in Tokyo, finishing fourth in 11.47 seconds.
And while early-season jitters are commonplace in athletics, that first outing of the year places her a lowly 362nd on the list of fastest 2025 100m sprinters. For context, 400m hurdles specialist Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone is 96th after her run of 11.21 at Grand Slam Track in Philadelphia in June, in her first-ever professional race over the 100m distance.
Of course, much more is expected of Richardson in a year in which she will hope to defend her world title from 2023. She stormed to a commanding victory in the 2024 Eugene Diamond League and will, as always, be one of the favourites heading into this race.
But don’t expect it to be a walk in the park for Richardson. The women’s 100m has all the bearings of a classic with the likes of Olympic 100m champion Julien Alfred, fastest woman of the year Melissa Jefferson-Wooden and Jamaican trials winner Tina Clayton all in blistering form this season.
Letsile Tebogo, men’s 200m
Paris 2024 was a life-changing experience for Botswana’s Letsile Tebogo, after a stunning performance in the men’s 200m final saw him take home his nation’s first-ever Olympic gold medal.
Now the 22-year-old will be hoping to build upon that historic triumph in a year that culminates with the World Athletics Championships in Japan.
In Oregon, Tebogo will likely be tested to his limits as he faces an in-form Kenny Bednarek, who is coming off a stellar set of performances in the Grand Slam Track league.
Like Richardson, Tebogo’s 2025 is yet to ignite, with his season’s best of 20.10 far from his fastest-ever time of 19.46 set in the Stade de France during last year’s Olympics.
As we head towards the more important stages of the year, expect stronger showings from the under-20 100m world record holder, who will be hoping to add a first world championships gold to his medal collection in September.