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American Hobbs Kessler and Diribe Welteji Win World Athletics Road Mile Race

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by Clay Shaw

The newly recognized road mile records fell today in Riga, Latvia. (Newly recognized by World Athletics as of September 1, 2023)

Hobbs Kessler of Ann Arbor, MI won an exciting and close race to win in 3:56.13, taking home $50,000 for his world record.

Callum Elson of Great Britain was second in 3:56.41. Former record holder Sam Prakel of Seattle, WA was third in 3:56.43. I’ve covered almost every World Cross Country event since 2001; it was the first time I heard the USA national anthem at a World Athletics award ceremony. Mael Gouyette of France was fourth in 3:56.57. Kieran Lumb of Canada was fifth in 3:56.98. Eleven of the thirty-five-man field were under four minutes. The Riga mile courses started at the Art Museum and finished at the Freedom Monument.

The women started first with Diribe Welteji of Ethiopia establishing a new road mile world record of 4:20.98 in her win, also taking home $50,000. Frweyni Hailu of Ethiopia was second in 4:23.06. Faith Kipyegon of Kenya was third in 4:24.13. Nelly Chepchirchir of Kenya was fourth in 4:31.18. Jessica Hull of Australia was fifth in 4:32.45.

The field for the first ever women’s World Athletics Road Mile was 29. World Athletics recognized the 4:01:21 set by Sam Prakel and the 4:27.97 set by Nikki Hiltz in Des Moines, Iowa in April 2023, as the previous road mile records.

Top Men

  1. 3:56.13 Hobbs Kessler, USA
  2. 3:56.41 Callum Elson, Great Britain
  3. 3:56.43 Samuel Prakel, USA
  4. 3:56.57 Mael Gouyette, France
  5. 3:56.98 Kieran Lumb, Canada
  6. 3:57.35 Ryan Mphalele, South Africa
  7. 3:57.41 Giovanni Filippi, Italy
  8. 3:57.62 Benoit Campion, France
  9. 3:57.94 Yobiel Weldrufael, Eritrea
  10. 3:58.30 Jack Anstey, Australia
  11. 3:59.40 Teddase Lemi, Ethiopia
  12. 4:00.32 Matthew Ramsden, Australia
  13. 4:00.67 Kyumbe Munguti, Kenya
  14. 4:00.72 Salim Abu Mayanja, Uganda
  15. 4:00.77 Keneth Kiprop, Uganda
  16. 4:01.26 Ryoji Tatezawa, Japan
  17. 4:01.35 Santtu Heikkinen, Finland
  18. 4:02.75 Guilherme Kurtz, Brazil
  19. 4:03.18 Natnael Teklesenbet, Eritrea
  20. 4:03.32 Yusuke Takahashi, Japan

Top Women

  1. 4:20.98 Diribe Welteji, Ethiopia
  2. 4:23:06 Freweyni Hailu, Ethiopia
  3. 4:24.13 Faith Kipyegon, Kenya
  4. 4:31.18 Nelly Chepchirchir, Kenya
  5. 4:32.45 Jessica Hull, Australia
  6. 4:34.12 Marta Perez, Spain
  7. 4:34.41 Berenice Cheyet-Merle, France
  8. 4:35.12 Nozomi Tanaka, Japan
  9. 4:36.02 Addison Wiley, USA
  10. 4:36.49 Marissa Damink, Netherlands
  11. 4:36.71 Charlotte Mouchet, France
  12. 4:36.81 Glynis Sim, Canada
  13. 4:37.04 Weronika Lizakowska, Poland
  14. 4:38.97 Sarah Billings, Australia
  15. 4:39.01 Carina Viljoen, South Africa
  16. 4:40.14 Sarah McDonald, Great Britain
  17. 4:40.28 Helen Schlachtenhaufen, USA
  18. 4:45.42 Prisca Chesang, Uganda
  19. 4:45.81 Maria Pia Hernandez, Uruguay
  20. 4:46.50 Aleksandra Plocinska, Poland
Hobbs Kessler of USA is quite happy with his win in 3:56.13. The first ever men’s World Athletics Road Mile was very competitive with 11 runners under the four minute mark and 35 total in the field.
Hobbs Kessler of Ann Arbor, MI wins the World Athletics Road Mile in 3:56.13. Callum Elson of Great Britain was second in 3:56:41. Sam Prakel of USA finished third in 3:56.43.
Hobbs Kessler of USA now owns the newly recognized road mile by World Athletics. Hobbs lowered the mark to 3:56.13.
Hobbs Kessler is one happy victor after winning the WA Road Mile in 3:56.13.
USA had two podium spots in the World Athletics Road Mile. Callum Elson of Great Britain joins Hobbs Kessler (center) and Sam Prakel on the podium. Kessler won in 3:56.13; Elson was second in 3:56.41; and Prakel was third in 3:56.43. (Photo by Clay Shaw)
Diribe Welteji of Ethiopia wins the first ever World Athletics Road Mile in 4:20.98. The finish was at the Freedom Monument in Riga.
Diribe Welteji of Ethiopia won the first ever World Athletics road mile in 4:20.98, setting new world record.
Dirbie Weteji of Ethiopia gets a hug from teammate Freweyni Hailu. Welteji won in 4:20.98; Hailu was second in 4:23.06.
Faith Kipyegon of Kenya was third in 4:24.13.
Podium women Diribe Welteji ETH 4:20.98, Freweyni Hailu ETH 4:23.06, and Faith Kipyegon KEN 4:24.13.
Jessica Hull of Australia finishes fifth in 4:32.45.
Berenice Cleyet-Merle of France, happy with seventh in 4:34.41.
Addison Wiley of Huntington, IN was ninth in 4:36.03.
Glynis Sim and Regan Yee of Canada. Sim was 12th in 4:36.81 and Yee was 22nd in 4:48.31.
Helen Schlachtenhaufen of Cambridge, MA was 17th in 4:40.28.
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