Prefontaine Classic & Bowerman Mile - Steve Prefontaine (© Getty Images)
Plaque name: Prefontaine Classic & Bowerman Mile
Beginning in 1973, as a Hayward Restoration meeting, two years later the meet was founded and due to be renamed the "Bowerman Classic" in honour University of Oregon track coach Bill Bowerman. Following the tragic death of Oregon’s 24-year-old Steve Prefontaine in a car accident on 30 May 1975, the meeting was instead named the ‘Prefontaine Classic’ in the young runner’s memory.
Steve Prefontaine, Pan American 5000m champion and Munich Olympic 5000m finalist, trained under Bowerman at the University of Oregon.
The Bowerman Mile is the flagship event of the Prefontaine Classic and one of the world’s most prestigious track miles. In 2001, Alan Webb ran 3:53.43 breaking Jim Ryun's national high school record that had stood for 36 years.
