WESTWOOD, CALIFORNIA, May 23 — With temps that stayed in the mid-70s for the 4:00 p.m. start, conditions could not have been better at UCLA’s Drake Stadium for the LA Track Fest. Winners in the two 5000s shone brightly.
Over the past 3 years, Parker Valby’s journey has seen many roads. After a stellar NCAA career, highlighted by 6 individual championships and capped by the 2024 Bowerman Award, the Florida alum entered the professional ranks as an Olympian (11th in the Paris 10K) with high expectations.
A move to Boston with New Balance was followed by a broken bone in her left foot, putting her 2025 season on standby. During her recovery, she returned to Gainesville and reunited with her college coach, Will Palmer, all the while waiting patiently to resume life on the track with a much-anticipated return set for the Track Fest in LA.
Now 23, she had not raced on the track since a 3000 at the New Balance Indoor GP on February 02, 2025.
After the gun went off for the 5000, Valby positioned comfortably behind pacers Alex Carlson and Marisa Howard, with the lights programmed for 14:45.
After a 4:45 first 1600, Howard stepped aside, leaving the chores to Carlson, with Valby, leading Australians Lauren Ryan and Maudie Skyring, Germany’s Lea Meyer, Dutchwoman Diane Van Es, Americans Elise Stearns, Margot Appleton and Sydney Vaught, and China’s Wuga He in tow.
Sensing Carlson was falling off pace, Valby took matters into her own hands and after 2100 took the reins followed by Van Es and Skyring.
She kept her string of 71 laps intact, passing 3000 in 8:53.69, a meter ahead of the pace lights and Van Es, all the while widening the gap to Skyring, Ryan, et al.
At the bell, Valby was 10 seconds up on Ryan and 4 others as her 70.24 final circuit carried her to a 14:49.41 PR.
Ryan was next, as she closed in 64.69 for 14:53.77, with Stearns not far behind in a 14:55.24 PR, followed by He (14:56.62 PR) and Appleton (14:59.40 PR).
Asked for her thoughts on her return, Valby replied, “I was just super excited to be back on the track, and I was just gonna take what I had. I had no idea what kind of shape I was in.”
She continued, saying, “It’s been almost 2 years since I raced on the track. 2024 Olympic Trials was my last 5K on the track. Since then, I broke my left foot, moved to a different state, moved back, moved to another state, I’ve lost myself, found myself and I’m finally back and I’m super grateful.”
When asked what her race plan was, she revealed, “He [Coach Palmer] said stay patient and once you get to 3K, if you feel good, you can go, and I think I went a little bit before 3K, because the pacer was supposed to go a little longer and I was like, I feel good, I’ll go.”
The men’s 5000, next on the program, yielded a notable result as well.
New Mexico’s Habtom Samuel has been on a roll. After handling the harriers at NCAA XC Championships in November, the ’24 NCAA 10,000 champ headed to the roads in January to run a 59:01 half-marathon in Houston.
The Lobo junior then stormed to the NCAA indoor 5000 title in March. In April, he ran a (then) list-leading 27:30.51 for 10,000 at the Stanford Invitational, before a fortnight later smoking the Bryan Clay 5000 field with 13:03.47, the fastest all-time college outdoor performance.
Wanting one final blowout before the NCAA Regionals, the Eritrean would have some help, but not a lot, in achieving his goal.
Samuel stayed behind the metronomic 63-second pacing of Liam Murphy, who crossed 1600 in 4:11.5. When Murphy dropped, Drew Bosley picked up the duties and led Samuel, Dylan Jacobs, Aussie Jackson Sharp, India’s Gulveer Singh, Thailand’s Kieran Tuntivate and Drew Hunter through 3000 before stepping off.
It was here that Samuel took charge and didn’t look back. As his pace increased, only Singh followed his lead. With 3 laps remaining, Samuel had a 2 second gap on Singh and 5 on Hunter and Sharp.
The margin had grown even wider at the bell and Samuel was all but assured of his sub-13. He finished with a 59.98 for 12:57.22, a new Eritrean record and collegiate running’s first outdoor sub-13:00.
Singh’s 13:03.93 was also a national record, followed by PRs by Sharp (13:05.22), Hunter (13:05.60) and Jacobs (13:09.09).
“I’m so happy I got the national record,” said Samuel of bettering Zersenay Tadese’s 12:59.27 from 2006. “It’s been held for 20 years so that’s really amazing. I’m just glad I chose this race, really fast, awesome race. I’m over the moon today.”
The 800s also delivered swift performances.
First-year pro Roisin Willis led the women’s race behind a pacer through a 58.18 first circuit, then closed in 59.90 to hold off Poland’s hard-charging Klaudia Kazimierska (58.82/59.37) by 0.10 . The 1:58.08 time for ’25 NCAA and USATF champ Willis was an outdoor world leader.
In the men’s race, next on the program, Olympian Brandon Miller front-ran to a second 1:44 time within 8 days in the still-young pro season.
After having just returned from the Shanghai DL, where his 1:44.00 was good for 3rd, one might have forgiven Miller for having loggy legs, especially in a 2-lapper that was loaded with fresh feet.
Starting in the outside lane, Miller lined up against Paris ‘24 teammates Hobbs Kessler and American Record holder Bryce Hoppel, former world champ Donavan Brazier, Isaiah Harris and Mexico’s Abe Alvarado. Also in the field were Britain’s past 1500 world champions Josh Kerr and Jake Wightman.
With nothing to lose, Miller, a late entrant to the meet, took off at the gun, building a sizable lead and passing 400 in 50.37 ahead of Wightman (51.25) and Hoppel (51.46).
Miller maintained his lead through 600, and it appeared he might win going away. Entering the final straight, he wasn’t faltering, but the others were gaining.
Miller hung on to win in 1:44.26, but making up the most ground was Alvarado (1:44.59), whose 52.52 closer edged Kerr’s 52.75 (1:44.60 PR) for 2nd.
When asked about his lead-from-the-get-go tactic, an ecstatic Miller said, “Ever since I was a kid, and at A&M, I’ve been running up front, so it’s nothing new to me.”
He continued, “I think with Brooks, Coach Danny [Mackey] and Coach Julian [Florez], they’ve really worked on me being able to hold on towards the finish, so I’m only gonna continue to get sharper.”
In just his second 400 since the ’24 Olympics, ’22 world champion Michael Norman sounded a positive note with a convincing 44.94 victory.
Former 100H World Record-holder Keni Harrison improved her seasonal best and got the nod over Alaysha Johnson, 12.53–12.55.
LA TRACK FESTIVAL RESULTS
MEN’S EVENTS
100(-0.1): 1. Max Thomas (On) 10.12; 2. Pjai Austin (Nike) 10.19; 3. Sam Blaskowski (Nike) 10.21; 4. Eloy Benitez’ (PR) 10.26; 5. Ronnie Baker (adidas) 10.29.
400: 1. Michael Norman (Nike) 44.94; 2. Johnnie Blockburger (unat) 45.41; 3. Demarius Smith (unat) 45.44;
4. Nathaniel Ezekiel’ (Ngr) 45.61.
800: 1. Brandon Miller (BrkB) 1:44.26; 2. Abraham Alvarado (unat) 1:44.59; 3. Josh Kerr’ (GB) 1:44.60 PR; 4. Jake Wightman’ (GB) 1:44.74; 5. Bryce Hoppel (adidas) 1:45.01; 6. Donavan Brazier (NikeSwoosh) 1:45.03.
1500: I–1. Vincent Ciattei (UArmDS) 3:33.41; 2. Nathan Green (adidas) 3:33.46; 3. Parker Wolfe (NikeSwoosh) 3:33.46 PR; 4. Luke Houser (AtlTC) 3:33.93 PR;
5. Cooper Teare (Nike) 3:34.23; 6. Graham Blanks (NBal) 3:34.28 PR; 7. Nico Young (adidas) 3:34.56 =PR. II–9. Cooper Lutkenhaus (Nike) 3:45.10 PR.
St: 1. Parker Stokes (BrkB) 8:23.88; 2. Yasin Sado (UnionAC) 8:24.06; 3. Aaron Ahl’ (Can) 8:24.08; 4. Ahmed Jaziri’ (Tun) 8:27.72; 5. Daniel Michalski (USAF) 8:27.99; 6. Kenneth Rooks (Nike) 8:28.54.
5000: I–1. Habtom Samuel’ (NM-Eri) 12:57.22 (WL, CL) (2, 2 C);
2. Gulveer Singh’ (Ind) 13:03.93 NR; 3. Jackson Sharp’ (Aus) 13:05.22 PR; 4. Drew Hunter (Asics) 13:05.60 PR; 5. Dylan Jacobs (OAC) 13:09.09 PR; 6. David Mullarkey’ (GB) 13:09.40 PR; 7. Morgan McDonald’ (Aus) 13:11.10.
110H(-1.0): 1. Jamar Marshall (unat) 13.23; 2. Tade Ojora’ (GB) 13.40; 3. Johnny Brackins (On) 13.43.
WOMEN’S EVENTS
100(0.5): 1. Tamari Davis (adidas) 11.08; 2. Kemba Nelson’ (Jam) 11.08; 3. Jacious Sears (Nike) 11.09;
4. Lavanya Williams’ (Jam) 11.19; 5. Celera Barnes (adidas) 11.29; 6. Tamara Clark (adidas) 11.32.
400: 1. Bailey Lear (Nike) 51.41; 2. Shamier Little (adidas) 51.53; 3. Alexis Holmes (Nike) 52.00.
800: I–1. Roisin Willis (NBalB) 1:58.08 (out WL, AL);
2. Klaudia Kazimierska’ (Pol) 1:58.18 PR; 3. Raevyn Rogers (Nike) 1:59.82; 4. Michaela Rose (adidas) 2:00.04;
5. Dani Jones (NBal) 2:01.83.
1500: I–1. Riley Chamberlain (unat) 4:04.59; 2. Ellie Baker’ (GB) 4:05.19; 3. Rachel McArthur (Asics) 4:06.53; 4. Maggi Congdon (NikeSwoosh) 4:06.98; 5. Adelle Tracey’ (Jam) 4:07.32; 6. Shelby Houlihan (unat) 4:08.27.
St: 1. Elise Thorner’ (GB) 9:07.39 PR; 2. Gabbi Jennings (adidas) 9:21.57; 3. Emma Coburn (NBal) 9:23.87; 4. Rachel Anderson (MnDE) 9:29.13; 5. Madie Boreman (Bandit) 9:30.87.
5000: I–1. Parker Valby (NBal) 14:49.41 PR; 2. Lauren Ryan’ (Aus) 14:53.77; 3. Elise Stearns (NikeSwoosh) 14:55.24 PR; 4. Wuga He’ (Chn) 14:56.62 PR; 5. Margot Appleton (NBalB) 14:59.40 PR.
100H(-1.8): 1. Keni Harrison (adidas) 12.53; 2. Alaysha Johnson (Oakley) 12.55; 3. Demisha Roswell’ (Jam) 12.73;
4. Amoi Brown’ (Jam) 12.81.
PV: 1. Payton Phillips (unat) 14-11 (4.55) PR; 2. Sandi Morris (unat) 14-11; 3. Brynn King (unat) 14-7¼ (4.45).
