EAGLE ROCK, CALIFORNIA, July 11 — Be it not for ’26 being the year of the 800 for both men and women (although sprint hurdlers might wish to have a word), a 1:44 or a 1:58 would normally raise some eyebrows, but with the plethora of high-caliber marks this season, an otherwise excellent performance might be overlooked.
Such was the case at the Sound Running Sunset Tour at Eagle Rock’s Occidental College, as the 2-lap victors left notice that the only place they were going was up.
The men’s 800 kicked off the main program with six sub-1:45 performers on the card, with two more knocking on the door.
Abraham Alvarado, formally of the USA, but now representing Mexico, had the quickest PR going in (1:44.41), but he would be tested by Americans Tinoda Matsatsa, Brandon Kidder and Andrew Casey, along with Puerto Rico’s John Rivera, and a pair of former NCAA undercover champs, Great Britain’s Yusuf Bizimana (’23) and Canadian Matthew Erickson (’25).
Iowa State’s Emanuel Galdino led the field through 400 in 50.62, a hair ahead of Matsatsa (50.67), who now had a 5-meter gap on Alvarado, Casey, Rivera, et al., giving chase.
The gap widened to 7m at 500, but that’s when Alvarado switched gears and began to close. With 100 to go, he was within a step and had the momentum.
Alvarado passed Matsatsa with 50 to go, but it wasn’t Matsatsa he had to worry about. Bizimana had come out of nowhere to pass Matsatsa and was gaining on Alvarado.
It was a photofinish, with Alvarado prevailing by 0.01, 1:44.07–1:44.08 over Bizimana, who closed best with his 52.04 final circuit. It was also a PR-fest, with Alvarado, Bizimana, Matsatsa (1:44.27), Casey (1:44.90) all notching lifetime bests.
When asked about getting close to sub-1:44, Alvarado admitted, “It feels awesome, man. I think that’s been a long-term goal to get under the 1:44 barrier and I think coming here and being that close and walking away with the win, I think it sets us up for the rest of the season.”
The women’s 800 was just as competitive.
Fresh off a 1:58.30 PR for 4th at the NCAA Championships, North Carolina’s Makayla Paige came to SoCal ready to test the waters against a stacked field. She would have her hands full, with the likes of Sinclaire Johnson, Meghan Hunter, Valery Tobias, Makayla Clark, Japan’s Rin Kubo and USA Olympians Raevyn Rogers, Emily Mackay and Lithuanian Gabija Galvydytė.
Pacesetter Shae Anderson led the field through 400 in 57.34, with Mackay following in 57.93, ahead of Galvydytė, Rogers and Hunter.
With 200 to go, Mackay passed 600 in 1:27.8, with Galvydytė, Hunter and Paige set to pounce. With 100 to go Mackay had a step on Galvydytė and Hunter and two on Paige.
Paige had to move to lane 3 to make her charge as she ran down Mackay to finish in a PR 1:58.14, edging Mackay (1:58.17), with Galvydytė 3rd in 1:58.28 and Hunter (1:58.43), Tobias (1:59.91) and Rogers (2:00.42) following.
In the men’s 1500 John Reniewicki was ready for a comeback after a couple of injury-filled seasons. Reniewicki would be pitted against BYU’s NCAA indoor champ Carter Cutting and former Ole Miss Rebel Waleed Suliman.
Coming through 1200 in 2:37, Cutting had a 2-meter advantage over Reniewicki, but the former Arizona State Sun Devil rallied with a 56.06 final circuit to win in 3:33.59, 0.75 ahead of Cutting (3:34.34) with Suliman (3:35.31) 3rd.
Reniewicki said, “I did feel smooth and just kinda found myself in a real nice spot behind [Spain’s ’22 WC 4th-placer Mario García] from the gun. I thought about going around the BYU guy [Cutting] at 300, he kinda fought me a little bit and so I tucked back in and waited until the top of the curve or coming off the curve.
“I’m always at my best when I sit and pick my moments, and tonight got back to doing that versus jumping on the rabbit.”
SUNSET TOUR RESULTS
Men’s Events
800: 1. Abraham Alvarado (Mex) 1:44.07 PR; 2. Yusuf Bizimana (GB) 1:44.08 PR; 3. Tinoda Matsatsa (US) 1:44.27 PR; 4. Andrew Casey (US) 1:44.90 PR; 5. Brannon Kidder (US) 1:45.51.
1500: 1. John Reniewicki (US) 3:33.59; 2. Carter Cutting (US) 3:34.34 PR; 3. Waleed Suliman (US) 3:35.31.
St: 1. Yasin Sado (US) 8:16.03; 2. Benjamin Balázs (US) 8:17.67 PR; 3. Parker Stokes (US) 8:19.67; 4. James Corrigan (US) 8:22.35; 5. Benard Keter (US) 8:22.91; 6. Cooper Cawthra (US) 8:23.43 PR; 7. Daniel Michalski (US) 8:27.42; 8. Jason Renze (US) 8:31.38 PR.
5000: 1. Kaisei Okada (Jpn) 13:19.77; 2. Dylan Jacobs (US) 13:20.71.
Women’s Events
100(1.7): 1. Shawnti Jackson (US) 11.00.
800: 1. Makayla Paige (US) 1:58.14 PR; 2. Emily Mackay (US) 1:58.17; 3. Gabija Galvydytė (Lit) 1:58.28;
4. Meghan Hunter (US) 1:58.43; 5. Valery Tobias (US) 1:59.91; 6. Raevyn Rogers (US) 2:00.42.
1500: I–1. Kayley DeLay (US) 4:04.64 PR; 2. Angelina Ellis (US) 4:06.02 PR; 3. Carlee Hansen (US) 4:06.18 PR;
4. Teagan Schein-Becker (US) 4:06.58 PR; 5. Grace Fetherstonhaugh (Can) 4:07.13; 6. Lorena Rangel (Mex) 4:07.23 PR; 7. Mia Barnett (Swe) 4:08.08; 8. Eleanor Fulton (US) 4:08.83.
II–1. Kylie Finger (US) 4:08.58 PR.
St: 1. Madie Boreman (US) 9:30.82; 2. Logan Jolly (US) 9:33.06; 3. Emma Gee (US) 9:33.46; 4. Stevie Lawrence (GB) 9:37.58; 5. Courtney Frerichs (US) 9:40.95.
5000: 1. Wuga He (Chn) 15:22.23.
