© Copyright – 2014 – Athletics Illustrated

Canada’s Cameron Levins will be competing this weekend in the Prefontaine Classic 5,000m race. He will likely be racing to get a true sense of his current fitness, as he plans to race in Glasgow twice this summer, first on July 11th during the Glasgow Diamond League meet as well as at the 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games in August. He told Athletics Illustrated, “I have been healthy and training hard. I definitely feel fit so I think I’m on the verge of some great results. I’m racing Pre Classic 5k this weekend, and I am not sure if I will race between now and Moncton (Canadian Championships).”

Levins competed in the 2012 London Olympic Games 5,000m and 10,000m events. In the 5,000m race he finished in 14th position in the time of 13:51.87. In the 10,000m event he ended up in 11th position in the time of 27:40.68; he was under the weather for both races. His personal bests for the two distances are 13:15.19 and 27:27.96, respectively. Both of these times are the second-fastest in Canadian history.

The Canadian record in the 5,000m distance was set by Jeff Scheibler who set the standard in 1998 with his 13:13.96, which he ran in Berlin, Germany. The fastest 10,000m time is owned by Simon Bairu of Regina, Saskatchewan. In May of 2010 he set the record in the same race that America’s Chris Solinsky set the American record of 26:59.60. Bairu finished in 27:23.63 at the Payton Jordan Classic in Palo Alto, California.

To qualify for the Commonwealth Games Levins will need to run the 5,000m qualifying time by June 1st and will need to be at least as fast as 13:15 to meet the “A” standard while the “B” standard is 13:20. Additionally, Levins will need to compete in the Canadian Track and Field Championships to demonstrate “competitive readiness” in Moncton, New Brunswick, which takes place from June 27th to June 30th, 2014. “I may just put in a solid block of uninterrupted training this summer as the Commonwealth Games is the main focus for the year and I am looking to be in peak fitness,” shared Levins.

Levins is legendary for his ability to train with a high level of volume. Before joining the Nike Oregon Project, he was reportedly running as much as 160 miles per week (260 kpw). Levins is coached by Alberto Salazar of NOP; he was previously coached by Eric Houle of Southern Utah University, who is largely credited with Levins’ move to international level running. After graduation, Levins joined NOP in April of 2013.

The Prefontaine 5,000m race will be an excellent test as the start list provides a group of formidable competitors, eight of which have previously run under the 13:00 benchmark for the distance including Yenew Alamirew of Ethiopia with his best of 12:48.77. Sixteen of the 19 athletes listed at press time (5/30/14) own personal bests that are faster than Levins’s.

The Prefontaine Classic is one of only two North American stops of the top track and field series in the world, which takes place primarily in Europe. The Classic will be broadcast live on NBC’s Sports Network.

5000 METERS – DIAMOND LEAGUE

Antonio ABADIA BECI SPA – 3,000m – 8:00.10

Juan Luis BARRIOS MEX – 13:09.81

Cameron LEVINS CAN – 13:15.19

Collis BIRMINGHAM AUS – 13:09.57

Hassan MEAD USA – 13:02.80

Chris DERRICK USA – 13:08.04

Ryan HILL USA – 13:14.22

Ben TRUE USA 13:02.74

Augustine Kiprono CHOGE KEN – 12:53.66

John KIPKOECH KEN – 12:49.50

Bernard LAGAT USA – 12:53.60

Isiah Kiplangat KOECH KEN – 12:48.64

Caleb Mwangangi NDIKU KEN – 13:03.80

Albert ROP BRN – 12:51.96

Edwin Cheruiyot SOI KEN – 12:51.34

Hagos GEBRHIWET ETH – 12:47.53

Yenew ALAMIREW ETH – 12:48.77

German FERNANDEZ USA – 13:25.46

Andrew BUMBALOUGH USA – 13:12.01

Gideon GATHIMBA KEN – 3,000m – 7:40.10

2014 EVENTS:

FRIDAY

18:45 Preview Program
19:00 Women Discus Throw
19:03 Women Long Jump West Outer Runway
19:30 Women 800m USATF High Performance, Section I *
19:40 Men 800m International *
19:50 Women 800m USATF High Performance, Section II *
20:10 Men Shot Put West Ring
21:17 Men 10,000 m *

SATURDAY

12:01 Preview Program
12:17 National Anthem
12:22 Men Triple Jump Outer West Runway
12:25 Men Pole Vault East Outer Runway
12:33 Men International Mile *
12:44 Women 2-Mile *
12:59 Women High Jump East Apron
13:00 Start of International Signal
13:03 Women 400 m Hurdles
13:09 Women Steeplechase
13:24 Women 400m *
13:30 Start of National Signal
13:34 Men 100 m
13:38 Men Javelin Throw
13:41 Men 400 m
13:49 Women 1500m
14:05 Men 110 m Hurdles
14:13 Women 200 m
14:20 Men 5000 m
14:41 Men 800 m
14:49 Men Bowerman Mile