American miler runs BMC 1500m record of 3:33.96 in the same week that his training partner Cole Hocker wins Olympic title in Paris
Cooper Teare stormed to a British Milers’ Club 1500m record of 3:33.96 in Bury in north-west England on Saturday (Aug 10) and then demonstrated his sense of humour by pointing out his training partner, Cole Hocker, had enjoyed a slightly more glamorous achievement by winning the Olympic title in Paris in the same week.
“My team-mate Cole just won gold at the Olympics in the 1500m and I won the BMC meet in the 1500m,” said Teare, “so I’m not really sure which one you’d rank higher, but props to both me and him.”
Hocker beat Josh Kerr, Yared Nuguse and Jakob Ingebrigtsen in the most highly anticipated race of the Olympic programme but after not making the US Olympic team this year Teare is trying to fit in some races during an end-of-summer European tour.
The 24-year-old won the US 1500m title in 2022 and has PBs of 3:32.16 (1500m), 3:51.70 (mile) and 12:54.72 (5000m), though, so it was no surprise to see him clock such a fast time in Bury.
“It is my first time in the UK and a BMC meet and get a BMC record is great,” said Teare. “I was super happy to come out here and I had fun.”
Teare’s run in the 1500m beat the BMC record of 3:35.04 set by Nick Griggs at Tooting last month.
Cooper Teare (David Lowes)
At this final BMC Grand Prix/World Challenger Tour meeting, Canadian runner Robertson broke one of the oldest records on the BMC books, Christian Stephenson’s 3000m steeplechase record of 8:25.37 set 24 years ago.
Robertson ran 8:24.37 as Britain’s Will Battershill clocked 8:25.95.
“I came into the UK on Wednesday, will return to Canada on Monday and back to work on Wednesday so a quick trip but I’m very grateful and super happy for it,” said Robertson, who also sliced four seconds off his personal best.
Kevin Robertson (David Lowes)
Both results delighted meeting organiser Steve Green. “It is not often you get one BMC record in a meeting so to get two on the same night at a new venue as well was fantastic,” said Green.
“Full credit to the BMC team and all the athletes, they did a great job. Likewise Bury AC, who hosted the meeting for the first time, were brilliant and did a cracking job for us.”
Hannah Nuttall (David Lowes)
While Teare’s 3:33 put him a class apart in the 1500m the British pair of James West and James Gormley chased hard and were rewarded with a season’s best of 3:36.17 and a PB of 3:36.25.
It was also good to see Osian Perrin, who opened his season with a PB of 3:46.54 for ninth at the Sportcity GP, clock a PB of 3:38.84 for seventh at Bury as the top 11 runners finished inside 3:40.
In the 1500m C race William Rabjohns, who will be racing the 800m at the World Under-20 Championships in Peru later this month, smashed his PB with 3:41.79 for victory.
Hannah Nuttall took a narrow victory in the women’s 1500m from Cari Hughes and Kate Axford in 4:07.16.
“This was my first 1500m of the season so I just wanted to see what I could do,” said Nuttall, who ran for GB in the 5000m at the European Championships finishing 10th and then added the UK title.
Khai Mhlanga (David Lowes)
Khai Mhlanga has run well in Greater Manchester this summer. In May she finished sixth in the Sportcity GP in 2:02.10, while on Saturday she won the 800m A race in 2:02.30.
There was also a good 800m win by Rick Van Riel of the Netherlands in 1:46.77.
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