Oregon22 events on Wednesday at Hayward Field: Women's 5,000-meter semifinal races get underway

Karissa Schweizer will get her second chance at medal this week, while Elise Cranny makes her World Athletics Championships debut as they compete in the semifinals of the women's 5,000 meters at 4:25 p.m. Wednesday.

Both women are members of the Portland-based Bowerman Track Club, which is expected to relocate to Eugene soon when its coach, Jerry Schumacher, assumes control of the Oregon track and field and cross country program.

Schweizer, who was ninth in the 10,000 final Saturday afternoon, is in the first heat along with fellow American Emily Infeld, Germany’s Konstanze Klosterhalfen of the Portland-based Union Athletics Club, as well as world No. 3 Dawit Seyaum of Ethiopia and her countrywoman Gudaf Tsegay, who won silver in the 1,500 on Monday.

Cranny is in the second heat along with Olympic champion Sifan Hassan of the Netherlands and Ethiopian world record-holder Letesenbet Gidey, who won the 10,000 title.

Former Oregon star Jessica Hull who finished seventh in the 1,500 on Monday, was qualified for the 5,000 and on the initial entry list but isn't on the start list.

Other highlights on Wednesday

Men’s 800 prelims, 5:20 p.m. — The 2019 world championships probably feel like forever ago for Donavan Brazier, who won the title that year in Doha while setting the American record. Then came the pandemic year and an injury riddled 2021 that saw him limp his way through the Olympic Trials final and not qualify for Tokyo. As the defending champ he was an automatic qualifier for this year’s meet, allowing him to run just once in the prelims at the USATF Outdoor Championships. Also entered is Brandon McBride of Canada and the last remaining athlete at the world championships for Eugene’s Oregon Track Club Elite.

Women’s 3,000 steeplechase final, 7:45 p.m. — All three Americans made the final, including U.S. record-holder and Tokyo silver medalist Courtney Frerichs of the Bowerman Track Club. Emma Coburn was the world champ in 2017 in London and Courtney Wayment won the NCAA title for BYU last month. Can any of them break through a loaded field and make the medal stand? Five of the top-six ranked women in the world are in the final, including No. 1 Norah Jeruto of Kazakhstan and Olympic champ Peruth Chemutai of Uganda.

Other finals — Women’s discus, 6:30 p.m.

How to watch Wednesday

TV: 4:30 p.m. to 8 p.m., USA Network

Other ways to watch: All televised coverage will be simul-streamed via NBCSports.com/live and the NBC Sports app, with programming with Peacock Premium. For a complete schedule, go to NBCsports.com.

Follow Chris Hansen on Twitter @chansen_RG or email at chansen@registerguard.com.

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This article originally appeared on Register-Guard: World Athletics Championships: Women's 5,000-meter semifinals