Wiley, 19, is only collegiate competitor to run sub-1:58 in 800 and sub-4:04 in 1,500, becomes seventh female athlete in American history to achieve the impressive double, in addition to ascending to No. 11 all-time U.S. performer in 800 in Bellinzona; Allman, Bol, Camacho-Quinn and Stahl triumph

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

Photos by Getty Images

Surrounded by several international stars Monday at the Gala dei Castelli in Bellinzona, Switzerland, 19-year-old American distance runner Addy Wiley achieved another significant breakthrough at the World Athletics Continental Tour silver level meeting.

Wiley, who recently completed her freshman year at NAIA Huntington University in Indiana, finished second in the women’s 800 meters behind Jamaican standout Natoya Goule-Toppin, who prevailed in 1 minute, 57.53 seconds at Stadio Comunale in Bellinzona.

Wiley ran a lifetime-best 1:57.64, making the second-fastest all-dates collegiate competitor in history behind fellow American, Olympic champion and reigning World bronze medalist Athing Mu at 1:55.04.

Wiley’s performance is the No. 4 all-dates collegiate effort, with Mu achieving the three fastest times in 2021 while still representing Texas A&M, before turning professional and signing with NIke.

Wiley hadn’t run a race in a month after clocking 1:59.0 in the 800 and 4:37.7 in the Beale Street road mile to win both events Aug. 4-5 as part of the Ed Murphey Classic in Memphis, Tenn.

Wiley elevated to the No. 11 competitor in the 800 in American history. She ascended to No. 8 in the world this year, including third among U.S. athletes, trailing only Mu (1:56.61) and Raevyn Rogers (1:57.45).

Wiley also became the only collegiate female athlete to run sub-1:58 in the 800 and sub-4:04 in the 1,500, and just the seventh competitor in American history to achieve the feat Monday, joining Mary Decker-Slaney, Kim Gallagher, Kate Grace, Sage Hurta-Klecker, Brenda Martinez and Mu.

Wiley is second in collegiate history and No. 35 all-time in the U.S. in the 1,500 following her 4:03.22 performance June 3 at the Music City Track Carnival in Nashville, Tenn.

She also won the NACAC Under-23 gold medal in the 1,500 with a 4:05.84 effort July 23 in San Jose, Costa Rica.

Femke Bol, the reigning World champion in the women’s 400-meter hurdles, prevailed once again Monday in a showdown with silver medalist Shamier Little of the U.S., winning by a 52.79 to 53.64 margin.

Jasmine Camacho-Quinn of Puerto Rico, the World silver medalist in the 100-meter hurdles, triumphed in a wind-legal 12.56 seconds, with Dutch athlete Nadine Visser finishing second in 12.61 and American competitor Nia Ali taking third in 12.63.

Valarie Allman, the World silver medalist for the U.S. in the women’s discus throw, was victorious with a 226-8 (69.09m) performance in the opening round.

Jorinde Van Klinken, a Dutch competitor and the reigning NCAA Division 1 champion representing Oregon, placed second with a third-round mark of 210-5 (64.15m).

Swedish athlete Daniel Stahl, the reigning World champion, triumphed in the men’s discus with a second-round effort of 220-7 (67.24m).

Kristjan Ceh, who earned the silver medal for Slovenia in Budapest, was second again Monday with a fourth-round mark of 220-3 (67.15m).

Sandi Morris won the Locarno City Event women’s pole vault competition Sunday for the U.S. with a first-attempt clearance at 15-9 (4.80m).

Elaine Thompson-Herah contributed to a Jamaican sweep in the 100-meter dashes in a wind-legal 10.92.

Oblique Seville clocked a wind-legal 10.01 in the men’s 100 to hold off Kenya’s Ferdinand Omanyala in 10.04.

American athlete Tamara Clark was victorious in the women’s 200 in a wind-legal 22.64.

Brazil’s Alison dos Santos edged France’s Wilfried Happio by a 47.50 to 47.58 margin in the men’s 400-meter hurdles.

Switzerland’s Jason Joseph triumphed in the men’s 110-meter hurdles in 13.18.

Kenya’s Reynold Kipkorir Cheruiyot won the men’s 1,500 in 3:33.98.

Dutch athlete Liemarvin Bonevacia captured the men’s 400 in 45.43.

Andrii Protsenko of Ukraine was one of five competitors to clear 7-4.25 (2.24m) in the men’s high jump, emerging victorious after making the height on his first attempt. Gianmarco Tamberi of Italy, the reigning World champion, finished fourth after clearing 7-4.25 on his third try.