Nico Young became the fastest American ever over 5,000 meters outdoors at the Oslo Diamond League meeting Thursday when he outsprinted an excellent field to win in 12 minutes and 45.27 seconds in a race full of national records and personal bests.
Though Young's time was a U.S. outdoor record, fellow American Grant Fisher clocked a world and national indoor record of 12:44.09 in February.
"It was a crazy race," Young said. "This surprised me a little bit, but I am really proud that I managed to stay on this pace all this time. The best is yet to come."
Ethiopia's Biniam Mehary and Kuma Girma crossed second and third, respectively, while Englishman George Mills was fourth in 12.46.59 to obliterate the British record of 12:53.11 held by distance great Mo Farah.
Norwegian hurdling great Karsten Warholm destroyed his own world best time in the rarely run 300 meters hurdles, chasing down American Rai Benjamin in a stunning finish.
Roared on by the home crowd, the 2020 Olympic champion came off the corner behind Benjamin but roared past the man who had beaten him for Olympic gold last year in Paris to finish in a blistering 32.67 seconds, breaking his previous mark of 33.05 set in April.
Warholm ripped off his shirt and spun it around his head in delight when his record time flashed on the Bislett Stadium screen.
"I never really went away, of course, but it is good to be back for sure," Warholm said. "I usually fade at the end of the 400, so the 300 suits me to some degree, but I will be back strong in the 400 on Sunday [in Stockholm].
"The crowd was amazing as ever, and the atmosphere was something else, and I am just so happy that I could perform at my best in front of the support."
Benjamin was second in 33.22, and Alison dos Santos of Brazil was third in 33.38.
World record holder Armand Duplantis of Sweden cruised to victory in the pole vault, while Julien Alfred opened her season with a win in the 100 meters to set the pace as the woman to beat at this year's world championships in Tokyo.
Duplantis, a twice Olympic and world champion, cleared 6.15 meters and then called it a night rather than chase a world record attempt in chilly temperatures.
"It did get cooler, so that was why I stopped jumping," said Duplantis, who soared 6.27 meters in February to break the world mark for the 11th time.
"On Sunday in Stockholm it would be an absolute dream to break the world record, in fact I could retire if I do," he said laughing.
"At the moment the forecast is good for Sunday and I am feeling good. I need to build on tonight and get ready now for the big one."
Alfred, the first athlete from Saint Lucia to win an Olympic gold medal when she triumphed last year in Paris, enjoyed victory in the 100 meters in a time of 10.89 seconds.
"I was a little rusty but I got the win under my belt, which is the main thing," Alfred said. "As for my season, I am Olympic champion so I am the one to beat, but I really want to add world champion to my name as well."
Paris Olympic champion Emmanuel Wanyonyi of Kenya raced to victory in the men's 800 meters, holding off a fast-closing field over the final 100 meters to finish in 1:42.78.
"My body felt a little tired as I have come from Kenya, so the travel has been long, but I am happy with my performance against a strong field," Wanyonyi said. "I am happy with the start to my season in this world championship year."
Kenya's Faith Cherotich won the women's 3,000 meter steeplechase, outsprinting Olympic champion Winfred Yavi of Bahrain in a neck-and-neck battle over the final 200 meters, clocking 9:02.60 to edge Yavi by 0.16 seconds.
Haruka Kitaguchi of Japan, women's javelin gold medalist at the Paris Games, threw almost a meter more than the rest of the field to win in Oslo with a toss of 64.63 meters.
Information from Reuters was used in this report.