Olympians Centrowitz and Rowbury run world leaders in the mile at UW Indoor Preview...

SEATTLE—The mile runs and 60 meter dashes were the highlights of the first meet of the 2015 season at the Dempsey Indoor as the University of Washington hosted the UW Indoor Preview meet.

In the men’s mile, two-time US Olympian Matthew Centrowitz (left/photo by Paul Merca) of the Nike Oregon Project was content to let Japanese 10000 meter man Suguru Osako and Canadian Cam Levins take the early lead for the first 800 meters, before taking command with 450 meters to go, to win in a world leading time of 3:58.60, with Levins second at 3:58.75, and Stanford’s Sean McGorty ducking under 4 minutes in 3:59.34.

Shannon Rowbury of the Nike Oregon Project ran a world leading time of 4:27.86 to set a new Dempsey Indoor facility record, beating the old mark of 4:28.41 set by Kenya’s Sally Kipyego in 2012, and taking four other women under the previous meet record time of 4:39.10 set five years ago by Reebok’s Morgan Uceny.

Seattle’s Phoebe Wright, a Nike sponsored athlete who trains with the Brooks Beasts, was fifth in 4:38.68.

Before the mile, Rowbury won the 1000 in 2:40.45 over Nike Oregon Project teammates Jordan Hasay (2:41.08) and Treniere Moser (2:41.50), with Stanford frosh Elise Cranny fourth in 2:42.39, and 2012 US Olympian Geena Lara at 2:44.29.

Like Rowbury, Centrowitz won the 1000 in 2:19.53, over American steeplechase record holder Evan Jager, who ran 2:20.39.

(disclosure: Because Washington's 307-meter track is oversized, marks in lap races will not count for record purposes).

The women’s 60 meter dash saw USC’s Ky Westbrook put down a 7.21 in the qualifying round, then had a stirring battle with Oregon’s Jasmine Todd in the finals, with Todd taking the victory in a collegiate and world leading time of 7.15.  Westbrook finished in 7.18, as the duo currently have the two fastest times in the world so far this season.

2012 Olympic 100 meter finalist Ryan Bailey set a new meet and Dempsey Indoor record by running 6.57 in the preliminaries, only to be disqualified in the finals for a false start.  Bailey’s training partner Joe Morris took advantage of Bailey’s misfortune in the finals, winning with a new facility record time of 6.55, the third fastest time in the world so far this season.

In other meet highlights:

—Rainier Beach HS grad Michael Berry, now competing for Nike, won the men’s 200 in 21.44, over Oregon’s Marcus Chambers from Tacoma; 

—American steeplechase record holder Evan Jager won the 800 in 1:50.13; 

—Washington’s Jax Thoirs won the pole vault by clearing 18-0.5 (5.50m) over teammate Lev Marcus (17-10.5/5.45m); 

—The women’s pole vault saw Pac-12 champ Diamara Planell Cruz of Washington win with a leap of 13-3.5 (4.05m);

—Former Husky Norris Frederick won the men’s long jump with a best of 24-7 (7.49m).


In Nampa, Idaho, Washington State’s Dino Dodig won the heptathlon at the Ed Jacoby Invitational and Multi-Events, hosted by Boise State University.

Dodig, a sophomore from Novi Sad, Serbia, won the seven-man heptathlon competition with a score of 5,297 points after ending the first day in second place. Saturday Dodig ran the 60m hurdles in 8.44 seconds, pole vaulted 14-feet 3 1/4 inches (4.35m), and ran the 1,000m in a time of 2 minutes 46.93 seconds.

The Cougars’ Kristine Felix won the women’s pole vault with a clearance of 13-1 1/2 (4.00m), just six inches below her PR height.

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