Aretha Thurmond finishes fourth in discus to close out USA Outdoor Championships...

DES MOINES, Iowa--Three time US Olympian Aretha Thurmond (left/photo by Paul Merca), a University of Washington graduate, finished fourth in the discus as the USA Outdoor Track & Field Championships concluded its five-day run at Drake Stadium.

Thurmond spun the platter 195-5 (59.57m) on her third attempt of the competition, as former University of Nebraska standout Becky Breisch won her second national title with a mark of 207-10 (63.34m).

Ryan Brown, a Washington graduate and 2009 world championships team member, finished a disappointing eighth place in the finals of the mens' 800 meter run, clocking 1:54.63, as Nick Symmonds of the Oregon Track Club Elite/Eugene won yet another national title, powering through in 1:45.98.

Another former Husky, Norris Frederick, never got his steps together, as he finished 18th with a mark of 18-5 (5.61m), sandwiched between two fouls.

In his final meet representing Washington State University, NCAA finalist Trent Arrivey of Woodinville failed to clear the opening height of 7-0.25 (2.15m).

With 2010 being a non Olympic/World Championships year, many of America's top track & field talents, including 2007 world pole vault champ Brad Walker from Mountlake Terrace, chose not to compete in Des Moines.

Complete results from the USA Outdoor Track & Field Championships can be obtained here.

COUGAR FRESHMAN FERMIN ADVANCES TO WORLD JUNIORS

Washington State freshman Shawna Fermin earned a trip to the World Junior Championships next month after her runner-up finish in the Girls Under 20 400m dash at the NAAA/Sagicor Track & Field Championships in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago Saturday.

Fermin, from Victorville, Calif., ran the 400m in a personal-record time of 54.41 seconds. Fermin will now compete at the 13th Annual IAAF World Junior Championships, July 19-25, in Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada.