CJ Smith gets win in Albuquerque to highlight UW middle distance showing; Beasts get third in Beantown...
ALBUQUERQUE, New Mexico--University of Washington 800 meter runner CJ Smith (above/file photo by Paul Merca) won the 800 meter run at the New Mexico Collegiate Classic at the Albuquerque Convention Center to highlight a strong performance by the Husky middle distance squad.
Smith, a sophomore from Rancho Santa Margarita, California, took the victory, running a time of 2:14.04, .31 seconds ahead of runner-up Caitlin Waters of Texas Tech, in the three-section timed final.
In the men's 800, Derrick Daigre of the Huskies finished second overall behind Mark Husted of Brooks. Daigre ran 1:50.48, behind Husted's winning time of 1:49.85.
Washington's Izaic Yorks (1:51.40), Meron Simon (1:52.62), and Blake Nelson (1:54.34) went 3-5-7 overall in the 800.
Pole vaulters Diamara Planell Cruz (13-8.25/4.17m), Logan Miller (13-4.25/4.07m), and Liz Quick (13-0.25/3.97m) went 2-3-4 in that event for Washington, as Texas' Kaitlin Petrillose went 14-7.25 (4.45m) for the win, and the NCAA Division I lead in that event.
In Boston, the Brooks Beasts, who went into the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix looking to grab the world indoor record in the 4 x 800 meters of 7:13.94 set in 2000, instead finished third behind a USA all-star squad comprised of Richard Jones, David Torrence, Duane Solomon and anchor Erik Sowinski.
The USA all-stars ran a world record time of 7:13.11, with the NJ/NY TC squad second at 7:13.22, and the Beasts squad of Cas Loxsom, Matt Scherer, Mark Wieczorek, and Nick Symmonds third at 7:18.52.
In the men's 3000, Garrett Heath of the Beasts was fourth, as the Stanford alum ran 7:37.40. Hagos Gebrhiwet of Ethiopia took the win in a world leading time of 7:34.13.
In New York, University Place resident Andrea Geubelle finished second in her season opener in the triple jump at the Armory Collegiate Invitational.
Geubelle, a former NCAA champ at the University of Kansas, jumped 43-1.75 (13.15m), as Christina Epps of Coppin State won with a jump of 43-2.25 (13.16m).
In Moscow, Idaho, vaulter Kristine Felix was one of 10 Washington State track and field team competitors to claim victories Friday night at the 38th Annual Vandal Indoor Meet Friday night at the Kibbie Activities Center in Moscow, Idaho.
Felix, a sophomore from Wailuku, Hawai’i, soared to a lifetime-best height in the pole vault of 13-feet, 7 1/4 inches (4.15m) which is the second-best mark in WSU all-time records. Felix, the 2013 Pac-12 pole vault champion, cleared the height on her second attempt.
Ruby Roberts won the women’s mile with a PR time of 4 minutes 46.48 seconds which bettered her second-best mark in school records.
Cougar men winning their events Friday included Terrance Chambers in the 200m (PR 21.87), Drew Jordan in the mile (4:09.19), Daniel Zmuda in the 60m hurdles (equaled PR of 8.01), Austin Sodorff in the pole vault (4.90m/16-0 3/4), and Tay’lor Eubanks in the triple jump (14.50m/47-7).
Other WSU women with victories at the Vandal Indoor included the women’s 4x400m relay squad of Erin Allen, Christiana Ekelem, Bree Winfrey, and Bria’una Watley (season-best 3:47.99), Audrey Ketcham in the high jump (PR 1.70m/5-7), and McKenna Hogan in the long jump (5.33m/17-6).
Candice McFarland was the top collegiate finisher in the 60m hurdles with a PR time of 8.55, 10th-best in WSU all-time records.
Eastern Washington's Jordan Arakawa and Zach Nielsen went 1-2 in the men's weight throw, with a toss of 63-4 (19.30m), and 63-0.25 (19.21m), respectively.
Results from Friday's Vandal Indoor are available here.
Saturday, several Washington schools participated in the Vandal Open in Moscow, including Washington State, Eastern Washington, Spokane CC, Central Washington, Whitworth, and Saint Martin's.
NOTE: The sports information offices of the University of Washington, Washington State University and the University of Idaho contributed to this report.
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