Canadian based throwers win two of three events as Washington Open begins...

SEATTLE--Canadian-based throwers won two of Friday's three events to start the two-day Washington Open at Husky Track on the campus of the University of Washington.

In the meet's opening event, 2012 US Olympian Kibwe Johnson (left/photo by Paul Merca), who resides in Kamloops, British Columbia, where he is coached by Anatoly Bondarchuck, won the hammer with a toss of 219-10 (67.02m) on his third round attempt.

That toss was the two-time US champ and Olympic finalist's only fair throw of the day, as he easily turned back the challenge of Washington's Jack Scheiderman (177-0/53.94m) and Pacific Lutheran's Kyle Peart (173-11/53.02m).

The men's javelin was won by former Husky Kyle Nielsen, as the Langley, British Columbia native returned to his alma mater and won handily, throwing a best of 224-1 (68.30m) to beat Western Washington's Slater Hirst (204-7/62.37m) and WWU teammate John Haskin (186-5/56.82m).

In the women's javelin, Monika Gruszecki, a former two-time NCAA D2 champ out of Western Washington, easily won with a toss of 154-10 (47.20m) over the Washington duo of Ashley Alexander (137-0/41.76m) and Koryn Andrus (136-10/41.70m).

The Washington Open continues Saturday with the first field events underway at 9 am, and the first running event at noon.