Drew Windle of the Brooks Beasts punches Olympic Trials ticket to win 800m at Portland Track Festival...

PORTLAND—With two weeks left in the qualifying window, Drew Windle (left/photo by Mike Scott) of the Seattle based Brooks Beasts punched his ticket to the US Olympic Track & Field Trials and in the process, dipped under the Olympic qualifying standard in the 800 meters, as he won the top section at the Portland Track Festival Sunday night at Griswold Stadium on the campus of Lewis & Clark College.

Windle, who attended Division II Ashland University where he was a six-time NCAA champ indoors and outdoors, & was second in the Adrian Martinez meet almost two weeks ago, ran 1:45.65 to comfortably dip under the Olympic and Olympic Trials standard of 1:46.00, and was the only runner to edge under the qualifying mark in the fast section.

Windle was fourth exiting the final turn, and bypassed three runners to take home the victory, after opening with a 52.36 400.

In the women’s steeplechase, Washington alum Mel Lawrence (above/photo by Howard Lao) dipped under 9:40 for the first time in her career, running 9:36.55 to finish second behind Lennie Waite’s 9:35.91.

Auburn/Riverside alum Jordan McNamara (3:38.07) finished second behind newly minted NCAA champ Clayton Murphy (3:36.23) in the 1500.  Dorian Ulrey of the Brooks Beasts was third in 3:38.34.

Complete results of the Portland Track Festival are available here.