UW grads Baylee Mires and Izaic Yorks the newest Brooks Beasts; fellow Beast Nick Symmonds scratches...

EUGENE—The Seattle based Brooks Beasts were in the news on the eve of the US Olympic Track & Field Trials, as they formally announced the signing of a pair of recent University of Washington alums to endorsement deals, and spots on their squads.

As reported earlier this week, Spokane native Baylee Mires (left/photo courtesy Brooks Running) signed with the company, and will wear the yellow and electric blue vest of the Beasts.

Mires, who was eighth in the 800m finals at the NCAA championships in Eugene three weeks ago, ran her personal best of 2:02.97 at the Brooks PR meet in Renton to get the final qualifying spot at the Trials.

Yorks (left/photo courtesy Brooks Running) broke the record for the fastest collegiate indoor mile run by an American at the MPSF meet at the Dempsey Indoor. At the NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships earlier this month, Yorks finished second in the 1,500-meter run in a time of 3-minutes, 38.06 seconds. Yorks also ran at this year’s Brooks PR Invitational in the men’s 1500 where he took third.

Mires and Yorks join fellow Husky Katie Mackey as members of the Brooks Beasts.

Also, it was announced earlier in the day that Nick Symmonds has withdrawn from the men’s 800, which begins Friday.

In a post on his Instagram account, Symmonds wrote, “This is my left ankle, it has been good to me. It has held up for thousands of miles, helped me win six national titles, taken me to two Olympic Games. However, this left ankle of mine currently has a torn ligament and a stress fracture, it will not allow me to compete in the 2016 Olympic Trials. I should say I feel devastated, but honestly I feel nothing but happiness and gratitude that my legs have held up as long as they did. Not saying I've retired or anything, but my 2016 season is now over.”

Symmonds last raced in May, competing in Shanghai and Beijing.

This is my left ankle, it has been good to me. It has held up for thousands of miles, helped me win six national titles, taken me to two Olympic Games. However, this left ankle of mine currently has a torn ligament and a stress fracture, it will not allow me to compete in the 2016 Olympic Trials. I should say I feel devastated, but honestly I feel nothing but happiness and gratitude that my legs have held up as long as they did. Not saying I've retired or anything, but my 2016 season is now over. I'll be in #Eugene for the next two weeks, if you see me, say hello! The saddest part for me is not getting to race for the people who came out to watch me run. Free packs of @rungum for everyone, on me.

A photo posted by Nick Symmonds (@nicksymmonds) on Jun 30, 2016 at 10:58am PDT

FORMER ISSAQUAH PREP KATIE BURNETT THIRD IN 20K WALK

The prologue to the Olympic Trials got the meet started in Salem, as the 20-kilometer race walkers took to the streets of Oregon’s state capital Thursday morning.

Former Issaquah high school standout Katie Burnett, who now lives in Rochester, NY,  finished third in the women’s race, walking the distance in 1:41:13, but will not join the top two finishers on the team—winner Maria Michta-Coffey of Farmingville, New York, who is sponsored by Seattle based Oiselle, and Miranda Melville of Rush, NY., who both went under the Olympic standard in going 1-2.

Michta-Coffey took the win in 1:33:41, while Melville was second in 1:34:12.  Both entered the meet as the only athletes who had the Olympic qualifying standard of 1:36:00, meaning that Burnett, or any other athlete in the field had to go under 1:36:00 to earn the trip to Rio.

Burnett finished with a final time of 1:41:13, 5:13 over the standard.

The link to the results are available here.