UW alum Aaron Nelson sets PR in steeple, while fellow alum Mel Lawrence wins in Letterkenny...

With the TrackTown Summer Series in the rear view mirror, many of the state’s professional track and field athletes are eying competitions on the European continent.

While not quite as glamorous as the IAAF Diamond League circuit, Washington alum Aaron Nelson (left/photo by Paul Merca) finished second in the 3000 steeplechase Friday at the Letterkenny International Track & Field Meeting in Letterkenny, Ireland.

Nelson, a former Pac-12 champion who runs for North Carolina-based Zap Fitness/Reebok, ran a personal best of 8:37.04, just behind 2017 USATF steeple finalist Jordan Mann, who won in 8:36.73.

Another Washington alum, Mel Lawrence, won the women’s steeplechase, as she ran a season best 9:36.65, just missing her personal best set at last year’s US Olympic Trials by 3/10ths of a second.

You can watch Aaron’s race here:

You can watch Mel’s race here:

Results of the Letterkenny International Track & Field Meeting are available on the meet’s Facebook page (results of each event are a separate photo).

IAAF DIAMOND LEAGUE SERIES RESUMES SUNDAY IN LONDON

Meanwhile, the IAAF Diamond League resumes Sunday with the Müller Anniversary Games meeting at London Stadium, as athletes look to get in a competition on the track that will host the IAAF World Track & Field Championships in four weeks.

Former Renton resident Devon Allen, fresh off of a victory at the TrackTown Summer Series finals in New York on Thursday, is entered in the 110 hurdles.

Vancouver native Kara Winger, who was eighth in the javelin at Thursday’s Diamond League stop in Lausanne, Switzerland, looks to challenge many of the same athletes that she threw against a few days ago.

Brannon Kidder of the Seattle-based Brooks Beasts is entered in the men’s 1500 meter run, while former Puyallup resident Hassan Mead is entered in the final event of the meet, the men’s 3000 meter run featuring hometown hero and double Olympic champion Mo Farah, who trains in Portland with the Nike Oregon Project.

The start lists and live results link for the Müller Anniversary Games meeting at London Stadium are available here.

NOTE:  The IAAF Diamond League and the Letterkenny International Track & Field Meeting contributed to this report.