Olympians Taiwo, Allen & Geubelle lead Washington contingent to Albuquerque for USATF Indoor champs...

Eighteen athletes with Washington ties are entered in this weekend’s USATF Indoor Track & Field Championships that starts Friday at the Albuquerque Convention Center and runs through Sunday.

2016 US Olympian Jeremy Taiwo (left/photo by Paul Merca) kicks it off in the two-day heptathlon, as he looks to prove that he’s all the way back from injuries that derailed his 2017 season.

Two of Taiwo’s Olympic teammates are also entered, as former Renton resident Devon Allen is in the 60 hurdles, and University Place native Andrea Geubelle is in the triple jump.

Pullman’s Katie Nageotte, who enters the meet with the fifth best mark in the world, is entered in the pole vault, where she faces 2016 Olympians Sandi Morris and Jenn Suhr. Nageotte failed to clear a height at last week’s Husky Classic.

Seattle’s Brooks Beasts squad, the majority of whom are already in Albuquerque for a six week training stint at altitude, has eight athletes entered, led by 2017 world championships team member Drew Windle in the men’s 800, where he is seeded second, according to the meet’s list of declared entries.

Other members of the Beasts entered are Baylee Mires and Hannah Fields (w800); Brannon Kidder, Garrett Heath, and Henry Wynne (m1500); Katie Mackey (w1500/3000); and Izaic Yorks (m3000).  Heath is also entered in the mens’ 3000.

Camas native Alexa Efraimson is entered in the women’s 1500, as is Washington alum Eleanor Fulton.  Fulton is also entered in the women’s 3000 along with fellow Husky alum Mel Lawrence.

Training partners Marcus Chambers and Michael Berry, both of whom are coached by UW sprint coach Eric Metcalf, are entered in the men’s 400 after getting their qualifying marks at last week’s Husky Classic.  Washington State alum CJ Allen got his USATF qualifying mark at the Husky Classic last week as well, but is not on the confirmed entry list at the time of this writing.

Washington State alum Kiana Davis is entered in the triple jump, and Katie Burnett, who has moved back to the Seattle area, is entered in the 3000m race walk, after winning the national title at 50K last month.

Jeremy Taiwo is also entered in the men’s high jump.  Jakobe’ Ford, who qualified for the national championship meet at last week’s Husky Classic when he won with a mark of 7-4.25 (2.24m) is not on the list of declared entries.

The list of declared entries is available here.  The meet’s time schedule is available here.

NBCSN will provide coverage of this weekend’s meet beginning Saturday (delayed) from 7:30 pm to 9:30 pm pacific time, and Sunday from 2:30-4:30 pm (live).  USATF.tv will also provide streaming coverage ($) of events not in the television window.

SEVERAL WASHINGTON ATHLETES RECEIVE USATF FOUNDATION GRANTS

The USA Track & Field Foundation announced that 65 athletes around the country in various disciplines are the recipients of grants to assist in travel, medical, and equipment needs.

Athletes receiving grants in the amount of $4000 with Washington ties are:

Jeremy Taiwo—Decathlon

Marcus Chambers—400m

Hannah Fields—1500m

Katie Nageotte—Pole Vault

Kara Winger—Javelin

The USATF Foundation provides a means to attract and guide funds to new and innovative track & field programs with an emphasis on providing opportunities for youth and emerging elite athletes.

The USATF Foundation release is available here.

NELSON, PROCTOR & GRAY NAMED TO NATIONAL TEAMS

Based on their placing at the USATF Cross Country Championships in Tallahassee, Florida on February 3rd, current Husky Tibebu Proctor (left/photo by Paul Merca), and Washington alum Aaron Nelson, along with Tacoma native Joe Gray were named to the Team USATF squad that competes this Saturday at the NACAC Cross Country Championships in San Salvador, El Salvador.

Proctor finished second in the men’s under-20 8k championship race, while Gray was 11th and Nelson 13th in the men’s senior 10k race.

This marks Proctor and Nelson’s first appearance on a USATF national team.

In the same release, Washington State alum Bernard Lagat was named to the USATF roster for the IAAF World Half-Marathon championships in Valencia, Spain on March 24th.

Lagat got his spot on the squad after running 62:00 to finish 15th overall and first masters (40-44) at last month’s Houston Half Marathon.

The USATF release announcing both teams is available here.

NOTE:  USA Track & Field contributed to this report.