Former Renton resident Devon Allen wins third USATF national title in 110 hurdles...
With the meet heading into the final hour of competition at 4 pm, local time, a combination of lightning and heavy rains in the Des Moines area found athletes and spectators scurrying for cover in the area around the Drake University campus.
Before the meet’s three hour delay, Pullman resident Katie Nageotte finished second in the women’s pole vault, clearing a best of 15-5 (4.70m), as Sandi Morris took the title with a best of 15-9 (4.80m).
Morris, who was the only competitor remaining after Nageotte missed at 15-11 (4.85m), took one attempt at a meet record 16-2.5 (4.94m) before the rains came, and decided to retire from the competition rather than wait out the weather delay.
In the women’s heptathlon, Washington State’s Alissa Brooks-Johnson finished seventh with a final two-day score of 5850 points, as Erica Bougard won the event with 6347 points.
Brooks-Johnson started day 2 with a leap of 18-9.75 (5.73m) in the long jump, then threw the javelin 139-8 (42.58m), before finishing the day by running 2:12.51 in the 800m.
In the women’s 5000, Washington alum Katie Mackey of the Brooks Beasts was sixth in 15:39.25, as Shelby Houlihan of the Portland-based Nike Bowerman TC powered to her second win of the meet, running 15:31.03.
The newest member of the Brooks Beasts, Furman grad Allie Buchalski, finished seventh in 15:40.62, while UW alum Eleanor Fulton dropped out of the race at the 3800 mark.
Allen won his semi-final race in the 110 hurdles, running 13.38, while Florida’s Grant Holloway won the other semi in 13.34, setting up a battle between Holloway, the Bowerman Award finalist, and Allen, the 2016 Olympic finalist searching for his third national title.
Once the meet resumed at 7 pm local time, national titles were decided in the men’s steeple, women’s and mens’ 200, and the men’s 5000 before the men’s 110 hurdles final.
In the 5000, 2016 US Olympian and former Emerald Ridge standout Hassan Mead finished third in 13:30.12, as defending champion and Olympic silver medalist Paul Chelimo won his second national title in 13:29.47.
Former Seattle resident Riley Masters, who was a member of the Brooks Beasts until the end of the 2016 season, finished fourth behind Meat in 13:30.23.
In the 110 hurdles final, Holloway got out well, but Allen made his charge over the final two hurdles, despite hitting number ten.
However, Allen got the victory on the lean, as both were clocked at 13.46, with Allen winning at 13.452 to Holloway’s 13.454.
“I’ve been working on my flat speed, so if I was in the race off the last hurdle, I knew I would have a chance,” he told members of the media in the mixed zone afterwards.
Complete day 4 results from the USATF Outdoor Championships are available here.
NOTE: USA Track & Field and the University of Oregon contributed to this report.
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