Washington alums Izaic Yorks and Mel Lawrence earn podium spots at USATF championships...
As is usually the case in a championship race, the pace for the first 800 went out cautiously, with all 13 athletes bunched together.
The racing got underway shortly after the 800, as Oregon alum Eric Jenkins of the Nike Oregon Project went to the front entering the bell with fellow Oregon alums Sam Prakel and defending Olympic champion Matthew Centrowitz just ahead of Yorks, as the field dropped from running 65 seconds on the previous lap to 57 seconds.
Yorks somehow got out and found running room, but could not quite close on Centrowitz, who ran a 53.59 last lap to Yorks’ 53.76.
Centrowitz’ winning time was 3:43.37 to Yorks’ 3:43.63.
New Brooks Beast member David Ribich, who got into the finals after winning a protest after getting knocked down in the semis on Thursday, finished 12th in 3:46.04.
Another University of Washington alum, Mel Lawrence, got herself on the podium in the 3000 steeplechase, as she finished third in a personal best 9:33.30 behind winner Emma Coburn (9:17.70) and Courtney Frerichs (9:18.69), the gold and silver medalists at last year's World Championships.
Lawrence, competing for Seattle-based Oiselle, was fifth at USAs a year ago, moving up two spots this year.
In the men’s 400 hurdles, Washington State alum CJ Allen finished sixth, as the two-time Pac-12 champ ran a season best 49.58.
North Carolina’s Kenny Selmon took the national title in 48.21.
Whitworth’s Andrew Bloom finished 15th in the men’s javelin with a toss of 213-5 (65.06m). Curtis Thompson was the winner at 249-3 (75.99m).
After four events in the women’s heptathlon, Washington State’s Alissa Brooks-Johnson stands 11th at 3437 points.
The senior from Doty, who was sixth at the NCAA championships two weeks ago, ran 13.91 in the 100 hurdles, cleared 5-6.5 (1.69m) in the high jump, threw 41-2.25 (12.55m) in the shot put, and ran the 200 in 24.79.
Erica Bougard is the day 1 leader at 3866 points.
In the first round of the mens’ 110 hurdles, former Renton resident and 2016 Olympian Devon Allen ran the fastest time of the day, clocking 13.45.
Allen will run the semis Sunday, with the finals the last event of the meet at 2:52 pm, pacific time.
Besides Brooks-Johnson and Allen, others with Washington ties competing Sunday include Katie Nageotte in the women’s pole vault, Washington alums Eleanor Fulton and Katie Mackey, along with Mackey’s Brooks Beasts teammate Allie Buchalski in the women’s 5000; former Emerald Ridge HS standout and 2016 Olympian Hassan Mead in the mens’ 5000.
Sunday’s competition will be televised live on NBC from 1-3 p.m. Pacific.
Complete day 3 results from the USATF Outdoor Championships are available here.
NOTE: USA Track & Field contributed to this report.
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