Portland native Alex Slenning of the Huskies takes home steeple title at USATF U20 champs...

MIRAMAR, Florida—University of Washington freshman Alex Slenning (above/photo courtesy University of Washington Athletics) took the victory in the men’s steeplechase at the USA Track & Field Under-20 (formerly Junior) Championships Saturday at the Ansin Sports Complex.

Slenning stayed near the front of the pack over the first third of the race, then took the lead as the field entered the second kilometer.

In the last kilometer, eventual second place finisher Benjamin Nibbelink of Virginia Tech took the lead for a bit, but Slenning, a graduate of Portland’s Wilson HS, took the lead for good with two laps to go, running 9:04.57 in hot and humid conditions, while Nibbelink took second at 9:07.66.

With his victory, Slenning earns a spot on Team USATF for the Pan American U20 Championships July 19-21 in San Jose, Costa Rica. He’s the first Husky to win a national U20 title since Colby Gilbert won the 5000 in 2014 in Eugene.

Freshman Makayla Kelby, who redshirted her first year at UW, threw 166-2 (50.66m) to finish fourth-place in the discus. She then came back and was seventh in the shot put at 47-1.75 (14.37m).

In the 400-meter hurdles, freshman Cass Elliott advanced through to the finals with the third-fastest time of the day, as he ran 52.50, finishing second in the first heat to Ryan Fields of Cal Poly Pomona.

Incoming Huskies Marlena Preigh from Colorado and Daniel Maton from Camas, who just last weekend were racing in Seattle at the Brooks PR Invite, went cross country to run at Florida this weekend, both in the 800-meters. Preigh advanced to the final with the fourth-fastest time, running 2:06.31. Maton just missed the final by one spot, as he ran 1:52.85.

Kate Jendrezak of Eastside Catholic HS did not advance in the women’s 800, running 2:09.71 to finish sixth in her heat.

In addition to Elliott and Preigh, Issaquah HS standout Julia David-Smith will run in the finals of the women’s 1500.

Day 2 results of the USA Track & Field Under-20 Championships are available here.

USATF.tv ($) will offer live streaming coverage of the USA Track & Field Under-20 Championships.

NOTE: USA Track & Field and the sports information office of the University of Washington contributed to this report.