Brooks Beasts' Karisa Nelson sets personal best in finishing eighth in women's 1500 at nationals...

DES MOINES, Iowa—It was a light day of competition for athletes with Washington ties at the Toyota USATF Outdoor Championships at Drake Stadium on the campus of Drake University Saturday.

A lightning strike approximately ten miles from the stadium forced meet management to evacuate the facility for just over an hour shortly after the conclusion of the heptathlon 100 hurdles, compressing Saturday’s time schedule to make it fit into the NBC television window.

In the women’s 1500 meter finals, Samford University alum Karisa Nelson (above/photo by Paul Merca) of the Seattle based Brooks Beasts finished eighth in a personal best of 4:06.14, while teammate and Washington alum Katie Mackey was tenth in 4:08.57.

Fellow Husky alum Eleanor Fulton was eleventh in a time of 4:11.00.

Iowa native Shelby Houlihan of the Portland based Nike Bowerman TC successfully defended her national title, winning in a field record 4:03.18.

Recent University of Washington grad Denham Patricelli finished 17th in the men’s javelin, throwing a best of 203-0 (61.88m), as Michael Shuey won in a personal best 271-10 (82.85m).

Washington State alum Alissa Brooks-Johnson stands 12th in the heptathlon at the break with a first day score of 3432 points.

The former Pac-12 champ ran 13.86 in the 100 hurdles to open the day before the lightning strike that forced meet management to evacuate Drake Stadium.

When competition resumed, she high jumped 5-7 (1.70m), threw the shot a season best 41-6.5 (12.66m), and finished the day by running the 200 in 25.14.

Erica Bougard is the leader after day 1 with a score of 3937 points.

In the men’s 110 hurdles, former Renton resident Devon Allen had the fourth fastest time of the day and easily advanced to the semis on Sunday, running 13.52 to finish second in his heat behind Jarret Eaton’s 13.51.

Washington State’s Nick Johnson was sixth in his heat in 14.39.

Saturday’s competition was highlighted by two American records—Deanna Price in the women’s hammer, as she threw 256-8 (78.24m), and Sam Kendricks in the men’s pole vault, clearing 19-10.5 (6.06m).

WHAT’S ON TAP SUNDAY…

Sunday, Bellevue native Katie Burnett kicks things off on the meet’s final day in the women’s 10k walk at 7:50 am local time (5:50 am in Seattle).

Alissa Brooks-Johnson (left/photo by Paul Merca) resumes competition in the heptathlon, starting with the long jump at 12:30pm Seattle time.

At 3:10 pm Seattle time, University of Washington senior Olivia Gruver and former Pullman resident Katie Nageotte competes in the finals of the women’s pole vault.

Devon Allen goes at 3:28 pm Seattle time in the semis of the men’s 110 hurdles. Should he make the finals, it will go at 5:28 pm Seattle time.

Brannon Kidder of the Brooks Beasts goes in the finals of the men’s 800 at 4:02 pm.

Seven minutes later, Mel Lawrence, Allie Ostrander, Marisa Howard, and Caroline Austin run in the finals of the women’s 3000 steeplechase.

At 4:23 pm, Bellingham native David Elliott, along with Henry Wynne and Dillon Maggard of the Brooks Beasts & former Puyallup resident and 2016 Olympian Hassan Mead run in the finals of the men’s 5000, while Katie Mackey and Allie Buchalski of the Beasts go in the women’s 5000 19 minutes later.

University of Washington volunteer assistant coach and defending Olympic champion Matthew Centrowitz goes at 5:33 pm in the men’s 1500, where he’s also the defending champion.

Among those looking to take his title along with a spot on the world championship team going to Doha in late September are fellow Husky volunteer coach Sam Prakel, Washington school record holder and Brooks Beast Izaic Yorks, and his Beasts teammate Henry Wynne, who will have less than an hour to recover after the 5000.

NBCSN will show the meet from 4-5 pm Seattle time, before switching over to NBC (KING TV 5 in Seattle) for the final hour.

Complete day 3 results are available here.

NOTE: USA Track & Field contributed to this report.