Husky freshman Carley Thomas makes world championship debut in Doha...

DOHA, Qatar—University of Washington freshman Carley Thomas (left/photo by Paul Merca), who probably should be learning the way to get to class on campus this week, instead is learning the ways of international racing, as the native of Sydney, Australia, finished fifth in the sixth and final heat of the women’s 800 tonight at the IAAF World Track & Field Championships at Khalifa International Stadium.

Thomas, who became the first Husky to compete at the world championships as an undergraduate, ran 2:04.65, as France’s Renelle Lamote took the win in 2:03.36.

Her heat was the slowest of the six heats (top three plus six fastest time qualifiers advance to Saturday’s semifinals), so no time qualifiers came from her heat.

In another heat of the women’s 800, former Washington State University volunteer coach Liga Velvere finished fifth in heat 3, running 2:02.93 to advance to Saturday’s semis as a time qualifier.

Three other athletes with Washington ties competed Friday night.

Pole vaulter Katie Nageotte, who resided in Pullman until June, was one of 17 women who advanced to Sunday’s final, as she cleared the automatic qualifying mark of 15-1 (4.60m).

Nageotte only needed three first attempt makes to secure a spot in Sunday’s finals, clearing 14-3.25 (4.35m), 14-9 (4.50m) and 15-1 (4.60m).

In the men’s 5000, former Emerald Ridge HS standout and 2016 US Olympian Hassan Mead advanced to Monday’s finals, finishing eighth in a season best 13:22.11, as USA teammate and 2016 Olympic silver medalist Paul Chelimo won the heat in 13:20.18.

In the women’s 3000 steeplechase, three-time NCAA champion Allie Ostrander of the Brooks Beasts set a personal best, running 9:30.85 in finishing seventh in her heat, yet missing out on advancing to Monday’s final by an agonizing 84/100ths of a second.

Kenya’s Beatrice Chepkoech took the win in the heat, running 9:18.01, the fastest time of the evening.

Saturday, Brannon Kidder of the Brooks Beasts will compete in the first round of the men’s 800 at 5:05 pm, local time (9:15 am in Seattle). Velvere runs in the semis of the women’s 800 at 7:15 pm, local time.

Finally, Katie Burnett, a native of Bellevue, will walk 50 kilometers, beginning at 11:30 pm.

Day 1 results from the IAAF world track & field championships are available here at the meet's micro-site.

NOTE: The IAAF, USA Track & Field, and the Doha Organizing Committee contributed to this report.