Josh Kerr of the Brooks Beasts runs fastest time in the world in the 1500m this season...

NEWBERG, Oregon--World Championships finalist Josh Kerr (above/photo by Paul Merca) of Great Britain and the Seattle based Brooks Beasts ran the fastest time in the world to win the men's 1500 meters Friday night at Newberg High School's Loran Douglas Field in the third meet of Portland Track's Big Friendly series.

Kerr was in the middle of the pack early as the University of Washington's Dustin Nading and Husky volunteer coach Sam Prakel took the lead early.

Nading led through the 800 meter mark before finishing up his pacing duties, as Prakel took the lead immediately afterwards.

Kerr began working his way to the front, taking command with 500 meters to go, then started pulling away. A challenge by fellow world championships finalist and defending US national champ Craig Engels never materialized, as the gap Kerr put on the field was more than enough to overcome second place finisher Will Paulson and Engels, who took third.

Kerr's time of 3:34.53 took over the world lead held by Canada's Moh Ahmed, who ran 3:34.89 ten days earlier in Portland.

Prakel finished fifth in 3:38.18, just ahead of Henry Wynne of the Brooks Beasts, who ran 3:38.70..2016 US Olympian and former Puyallup resident Hassan Mead was ninth in 3:48.55.

After the race, Brooks Beasts coach Danny Mackey said, "I was mainly telling him to try and win as the primary goal.  I assumed with the depth of the field, whoever won, that would be 3:34-3:35." 

"So for him to win and run the world leading time, I was happy.  He got tripped in the first 110 meters so played catch up for the next 700.  Then got to the front 600 out. To run 57-57-57 like that, getting fastest at the end, was impressive."

In the men's 800, the expected battle between a pair of world championships medalists never materialized, as reigning world outdoor champion Donavan Brazier of Pete Julian's Portland based Nike training group won in a world leading time of 1:43.84, as Drew Windle of the Brooks Beasts was second in 1:49.64, ahead of UW freshman Daniel Maton's 1:53.99.

Nia Akins of the Brooks Beasts finished second in the women's 800, running 2:02.07, as Chanelle Price of the Nike Oregon TC took the win in 2:01.71. Current Husky Marlena Preigh was sixth in 2:05.89.

In a race won by Olympian Shannon Rowbury in 4:03.62, Karisa Nelson of the Brooks Beasts was second in 4:08.48, a mark that puts Nelson inside the top ten in the world so far this season.

Washington alum Eleanor Fulton was fourth in 4:08.92, while Pasco HS alum Marisa Howard was fifth in 4:12.62.

Washington alum Mel Lawrence won the women's 3000 in a time of 9:04.78, ahead of the Huskies' Allie Schadler (9:10.93) and Katie Rainsberger (9:20.38).

In a very entertaining men's 3000, Japanese national marathon record holder Suguro Osako of Pete Julian's training group battled Garrett Heath of the Brooks Beasts over the final 100 meters, which saw Heath take the lead coming off the final turn, while Osako battled back to grab the victory with 20 meters to go, winning in 7:54.49 to 7:54.79.  Hassan Mead was fourth in 8:08.97.

Complete results of the Big Friendly 3 are available here.

NOTE: Portland Track contributed to this report.

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