Nageotte, Winger and Allen earn Olympic team berths on penultimate day of the Trials...


EUGENE--
On the penultimate day of the 2021 US Olympic Track & Field Trials at Hayward Field, four athletes with Washington ties earned top three finishes, with three booking their tickets to next month's Olympics in Tokyo.

Former Pullman resident Katie Nageotte (Paul Merca photo for TrackTown USA) won the pole vault competition by setting a new meet record, clearing 16-2.75 (4.95m).

Nageotte started the day by passing the first two heights, then opening with first attempt makes at 15-1 (4.60m) and 15-5 (4.70m), the latter height punching her Tokyo ticket.

She then made 15-9 (4.80m) on her first attempt, before missing on her first try at 16-2.75 (4.95m), then converting on her second try to set an outdoor personal best, a meet record and the 2021 world lead.

None of her tries at the outright world record of 16-7.5 (5.07m) were particularly close, but she felt good enough to take a shot at it after attempting it in her final tune-up meet in Atlanta a few weeks ago.

Washington alum Olivia Gruver finished fourth in the competition, clearing 15-1 (4.60m), the same height as third place finisher and 2016 Olympic silver medalist Sandi Morris. 

Morris had fewer misses, and Gruver needed two attempts to clear the opening height of 14-3.25 (4.35m), which was the ultimate difference.


Vancouver native Kara Winger (Paul Merca photo for TrackTown USA) finished second in the javelin to make her fourth straight Olympic team.

Winger took the early lead, throwing 201-8 (61.47m) in round 1, and held it until the fifth stanza, when American record holder and fellow 2016 Olympian Maggie Malone rifled the spear 208-4 (63.50m) to take the win and her second straight US Olympic Trials victory.

Former Renton resident Devon Allen, the defending Olympic Trials champion, finished second in the finals of the 110 hurdles, running two straight 2021 season bests of 13.10.

In the semifinals, Allen won the heat comfortably, while in the other semifinal, defending world champion Grant Holloway threatened the world record, running 12.81, 1/100th of a second short of Aries Merritt's mark from 2012.

Washington State's Sam Brixey, who was added to the field for the semis after Cougar head coach Wayne Phipps filed a protest after Brixey was originally DQ'd for a false start in Friday's first round, finished ninth in Holloway's heat, running 13.99.

The final saw Holloway cruise to victory, running 12.96 to Allen's 13.10

In the men's 20 kilometer walk contested on the streets of Springfield, Vancouver native Daniel Nehnevaj finished second in a time of 1:31:59, as Nick Christie won in 1:30:48.

None have the Olympic standard and Christie, who is the highest ranked American on the World Athletics ranking list at number 143, is not guaranteed a spot on the line in Tokyo.

1992 and 1996 Olympian Allen James, the 57 year old Seattle native, finished 14th in 1:47:25.

University of Washington alum Lindsay Flanagan finished 22nd in the women's 10000 meter final, running 33:08.69, as Emily Sisson won in a meet record 31:03.82.

The meet's final day begins Sunday at 10 am with the finals in the men's 5000 meter run with former Puyallup resident Hassan Mead looking to make his second straight Olympic team, though he will need to run the Olympic standard of 13:13.50 or faster to even have a chance to return to the Olympics.

Garrett Heath of the Brooks Beasts is also in the field in the 5000, and he too must hit the Olympic standard, as six runners in the field already have the standard.

Nia Akins of the Brooks Beasts goes in the finals of the women's 800 at 4:30 pm.

Finally, Henry Wynne, Waleed Suliman and David Ribich of the Brooks Beasts, along with Husky volunteer coach Sam Prakel, run in the finals of the 1500 meter run at 4:40 pm.

NBC Sports (KING 5 in Seattle), along with nbcsports.com will offer live and streaming coverage of the US Olympic Track & Field Trials.

The start lists along with all results from previous days are available here.

BRITISH CHAMPIONSHIPS RECAP...

Several athletes with Washington ties headed to Manchester, England for the 2021 British Athletics Championships, which began Friday and conclude Sunday.

UW volunteer assistant coach Tim Duckworth won the decathlon with a final score of 7447 points, but will not head to Tokyo, as he doesn't have the Olympic standard.

Also winning a British national title was Josh Kerr of the Brooks Beasts, taking the 1500 in a time of 3:40.72.

In the 5000, Washington alum Jack Rowe was third in 13:38.81, while Tom Anderson of Club Northwest, who works in the UW athletic department in compliance, was ninth in 13:55.23.

Washington alum Amy-Eloise Markovc runs in the 5000 meter finals Sunday.

The top two finishers in the British Championships who hold the Olympic standard make their team for Tokyo, with the selection committee adding a third.

Saturday's recap of the British Championships is available here.

NOTE: NBC Sports, British Athletics, TrackTown USA and USA Track & Field contributed to this report.

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