NEWS & NOTES: UW alum Izzi Batt-Doyle 3rd in Zatopek 10000, plus other items...

We start off in Melbourne, Australia, where Washington alum and Tokyo Olympian Izzi Batt-Doyle (photo courtesy Australian Olympic Committee) opened her 2022 outdoor campaign at the Zatopek 10, the Australian national championship race over 10000 meters at Lakeside Stadium.

Batt-Doyle finished third in the race in hot & humid conditions, running 33:04.69.

Rose Davies successfully defended her Australian national title, running 32:58.45, as the race came down to the last 1200 meters.

The Washington alum had the lead with Davies and second place finisher Eloise Wellings tucked in behind her.

With three laps to go, Wellings grabbed the lead and tried to pull away, but Davies shot past Wellings with about 250 to go to take her second straight national title.

Wellings, a former Zatopek 10 champion, finished second in 33:00.87, ahead of Batt-Doyle's 33:04.69.

Those times are the three fastest times in the world so far in this young season.

Courtesy of Athletics Australia, you can watch the replay of the race, starting at the 1:44:30 mark of the video.

WSU ASSISTANT COACH CHARLEE LINTON MOVES TO UTAH...


The University of Utah announced that Washington State assistant track and cross country coach CharLee Linton (photo courtesy University of Utah) has taken a similar position at the University of Utah, filling the vacancy left after the departure of Kelsey Quinn, who formerly worked at the University of Washington as the director of operations under former coach Greg Metcalf.

In a statement on the University of Utah web site, head coach Kyle Kepler said, ""CharLee really stood out in a variety of ways during the hiring process," said Kepler. "Her positive and professional demeanor combined with her experience in the Pac-12 as both a student-athlete and coach have allowed her to ascend quickly in her coaching career. Her passion and energy for the student-athletes she serves was very evident to everyone she met with. We all look forward to welcoming CharLee to the University of Utah."

Before working as an assistant coach on the Cougar staff, the Shoreline native ran for the Cougs from 2012-16, then was a volunteer coach for the 2016-17 season at WSU before going full time in the summer of 2017.

Linton walked onto the WSU cross country and track program her freshman year before earning a scholarship her final two season on The Palouse. Linton went on to become a contributor on the cross country team, scoring for the Cougars three-straight years at the Pac-12 Championships and at the NCAA West Region races. She was also named the team's captain her junior year.

WOMEN'S 1500 FIELD ANNOUNCED FOR LILAC GRAND PRIX...

On the Tracklandia Instagram page, Portland Track announced the field in the women's 1500 at the Lilac Grand Prix on February 11th at The Podium in Spokane.

Seattle resident Rebecca Mehra, along with Karisa Nelson and Marta Pen Freitas of the Seattle based Brooks Beasts are among the confirmed entries as they shoot for the world indoor championship standard of 4:09.00 and in the case of Mehra and Nelson, the USATF indoor championship standard of 4:11.00.

Here's the Portland Track Instagram post:

NOTE: Athletics Australia, the Australian Olympic Committee, the sports information office at the University of Utah and Portland Track contributed to this report.

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