Brooks Beasts' Josh Kerr breaks UK national record in both the 1500 & mile in Boston...
BOSTON--If in the immortal words of the great American philosopher Ice Cube, "It Was a Good Day", Sunday was a great day to be a Brooks Beast.
After opting not to go to Birmingham to run in the British indoor championships and try for a spot on the UK team for the world indoor championships in Belgrade, Serbia in three weeks, Olympic bronze medalist Josh Kerr (photo courtesy Brooks Running) instead took his talents to Boston University's ultra fast indoor track for a shot at Peter Elliott's British record in the mile and the 1500.
The shot at Elliott's mark was accomplished, as he ran 3:48.87 at the Boston University Last Chance meet Sunday at the Boston University Track & Tennis Center, coincidentally the home of Yomif Kejelcha's world record of 3:47.01 set in March 2019.
Paced by Beasts teammate Waleed Suliman, Kerr went through 400 in 58.15, and 800 in 1:56.75.
His third 400 was the fastest 400 of the race, as he went through in 55.29 (2:52.04), before finishing the last 409 meters in 56.83 as he stopped the clock in 3:48.47.
En route to his British record, he also snagged Elliott's 1500 record, as he was clocked in 3:32.86, blasting the old national record held by Elliott of 3:34.20.
In that race, Tacoma native and University of Oregon senior Jack Yearian, who ran the 1600 leg on Oregon's distance medley relay Friday night in Seattle, finished third in 3:54.54 to cement a spot in the NCAA indoor championships.
Brannon Kidder of the Beasts was fifth in 3:54.91, and teammate David Ribich was seventh in 3:55.80.
Allie Buchalski of the Beasts won the women's 3000 with a personal best 8:58.35.
Complete results of the Boston University Last Chance meet are available here.
In Spokane, Isaiah Harris of the Beasts earned his first national team vest as a member of the Seattle based club with a second place finish at the USATF Indoor Track & Field Championships at The Podium Sunday.
Harris, who missed a spot on the US Olympic team by one place last year, finished in a season best time of 1:46.30 to earn his ticket to Belgrade in three weeks.
Former Pullman resident and reigning Olympic champion Katie Nageotte, earned a spot on the world indoor championship team with a second place finish in the pole vault, clearing 15-7 (4.75m), despite jumping from a short approach due to a bone bruise in her foot.
To say that I’m proud of myself today is an understatement. I always want to win, but making a team from short approach with a bone bruise on my foot (that I definitely was feeling at the end) was just as good for me today. Congrats @sandicheekspv can’t wait to battle in Serbia! pic.twitter.com/K0Fxsq7Jgd
— Katie Nageotte (@ktnago13) February 28, 2022
Washington alum Olivia Gruver finished in a tie for fourth with a mark of 14-9 (4.50m), the same mark as Capital HS/Olympia's Amanda Moll.
Moll's mark tied the national and state high school indoor mark set by Chloe Cunliffe of West Seattle in 2019.
Twin sister Hana Moll was seventh at 14-5.25 (4.40m).
In the women's 800, Olympia native Brooke Feldmeier, who in her pro career had never come close to making a US national team, missed a spot buy one place, as she ran 2:03.01 to finish third.
Nia Akins of the Brooks Beasts was seventh in the race, as she ran 2:05.88.
The men's 1500 saw Henry Wynne of the Brooks Beasts finish third in 3:39.60, while Washington volunteer coach Sam Prakel was fourth in 3:39.92. Washington State's Colton Johnsen was 12th in 3:51.79.
Olympian Devon Allen finished fourth in the finals of the 60 hurdles, running 7.55, as Grant Holloway continued his undefeated streak, running 7.37, and tying the meet record.
Current Washington State hurdlers Sam Brixey (7.73), and Nick Johnson (7.89), along with Eastern Washington alum Parker Bowden (7.83) did not advance to the finals out of the preliminary heats.
WSU alum Kiana Davis finished fourth in the triple jump with a season best of 42-4.25 (12.91m).
Complete results of the USATF indoor championships are available here.
FOREIGN NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS
In Birmingham, England, Washington alum Amy-Eloise Markovc won the British national championship in the 3000 in 9:04.26 to earn her spot on the British world championships team in three weeks. Markovc had run under the world indoor standard of 8:49.00 earlier this season, but needed a top two finish to ensure her place on the UK squad.
In Pombal, Portugal, Marta Pen Freitas of the Brooks Beasts won the Portuguese national title in the 1500 on Saturday, running a season best 4:09.23, just short of the world championships indoor standard of 4:09.00.
NOTE: USA Track & Field, World Athletics, British Athletics and the sports information office of Boston University contributed to this report.
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