Dawgs get two wins; Brixey improves to # 6 in NCAA & The Podium gets its first sub-4 mile...

SPOKANE--
Though they've been overlooked by the distance and throws group, the University of Washington sprinters picked up two victories on the final day of competition at the WSU Invitational at The Podium in downtown Spokane Saturday.

Aaliyah Wilson (Paul Merca photo) of the Dawgs got her second win of the season at The Podium, winning the 60 meter dash in 7.41, beating the time she ran in December on that track, after running 7.42 in the qualifying round.

Freshman Anthony Smith collected another victory at The Podium, as he ran 21.43, dropping 3/10ths of a second off his winning time in December. Smith this season has three straight wins at 200 meters.

Washington State's Sam Brixey won the 60 hurdles in a personal best 7.70, finally taking down his previous best of 7.72 set two years ago in Albuquerque.

Pending the outcome of other meets around the country, Brixey's mark is currently tied for sixth on the NCAA Division I descending order list.

The Podium was rewarded with its first sub-four minute mile, as Montana State's Duncan Hamilton ran 3:59.64, and almost took his teammate Ben Perrin with him. Perrin finished second in 4:01.35.

Hamilton's mark is only the third time that the 4-minute mile barrier has been broken in the city of Spokane, as Oregon alum AJ Acosta and former Brooks Beast Riley Masters did it at the Spokane Summer Games on August 2, 2014 at Spokane Community College. Acosta ran 3:58.07, and Masters 3:59.07.

Swiss Olympian and former NCAA Division III champ Sarah King won the 400 in 54.40.

Rio Olympic long jump gold medalist Jeff Henderson finished fourth in the long jump with a best of 23-5.25 (7.14m) in his first competition of the season. He also ran 6.68 in the prelims of the 60, then false started out of the final.

2019 world championships heptathlon fourth place finisher and Tokyo Olympian Erica Bougard finished second in the finals of the 60 hurdles, running 830, and also finished seventh in the high jump with a best of 5-7.25.


In Lincoln, Nebraska, Washington's Sam Van Peursem finished fifth in the men's shot put at the Frank Sevigne Husker Invitational, hosted by the University of Nebraska.

Van Peursem threw a best of 60-11.25 (18.57m), his best mark of the 2022 season so far. Nebraska senior Burger Lambrechts won with a best of 65-9.5 (20.05m).

The Huskies' Makayla Kelby did not get a mark, as she fouled all three of her throws in the shot put.


Sunday, three athletes with Washington ties will run at the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix at the Ocean Breeze Athletic Complex on Staten Island in New York.

Washington State alum Paul Ryan goes in the mile at 10:25 am Pacific in a field that includes Johnny Gregorek, who is being coached remotely by UW coach Andy Powell, along with New Zealand's Geordie Beamish, and former Oklahoma State standout Colby Alexander, who was third at the Millrose Games last week.

Washington alum and reigning European indoor 3000m champ Amy-Eloise Markovc goes in the women's 3000 at 10:34 am in a race that includes her Reebok Boston teammate and mile revelation Josette Norris, along with Canada's Gabriela Debues-Stafford of the Nike Bowerman TC, and Katrina Coogan.

In one of the final events of the meet, former Renton resident and world number one Devon Allen faces his toughest challenge of the young season so far, as he goes against reigning world outdoor champion Grant Holloway in the 60 hurdles at 10:47 am.

The New Balance Indoor Grand Prix will be televised live on NBC and the NBC Sports App (KING 5  in Seattle) starting at 9 am.


NOTE: Spokane Sports, the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix, and the sports information offices of the University of Nebraska, the University of Washington and Washington State University contributed to this report.

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