Washington State's Micaela De Mello impressive again at Hayward Premiere...

EUGENE--Washington State freshman Micaela De Mello (photo courtesy WSU Athletics) is making track and field followers, especially in the Pacific Northwest take notice.

De Mello, fresh off setting the Washington State school record in the 100 hurdles two weeks ago at the Baldy Castillo Invitational in Tempe, got her first taste of running at Historic Hayward Field at Saturday's Hayward Premiere, in anticipation of running there at least three more times this season at the Pac-12s, NCAAs, and the world championships.

The freshman from Brazil set a meet record 13.30, obliterating the field by over a half second.

Before entering Washington State, De Mello finished fourth in the South American Championships in Guayaquil, Ecuador last year, and ran on Brazil's 4 x 100 relay team that won the gold medal.

She was fourth at the Pan Am U23 championships in Cali, Colombia in December, and has a personal best of 12.94, plus a wind-aided mark of 12.75, both set last year.

From a time standpoint, her major goal is to get under 12.84, which is the qualifying standard for the world championships, so she can be considered for Brazil's team for the world championships.

Teammate Antonia Buschendorf from Germany finished third in 14.01.

Other highlights of the Hayward Premiere:

--On the women's side, the Cougars' Aislinn Overby won the high jump with a meet record 5-10 (1.78m), currently second in the Pac-12, while Mackenzie Fletcher won the 400 hurdles in 60.67.

Elena Willems and Elise Unruh-Thomas went 2-3 in the women's 400, running 55.87 and 56.47. Neema Kimtai won the women's open 800 in 2:07.24, and the Cougar women ended the meet by winning the 4 x 400 relay in 3:45.38. 

For the men, Mitch Jacobson was second in the high jump at 6-10.75 (2.10m). while Jared McElvey was second in the 400 hurdles in 52.47. 

--Eastern Washington's Daniel Gaik was second in the men's 400, running 47.24, while teammate Liam Bracken was fifth in 48.79.  Joe Gauthier, was fifth in the 100 dash in 10.66, just ahead of Seattle University's Isaiah Payne in 10.73.

--In the women's 400 hurdles, GNAC leader McCall DeChenne of Central Washington was sixth in 62.89.

Complete results of the Hayward Premiere are available here.

In Bellingham, Western Washington athletes won 20 events as it hosted the Western Washington Team Challenge at Civic Field in Bellingham Saturday.

On the track, the top marks came from Drew Weber (1:51.78), Mac Franks (1:52.49) and Callahan Warren (1:53.21) in the 800, all of whom ran Friday in the Mike Fanelli Track Classic in San Francisco.

Koby Okezie in the 110 hurdles (14.96), and Jaden Edwards (54.60) in the 400 hurdles also had strong performances.

In the field events, the top marks came from the Vikings' Annie Tran in the pole vault (11-5.75/3.50m), Matty Lagerway in the long jump (18-3.75/5.58m), Amanda Short in the javelin (155-9/47.48m) for the women, and Jaydon Tryon (190-9/58.15m) in the javelin.

Complete results of the Western Washington Team Challenge are available here.

In Sydney, Australia, a trio of athletes with University of Washington ties competed in the Australian national track and field championships this week.

Saturday, current Husky Carley Thomas was sixth in the 800 in her attempt to put herself back on Australia's team for the world championships, as she ran 2:06.94.

UW alum and Tokyo Olympian Izzi Batt-Doyle was fifth in the women's 5000 Saturday, running 15:10.97, while Mick Stanovsek was fourth in the men's 1500 on Friday, running 3:43.93.

Results of the Australian national championships are available here. You can watch their races by clicking on their names, which will take you to Athletics Australia's YouTube channel.

NOTE: The sports information offices of Western Washington, Washington State, Eastern Washington, along with Athletics Australia contributed to this report.

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