Josh Kerr of the Brooks Beasts runs season best, but finishes fifth in fast 1500m at worlds...

EUGENE--At the halfway point of the ten day event, Josh Kerr (Paul Merca photo) of the Seattle based Brooks Beasts finished fifth in the finals of the 1500 meters Tuesday night at the World Athletics Championships at Historic Hayward Field on the campus of the University of Oregon.

Much like last year's Olympic final in Tokyo, the pace was fast from the get-go, with Kenya's Abel Kipsang and Australian Stewart McSweyn running the point through the first 400 at 55.51, with Kerr tucked in ninth at 56.38.

Pre-meet favorite Jakob Ingebrigtsen of Norway went to the front with two laps to go as the pace slowed slightly to 1:52.04.

As they moved up towards the bell, Kerr was in position to cover any potential moves. Olympic champion Jakob Ingebrigtsen went to the front as the bell sounded to the field, with 56.24 the split on the 400.

With 200 meters to go, Kerr's British teammate Jake Wightman got to the front, just ahead of Ingebrigtsen, and stayed there, winning in a world leading time of 3:29.23. 

Ingebrigtsen was second at a season best 3:29.47, while Mohamed Katir of Spain was third in a season best 3:29.90.

Kerr finished fifth in a season best time of 3:30.60.

Afterwards, Kerr said, "It was a hard, hard race. I gave it my all, and fifth was the best I could do today."

“It was world record pace for the first 400m and you’ve got to settle in and make good decisions. I think I made those sorts of decisions but maybe I wasn’t fit enough to run and go win it from the front. But I can’t be disappointed with that because I gave everything I had today."

Washington alum Gianna Woodruff (Paul Merca photo), competing in the third of five qualifying heats in the 400 hurdles, moved to Wednesday's semifinals, as she ran 55.21 to finish third in a heat won by Femke Bol of the Netherlands in 53.90.

On Wednesday, Vancouver native Kara Winger gets things going in the first flight of the women's javelin, as she throws at 3:20 pm.

At 4:25 pm, Washington alum Amy-Eloise Markovc runs in the first of two semifinals in the women's 5000 meters, while fellow alum Woodruff goes in the third semifinal of the 400 hurdles at 6:33 pm, with a spot in Friday's finals on the line.

Day five results are available on the World Athletics microsite, which can be accessed here.

NOTE: World Athletics, British Athletics and the Oregon22 organizing committee contributed to this report.

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