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Eight (!) Huskies duck under 4 minutes in the mile to close day 1 of the UW Invitational...

Joe Waskom (2183) noses out Brian Fay to
win the invitational mile (Kim Spir photo)

SEATTLE--Before the 7:10 pm start of the men's invitational mile to cap off day one of the University of Washington Invitational at the Dempsey Indoor, there was talk among knowledgable followers of the sport that this race could produce something special.

In the mile field were four of the top seven finishers from last year's NCAA 1500 meter final, including reigning champion Joe Waskom, third placer Sam Ellis, fifth placer Luke Houser, and seventh placer Nathan Green.

Add to the mix UW 5000 meter record holder Brian Fay, and 10000 meter record setter Kieran Lumb, with world indoor championship finalist Sam Prakel and two-time world championships team member at 1500 meters Johnny Gregorek as the pacesetters, something big was going to happen.

And happen it did.

Gregorek and Prakel ran the point, taking the group through the quarter mile in 56.3 and the half in 1:56.5. 

After Gregorek pulled off the track short of 1000 meters, Prakel took them through the 1320 in 2:56.3 before moving aside to let Lumb, Waskom, Fay and Ellis battle it out up front.

On the final lap of the 307 meter oval, Waskom and Fay overtook Lumb and Ellis, while Nathan Green, who bided his time, quickly moved up to give chase to Waskom and Fay.

Waskom was momentarily boxed, but got past the slowing Lumb, but was pressured by Fay, then Green on the outside with less than 200 to go.

As they came off the turn, Fay had the advantage, with Green and Waskom neck and neck, but Waskom found some space on the final straightaway to catch and pass Fay, getting the win in a school record, Dempsey facility record, and collegiate leading time of 3:51.90. 

In the process, Waskom took down one of the best facility records, held by Ethiopia's Yomif Kejelcha in 2019, when he ran 3:52.61. He also became the third fastest collegian in history.

Right behind Waskom, Brian Fay crossed in 3:52.03, tied for the fifth-fastest time in NCAA history. Nathan Green, who only broke the 4:00 mark for the first time two weeks ago, ran nearly six seconds faster today, going 3:52.76, for the new No. 7-fastest time ever.

Kieran Lumb was fourth in 3:53.83, which puts him 12th all-time. Sam Ellis, the one Husky out of the eight who was competing unattached due to only having outdoor eligibility remaining, was just .01 behind Lumb in 3:53.84. Luke Houser ran a PR of 3:55.98. Aaron Ahl was seventh in 3:57.94, and Aidan Ryan dipped under the mark as well in eighth in 3:59.55.

Ahl, a transfer from Division II Simon Fraser, and Ryan, a transfer from Division III Williams, became the 11th and 12th Huskies to break 4 minutes in the mile since Andy Powell began coaching the middle and long distance runners in the fall of 2018.

Courtesy of media partner RunnerSpace.com, here's the final quarter of the race, as called by Tom Feuer:



In quotes transcribed by the UW media relations department, Waskom said, "It's pretty special to have eight sub-fours in a single race." 

"We all knew it was possible. But it's tough to do it in the same race. The pacing has to be perfect. (Race pacers) Johnny (Gregorek) and Sam (Prakel) brought us through absolutely perfectly. All of us working hard together, Brian and Nathan pushing me that last 200. It was really hard, but it's so special doing it with your teammates and seeing everyone thrive and succeed around you."

"I thought 3:52-high was in the cards. But having Brian over the last 200-meters pushing me, I just thought 'go with him' and down the stretch I just gave it everything I had."

Waskom, Fay, Green, and Lumb all broke Izaic Yorks' 2016 UW school record of 3:53.89 in the process.

In what was a light schedule of events, Western Washington took the Division II national lead in the distance medley relay, running 9:45.48 to take second behind Oregon's 9:43.27, though they were pressed at the end by Western Oregon, who ended up third in 9:46.23.

Emerald Ridge HS sophomore JaiCeonna Gero-Holt, the US U20 national champ in the heptathlon, won the high jump at 5-9.25 (1.76m), while Beatrice Asomaning won the women's weight throw in a personal best 63-4 (19.30m). 

Ashleigh Helms of Washington won the first section of the women's pole vault with a clearance of 13-5.75 (4.11m) over teammate Holland Pilukas' 13-1.75 (4.01m).

The meet resumes Saturday, with the women's invitational pole vault the feature event, as incoming UW frosh Amanda & Hana Moll are scheduled to jump. Amanda set the national high school record of 15-1 two weeks ago, and Hana is the reigning world U20 champion.


LILAC GRAND PRIX

In Spokane, Isaiah Harris of the Brooks Beasts finished second in the men's 800, running 1:47.27 behind Noah Kibet's winning time of 1:46.74 at the Lilac Grand Prix meet at The Podium Friday night.

Former UW volunteer coach Amos Bartelsmeyer, who moved from the Nike Bowerman AC to the Nike Union Athletics Club, won the men's 1500 in 3:39.90, while Henry Wynne of the Beasts was third in 3:44.62.

In the women's 1500, Washington alum Eleanor Fulton was third in 4:14.63, while UW volunteer coach Alli Cash was fourth in 4:14.86.

Former Brooks Beast David Ribich was second in the men's 3000 in 7:58.34, while current Beast Laurie Barton was sixth in the 800 in 2:05.28.


NOTE: The sports information office of the University of Washington, and the Spokane Sports Commission contributed to this report.

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