Brooks Beasts sweep 800s at Portland Track Festival...
GRESHAM, Oregon--Nia Akins (Paul Merca photo) of the Seattle based Brooks Beasts emerged victorious in the women's 800 Sunday night at the Portland Track Festival at Mount Hood Community College east of Portland.
In a race that featured Olympic bronze medalist and Oregon alum Raevyn Rogers, Akins took the race to Rogers, staying with her until the final 150 before pulling away for the win in her outdoor season debut at this distance.
The Penn alum stopped the clock at 1:59.37, the sixth fastest time by an American so far this season. It's also her second fastest career outdoor season opener, behind her 1:58.82 season debut last year. The time was well under the qualifying standard of 1:59.80 for this summer's world championships in Budapest, though she already had the standard in hand, when she ran 1:59.32 on August 30, 2022 in Rovereto, Italy.
Seattle resident Rebecca Mehra of Oiselle was seventh in the race in 2:04.35.
Josh Kerr of the Beasts, the Olympic bronze medalist at 1500 meters, won the men's 800 in a modest time of 1:46.62.
The Briton led the Beasts to a sweep of the top three places, with Devin Dixon (1:46.72) and Isaiah Harris (1:46.91) behind Kerr.
Kyle Langford of the Beasts finished eighth in 1:49.70, two places behind Seattle resident Derek Holdsworth, who ran 1:47.86.
In the final race of the evening, Arkansas alum Amon Kemboi of Puma Elite and Kenya nipped former Oregon standout and Tokyo Olympian Cole Hocker to win the Nike men's 1500 in 3:34.12 to 3:32.14.
Behind the duo, Johnny Gregorek, who is coached by UW men's head coach Andy Powell finished third in a personal best 3:34.55. Amos Bartelsmeyer, who was a volunteer assistant under Powell at Washington in the 2019-20 season, was fourth in 3:34.39, also a personal best.
Current UW volunteer coach Sam Prakel was fifth in 3:34.63, good for a personal best, while recent UW grad Kieran Lumb also snagged a PB in eighth at 3:35.43, just in front of Henry Wynne of the Brooks Beasts at 3:35.45.
Dillon Maggard of the Beasts finished 12th in 3:37.17, just ahead of former UW volunteer coach and 2016 Olympic gold medalist Matthew Centrowitz at 3:38.20.
Other highlights:
--UW volunteer coach Alli Cash was third in the top section of the women's 1500 in 4:08.60, while Portuguese Olympian Marta Pen Freitas of the Brooks Beasts was eighth in 4:11.51;
--In the high performance section of the men's 5000, Washington freshman Evan Jenkins of Camas, who redshirted this school year, won the race in 13:54.65.
In Hengelo, Netherlands, Washington State alum CJ Allen took the victory in the 400 hurdles at Sunday's Fanny Blankers-Koen meet.
Allen who came off a victory at the USATF LA Grand Prix with a personal best 47.91 last week at UCLA, ran to a time of 48.24, as he continues to insert himself into the conversation for one of the three spots for Team USA at this summer's world championships in Budapest.
In the mixed zone afterwards, the former Cougar told reporters, "I am running fast, so no complaints for me. It is obviously a great atmosphere out here. At any time you are out in front, there is pressure: it gives other athletes the chance to chase after you. I am always focused on executing my race plan, and my race plan alone."
Former Renton resident Devon Allen finished second in the 110 hurdles in another season best, as he ran 13.12 to finish behind current world champion Grant Holloway's 13.03.
NOTE: The Portland Track Festival, World Athletics & the Fanny Blankers-Koen Meeting contributed to this report.
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