Brooks Beasts continue strong showing at USATF champs in 800s...
In the first of two semifinals, Penn State alum Isaiah Harris (photo courtesy Brooks Running), who came west to join the Brooks Beasts after the 2021 season, held his ground coming off the final turn to finish a solid third place in 1:45.92 and earn an automatic qualifier to Sunday's final at 6:26 pm.
A few moments later, Seattle's Derek Holdsworth, a former NCAA Division II All-American at Western Oregon who is unsponsored, apparently finished fourth in the second semifinal in 1:47.53, while Devin Dixon of the Beasts didn't appear to have his usual strong finish, placing eighth in 1:48.33.
Nebraska-Kearney's Wes Ferguson, the apparent winner of the heat in 1:46.82, was disqualified for a lane violation, moving everyone up one spot. Holdsworth moved to third and the automatic qualifying spot to the finals, while Dixon moved to seventh, but did not advance to the finals.
Nia Akins of the Beasts ran a controlled race and won her heat in 2:00.02, which was the fastest time of the day. She'll advance to Sunday's final at 6:18 pm.
Washington State alum CJ Allen and recent UW grad Cass Elliott advanced to Saturday's semifinal round in the men's 400 hurdles.
Allen, the current Wanda Diamond League leader in the 400 hurdles, won his heat in 49.50, while Washington's Jonathan Birchman was eighth in 53.38.
In heat 2, Washington State's Jared McAlvey was sixth in 52.03, and did not advance, while in heat 3, Pac-12 champ Cass Elliott finished fourth in 50.40.
Allen and Elliott will run their semifinal race at 7:10 pm.
Looking ahead to Saturday, action gets underway at 6:30 am, as Vancouver native Daniel Nehnevaj and Bellevue native Katie Burnett are in the 20 kilometer walk.
Washington State alum Brock Eager throws in the finals of the men's hammer at 4:10 pm, while former Renton resident Devon Allen and Eastern Washington alum Parker Bowden race in the first round of the men's 110 hurdles at 5:37 pm.
Washington's Chandler Ault throws in the finals of the men's javelin at 5:50 pm.
Washington grad Anna Gibson and Laurie Barton of the Brooks Beasts run in the finals of the women's 1500 at 6:34 pm, while eleven minutes later, Joe Waskom and Nathan Green of the Huskies, UW volunteer coach Sam Prakel, and Johnny Gregorek, will be joined by Henry Wynne of the Beasts in the finals of the men's 1500.
After the men's 400 hurdles semis, Pasco native Marisa Howard, former Seattle Pacific All-American Kaylee Mitchell, UW grad Kayley DeLay of the Brooks Beasts, and Notre Dame's NCAA champ Olivia Markezich of Woodinville all run in the finals of the women's steeplechase.
Upon the conclusion of the women's steeple, Walla Walla native Kenneth Rooks from BYU goes in the finals of the men's steeplechase.
Results of day 2 of the Toyota USATF Outdoor Track & Field Championships are available here.
USATF U20 DAY 1 RECAP...
In the USATF Under-20 championships that began Friday morning, Emerald Ridge rising junior JaiCieonna Gero-Holt moved to a 130 point lead in the heptathlon with a first day score of 3435 points.
Gero-Holt started the day by running the 100 hurdles in 15.07, then got the only 1000 point score of the day in the high jump, clearing 6-1.5 (1.87m), worth 1067 points.
She then threw the shot 43-5.25 (13.24m) to win her second event of the day, then finished the day by running 26.05 in the 200.
In the high jump, she had three misses at 6-2.75 (1.90m), which would have broken the all time Washington state girls record of 6-2 (1.88m) set by Mary Moore of Issaquah in 1981.
Squalicum's Andre Korbmacher was sixth in the finals of the men's 110 hurdles in 13.57 after running 13.62 in the heats.
INTERNATIONAL HAPPENINGS...
Here's a few items from overseas that we didn't get a chance to post...
In San Salvador, El Salvador, Washington alum Gianna Woodruff finished second in the 400 hurdles at the Central American & Caribbean Games on July 4th, running 56.15.
Also on July 5th, Washington's Ed Trippas won the steeplechase at the Meeting de Braga in Braga, Portugal, running a season best and meet record 8:27.12.
The British championships begin Saturday in Birmingham, England, with several athletes with Washington ties entered.
Olympic 1500m bronze medalist Josh Kerr of the Brooks Beasts is entered in the 800 meters, along with Beasts teammate Kyle Langford. The semis in the 800 happens Saturday, with the finals on Sunday.
Also among the confirmed entries is former Husky Jack Rowe in the men's 5000, set for Saturday.
UW alum Amy-Eloise Markovc is also entered in the women's 5000 on Sunday, as she makes her case for her second trip to the world championships in Budapest after competing in Eugene last year.
NOTE: USA Track & Field, British Athletics, the Portuguese Athletics Federation, and the Central American & Caribbean Games contributed to this report.
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