Woodinville native Olivia Markezich runs second fastest collegiate 3000m time in Boston...
BOSTON--If this is any indication of what the 20230-24 indoor season is going to be like, the upcoming season could be one of the most incredible seasons in collegiate track and field.
Woodinville native Olivia Markezich (Paul Merca photo) of Notre Dame, the defending NCAA steeplechase champion, who is fresh off a third place finish two weeks ago at the NCAA cross country championships, ran the second fastest collegiate time ever over 3000 meters Saturday afternoon at the Sharon Colyear-Danville Season Opener at the Boston University Track and Tennis Center.
Markezich ran 8:40.42 to take the early world and collegiate leading mark, running to a six-plus second victory over Harvard's Maia Ramsden, who finished in 8:46.84.
After an opening 68.38 first 400, Markezich settled into a groove, cranking out 69 to 71 second 400s through the middle portion of the race before closing with a final 200 of 31.84.
Her final time of 8:40.42 is the second fastest behind only the 8:35.20 set by Katelyn Touhy of North Carolina State at the Millrose Games in February.
Markezich was one of nine women who dipped under 9 minutes, a mark that usually happens among collegians around the end of January or the first part of February.
Among the nine was former Seattle Pacific All-American Kaylee Mitchell of Oregon State, who ran a personal best 8:51.06 for seventh.
Washington alum Sam Ellis got into the action, winning the men's mile in a world leading time of 3:55.36.
In the men's 3000, Washington alum Kieran Lumb, who last week won the Canadian cross country championship, finished third overall in a time of 7:38.39. The mark is a new national record, breaking the old record established by Mo Ahmed of 7:40.11 set in 2016.
Lumb now owns both the Canadian indoor and outdoor national records in the 3000.
Washington State alum Paul Ryan was ninth overall in 7:48.42.
Other highlights from Boston:
--Gonzaga All American Rosina Machu crushed the school record in the women's 5000, running 15:37.05 to finish 14th in the top section;
--Teammate Alicia Anderson was 42nd overall in the women's 3000, running a school record 9:29.80;
--UW newcomers Perri Bockrath (15:50.23) and India Weir (15:55.53) both ran top-10 marks in the women's 5000;
The bast marks of the day came from the two NCAA cross country champions, as Harvard's Graham Blanks and Florida's Parker Valby both ran collegiate records in the 5000.
Blanks ran 13:03.78 for the win over Stanford's Ky Robinson, who ran 13:06.42. In the process, Blanks ducked under the Olympic Games standard of 13:05.00, and broke the collegiate record of 13:08.28 set by Arizona's Lawi Lalang in 2012.
Valby destroyed the old collegiate record of 15:12.22 set by Emily Sisson of Providence in 2015 with her run of 14:56.11.
CARLEY THOMAS LOWERS 3000M PERSONAL BEST IN MELBOURNE...
At the On Track Nights Zatopek:10 in Melbourne, Australia, Washington's Carley Thomas set yet another personal best in the 3000 Saturday night.
Thomas, who ran 9:07.59 last month in Sydney, finished fourth in a time of 9:05.11, as Maudie Skyring won in 8:55.39.
In the men's 3000, Washington alum Ed Trippas finished ninth in 8:11.72. Matthew Ramsden won in 8:00.20.
NOTE: The sports information offices of Gonzaga, Washington, Boston University, and Athletics Australia contributed to this report.
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