WSU alums CJ Allen & Brock Eager open 2024 outdoor campaign with efforts in Florida & Oklahoma...
Here's a snapshot of what else happened in the world of track and field over the weekend beyond the series of meets in the greater Los Angeles area:
In Gainesville, Florida, Washington State University alum CJ Allen (Paul Merca photo) opened his 2024 outdoor campaign by running in the Olympic Development section of the men's 400 at the Tom Jones Memorial Invitational, hosted by the University of Florida on Saturday.
Allen ran an outdoor personal best of 46.44 to finish third in the fourth section of the event. His all time best in the 400 is 46.07, set indoors in Albuquerque last year.
In Ramona, Oklahoma, Washington State alum Brock Eager finished fourth in the hammer at the Oklahoma Throws Series World Invitational Sunday, throwing a best of 243-5 (74.19m).
Eager got his season opening best throw in the third round, and reached the 240-foot mark in round 5, throwing 241-10 (73.72m). Eager has the US Olympic Trials qualifying mark in hand already, with his best since the qualifying period opened July 1st 243-8 (74.28m), set at last year's national championships in Eugene.
Daniel Haugh won the event with a best of 259-3 (79.03m).
The highlight of the Oklahoma Throws Series World Invitational was the world record in the men's discus set by Lithuanian Mykolas Alekna, who threw 243-11 (74.35m) Sunday to extinguish the previous world record of 243-0 (74.08m) set by Jürgen Schult of East Germany in 1986.
According to the World Athletics website, Alekna's mark was initially measured at 244-1 (74.41m) before being adjusted down. That said, the official results still have it at 244-1 (74.41m).
Alekna, a two-time world championships medalist, is the reigning Pac-12 champion in the discus for the University of California, but is redshirting this season
On Saturday, Cuba's Yaime Perez produced the longest discus throw in the world since 1989 to triumph with a stunning 239-9 (73.09m).
In Adelaide, Australia, Washington alum Izzi Batt-Doyle finished fourth in the finals of the women's 5000 at the Australian national championships Sunday afternoon.
Batt-Doyle ran 15:26.72, as Rose Davies won the national title in 15:21.62.
On Saturday, Ed Trippas, who was a grad student at Washington last year, didn't finish in the finals of the 3000 steeplechase.
Washington senior Carley Thomas, who was entered in the women's 800, did not compete in the Australian national championships.
In Portland, Central Washington earned wins in the women's 100, 100 hurdles, discus, high jump, & the 4 x 400 relay, along with the men's 800 and triple jump at the Lewis & Clark Larry Byerly Invitational on the campus of Lewis & Clark College.
Josh Boast of Central ran a GNAC conference leading time of 54.45 to finish second in the 400 hurdles, while Wes Kriete threw 52-4.5 (15.96m) to get second in the men's shot put, and take the GNAC lead.
Saint Martin's Cassidy Walchak-Sloan finished second in the women's 1500 in 4:29.05 to highlight the Saints' efforts in the meet. Her mark is number two in the conference after this weekend's meets.
NOTE: The sports information offices of the University of Florida and Central Washington University, as well as World Athletics, Athletics Australia, and the Oklahoma Throws Series contributed to this report.
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