Ray Ray Wells could be en route to Nanjing for world indoors...

STATEN ISLAND--
Last year, he finished fourth in this meet, and didn't even qualify for the US Olympic Trials.

This year, Emmanuel "Ray Ray" Wells, the Rainier Beach and Washington State University product, can make the trip to Nanjing, China as a result of finishing third in the 60 meter dash at the USATF Indoor Championships Sunday at the Ocean Breeze Athletic Complex in the shadow of New York City.

In the second of three qualifying heats to advance to the finals, Wells ran 6.58 to take the win.

With Tokyo Olympian Ronnie Baker next to him, Wells got a great start, but Baker reeled him in to win in 6.52, with Coby Hilton second in 6.58 (6.573) and Wells third in 6.58 (6.577).

While Hilton was indeed second ahead of Wells, Hilton currently does not have the qualifying standard to go to Nanjing of 6.55. Wells does have the standard, having run 6.55 at the UW Indoor Preview in January.

Of the eight finalists, only Baker, Wells, and Ajani Dwyer from Penn State have run 6.55 or faster this season.  Hilton would have to run the standard by March 9th to bump Wells off the team.

Courtesy of NBC Sports, here is the video of the men's 60 meter finals:


Seattle's Brooks Beasts will have two members of its squad on the plane to Nanjing, as Valery Tobias and Brandon Miller both placed second in the women's and men's 800s.

Tobias went out aggressively, running the first lap in 28.25, and 59.31 through the first 400.

She picked it up slightly on the third lap, but was reeled in by former Beasts teammate and two time US outdoor champion Nia Akins, who ran an indoor personal best 1:59.31, while Tobias finished in a personal best 1:59.55.

Miller rode the wave of an American record by Josh Hoey, who ran wire to wire in the front, stopping the watch at a world leading time of 1:43.24, while Miller finished second in a personal best 1:44.26.

Beasts teammate Isaiah Harris was fourth in 1:45.64, tying his personal best.

Former Pullman resident Katie Moon won yet another national indoor title in the pole vault, clearing 15-9 (4.80m) on Saturday.

Seattle resident Sam Prakel, who trains under UW men's coach Andy Powell, finished second in the 1500, running 3:39.14 behind Olympian Hobbs Kessler's 3:38.52.

Washington alum Luke Houser was third in 3:39.27, while Henry Wynne of the Brooks Beasts was sixth in 3:41.25.

UW alums Aidan Ryan and Joe Waskom were seventh and eleventh in 3:41.26 and 3:44.60 respectively.

Prakel, Houser, Wynne, Ryan, and Waskom do not have the standard for Nanjing, but have until March 9th to run 3:33.50 (3:50.50 mile) or get themselves ranked on the "Road to Nanjing" top 30. Of the five, only Waskom in in the Road to Nanjing top 30 at number 24.


NOTE: USA Track & Field contributed to this report.

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