THE WEEKEND AHEAD: Josh Kerr returns to Millrose; Beasts at B.U., and Riverfront Invitational & Multis on tap...
The Millrose Games in New York, the Bruce Lehane Scarlet & White Invitational in Boston, and the Riverfront Invitational and Multis at The Podium in Spokane are the big meets on tap this weekend for Washington's pro and collegiate athletes.
One of the nation's oldest continuous indoor track meets takes center stage at the Nike Track & Field Center at The Armory in New York, as the Millrose Games, now in its 117th edition, brings some of the world's top track and field talent to the Big Apple.
Josh Kerr of Seattle's Brooks Beasts, the reigning world champion at 1500 meters and Paris Olympic silver medalist at that distance, faces a field in the Wanamaker Mile that includes American Yared Nuguse, who finished one spot behind him in the Paris 1500 Olympic final, as well as American Hobbs Kessler, who was fifth.
At last year's Millrose, Kerr moved up in distance to the two mile, where he set a world indoor best of 8:00.67 (photo by Jane Monti/Brooks Running)
Also in the field is Australia's Cam Myers, who set the world U20 record in the mile of 3:53.12 two weeks ago, along with Andrew Coscoran of Ireland and Kerr's Beasts teammate Henry Wynne.
Former Pullman resident and two time world champion Katie Moon is the headliner in the women's pole vault as she goes against rising star Chloe Timberg of Rutgers, and fellow Americans Emily Grove and Gabriela Leon.
Olympian Brandon Miller of the Brooks Beasts drops down in distance for a shot at the world record in the infrequently run 600, where he'll face prep sensation and Olympic relay gold medalist Quincy Wilson of Bullis HS in Maryland and fellow Olympian Isaiah Jewett, who also drops down from the 800.
Woodinville native Olivia Markezich runs in the women's 3000 in a field that includes Olympic 1500m medalist and former Oregon All-American Jessica Hull of Australia, along with fellow Americans Courtney Wayment and Katelyn Tuohy. Former Brooks Beast Laurie Barton, now competing for the Atlanta TC, is also in the field.
Another former Brooks Beast, Nia Akins, is in the women's 800, where she'll face Addy Wiley, Sage Hurta-Klecker, Sammy Watson and Kaela Edwards.
Akins announced on her Instagram account that she is now sponsored by Hoka, after leaving the Beasts following the Olympics.
NBC Sports (KING 5 in Seattle) will televise the Millrose Games starting at 1 pm, Pacific time.
BRUCE LEHANE SCARLET AND WHITE INVITATIONAL...
While Josh Kerr, Henry Wynne and Brandon Miller are in New York at the Millrose Games, the majority of the Brooks Beasts will compete at Boston University at the Track & Tennis Center for the Bruce Lehane Scarlet and White Invitational, as they look to hit the qualifying standards for both the world indoor championships next month in Nanjing, China, and the USATF Indoor championships in two weeks in New York.
Action gets underway in Boston at 7:30 am Pacific, and goes until approximately 4:25 pm Pacific time. Flotrack ($) will stream the meet.
Lake Washington HS grad Dillon Maggard opens competition up for the Beasts in the men's 5000. He's also entered in the men's 3000, which is one of the last individual events on the program, along with Waleed Suliman and Parker Stokes.
In the women's 800, Teagan Schein-Becker and Valery Tobias are entered, while Isaiah Harris, Brannon Kidder, and new addition John Rivera will run the men's 800.
USATF club cross country champ and runner-up Allie Buchalski and Kayley DeLay are both entered in the women's 3000, while two-time Portuguese Olympian Marta Pen Freitas, who opened her 2025 season last week at the UW Invitational, will run the mile.
Pen Freitas's 2024 season ended early after she was diagnosed with breast cancer.
Finally, former Washington Husky Sam Tanner, who ended up running as a pacer in the 3000 at last week's New Balance Indoor GP, is entered in the men's mile.
RIVERFRONT INVITATIONAL & MULTIS...
Close to home, The Podium in Spokane hosts the annual Riverfront Invitational and Multis, which started Thursday with the women's pentathlon and the first day of the men's heptathlon.
The women's pentathlon was won by Colorado's Allie Routledge, who scored 4120 points.
Eastern Washington's Ella Seelhoff finished 16th with a five-event total of 2931 points.
Justice Fair of Grand Canyon leads the men's heptathlon at the break with a four-event score of 3027 points.
The main portion of the meet starts Friday with action on the track in the 800, 200, 5000 and distance medley relays, and on the field with the weight throw, high jumps and long jumps, plus the final three events of the heptathlon.
All other events will be contested on Saturday.
Teams from Gonzaga, Eastern Washington, Washington State, Central Washington, Saint Martin's, and Seattle Pacific (vaulters only) will compete at The Podium.
Washington State alum Ray Ray Wells is entered in the 60 meter dash, where he'll look to improve upon his season opening time of 6.55 set three weeks ago at the UW Preview.
He returns to the same Podium track where he ran a then-world leading time of 6.48 to win last year's Riverfront Invitational.
Here's the replay of Wells' win last year:
Media partner RunnerSpace.com ($) is streaming the meet starting at 11:45 am on Friday, and 10:00 am Saturday.
NOTE: The Millrose Games, Spokane Sports, and the sports information office of Boston University contributed to this report.
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