Lake Stevens native Taylor Roe solidifies Tokyo spot with NACAC win...
FREEPORT, Bahamas--Lake Stevens native Taylor Roe (Paul Merca photo) all but assured herself a spot on the line at the Tokyo world championships next month by winning the 10000 meters Friday night at the North American Central American & Caribbean (NACAC) Championships at the Grand Bahama Sports Complex.
Running essentially solo in a four-woman field on her first USA Track & Field senior national team, Roe finished in a time of 32:19.84 as the sun set.
While the time was over 81 seconds from her personal best of 30:58.66 set at The Ten back in March, the victory was significant because of the bonus points awarded for area champions,
Roe's time of 32:19.84 was worth 1122 points on the tables, plus 110 points for winning an area championship for a grand total of 1232 points.
Her time of 30:58.66 for a fourth place finish at The Ten back in March was worth 1194 points, plus 40 points, as that meet was classified as a major international invitational, for a total of 1234 points.
As the 10000 isn't contested as often on the track, only two races within the world championships qualifying period of February 25, 2024-August 24th are needed.
Roe's win gives her a two-race average of 1233 points, which, pending the outcome of any 10000 meter races contested around the world this weekend, moves her to 21st in the Road To Tokyo standings (top 27, with a max of 3 per country, including wild cards).
Going into the weekend, Roe was ranked 26th in the Road to Tokyo standings.
As the third place finisher at nationals, but not holding the qualifying standard of 30:20.00, she will have to wait until World Athletics publishes the final Road to Tokyo standings on August 27th before her spot at the world championships is official and World Athletics extends the invitations to the federations.
In Saturday action at NACAC:
--Brandon Miller of the Brooks Beasts ran from the front for 790 meters of the men's 800, but was passed by Handal Roban of St Vincent & The Grenadines, who ran at Penn State, in the last 10 meters to win in a meet record 1:42.87.
Miller ran 1:43.15, 1/100ths of a second short of his personal best set two weeks ago at the USA championships.
His Beasts teammate John Rivera of Puerto Rico was seventh in 1:47.11.
--Washington State alum CJ Allen held off a late charge by Jamaica's Malik James-King to win the men's 400 hurdles in 48.22 to 48.28.
--Bellevue native and Evergreen State assistant coach Katie Burnett was fourth in the women's 20 kilometer walk in 1:45:16.36.
Sunday, College Place native and Olympic steeplechase bronze medalist Kenneth Rooks and Washington alum Aaron Ahl square off in the finals of that race at 6:15 pm local time (3:15 pm in Seattle).
Washington's incoming grad transfer Chloe Thomas of Canada is entered in the women's 5000, set for Sunday night at 6:50 pm local time (3:50 pm in Seattle).
MEETING VOOR MON RECAP...
In Leuven, Belgium, Washington alum Kayley DeLay of the Brooks Beasts won the women's 3000 at the Meeting Voor Mon Saturday.
With Woodinville native Olivia Markezich in the field as a pacer for On Athletics Club teammate Alicia Monson, DeLay, who did not run the steeplechase this season due to surgery after breaking her arm in April, nearly got her personal best of 8:44.01 set indoors in February, crossing the line in 8:45.63, with Monson second in 8:50.91.
Isaiah Harris of the Beasts finished fifth in the top section of the men's 800 in 1:46.02. Washington alum Justin O'Toole was sixth in 1:46.04, while Brannon Kidder of the Beasts was eighth in 1:46.61.
Former Husky Sam Tanner was fifth in the top section of the men's 1500 in 3:37.30, while Waleed Suliman of the Brooks Beasts was 12th in 3:40.72.
Washington alum Carley Thomas was seventh in her section of the women's 800 in 2:04.01.
SILESIA DIAMOND LEAGUE RECAP...
Washington alum Gianna Woodruff, who was a late add to the field after the withdrawal of Dalilah Muhammad, finished ninth in the women's 400 hurdles at the Kamila Skolimowska Memorial in Silesia, Poland, running 58.47.
Woodruff, who is in contention for a spot in the Wanda Diamond League finals in Zürich in two weeks, did not help her cause. She's currently sixth in the standings in the 400 hurdles with 18 points. A fourth place or higher finish in Silesia would have clinched a spot in the finals.
Femke Bol of The Netherlands ran a 2025 world leading time of 51.91 to take the win.
There is one more 400 hurdles race on the Diamond League tour before the finals, and that's at the Van Damme Memorial in Brussels next Friday.
FALMOUTH TRACK FESTIVAL RECAP...
In Falmouth, Massachusetts, Washington alum Luke Houser took the victory in the elite men's mile at the Falmouth Track Festival Friday night.
Houser navigated his way through a crowded field over the last 150 meters, moving to the outside to take the win in 3:55.15.
“I just had to stay patient,” said Houser, the 2025 World Indoor championships bronze medalist in the 1500m. “I didn’t want to hold anything back getting to the finish line.”
Seattle resident Sam Prakel was fifth in 3:56.00.
In the women's elite mile, Washington grad Eleanor Fulton was third, running 4:28.62, as Angel Piccirillo won in 4:27.97.
NOTE: NACAC, the Meeting Voor Mon, the Wanda Diamond League, and the ASICS Falmouth Road Race contributed to this report.
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