WEEKEND ROUNDUP: Josh Kerr takes second in Millrose 2 mile in New York...
In New York, Josh Kerr (Paul Merca photo) of the Brooks Beasts, whose race in the finals of the men's 1500 meters at the Tokyo world championships in September ended with him limping across the finish line due to an injury suffered in the semifinal round, finished second in the two mile at the NYRR Millrose Games Sunday at the Nike Track & Field Center at The Armory,.
Two years ago, Kerr won this race in a world best time of 8:00.67, en route to a silver medal in the 1500 meters at the Olympics in Paris.
After pacer Ben Allen took the field through 1 1/4 miles, Oregon alum Cole Hocker, who beat Kerr in the 1500 at the Paris Olympics, went to the front but was overtaken by Harvard alum US Olympian at 10000 meters Graham Blanks, whose best shot at winning was by going to the front against the faster closers in the field.
Kerr took over the lead with 300 meters to go, with Parker Wolfe and Blanks in pursuit, while Hocker was boxed in.
On the last lap, Wolfe passed Kerr on the outside in the backstretch, and in doing so, gave Hocker room to pass Kerr and attack Wolfe.
Off the final turn, Hocker passed Wolfe on the outside, while Wolfe drifted to the outer edge of lane one, giving Kerr enough room to pass Wolfe. By then, Hocker created enough separation to take the win in 8:07.31.
Kerr was second in 8:07.68, and Wolfe third in 8:07.83.
Courtesy of NBC Sports, here's the race (video may be geo restricted):
In other events, Washington alum Nastassja Campbell finished second in the women's pole vault with a clearance of 14-5.25 (4.40m), as Rutgers alum Chloe Timberg won at 15-1 (4.40m).
John Rivera of the Brooks Beasts finished fifth in the men's 600, running 1:17.67. Teen sensation Cooper Lutkenhaus won in a world leading time of 1:14.15.
In Boston Saturday, Washington alum Luke Houser finished fifth in the invitational mile on the final day of competition at the John Thomas Terrier Classic at the Boston University Track & Tennis Center.
Houser ran 3:52.68, as teen sensation Sam Ruthe of New Zealand took the victory in 3:48.88 to become the youngest man to break 3:50. In the process, Ruthe broke the New Zealand outright national record of 3:49.08 set 44 years ago outdoors in Oslo by John Walker.
Ruthe's training partner, former Husky Sam Tanner, dropped out after experiencing Achilles tendon pain two laps into the race.
Washington alum Brian Fay finished sixth in the invitational 5000 meters, running 13:21.68.
OTHER HIGHLIGHTS...
At the Rick McGuire Invitational in Columbia, Missouri, hosted by the University of Missouri, Gonzaga's Logan Schwartz moved into fourth on the all time fastest 3000 meter list after a 7:58.32 race. He was joined by Ryan Mitchell, who reached fifth all time with a time of 7:59.65.
Coincidentally, Schwartz and Mitchell placed fourth and fifth in the race, won by Austin Dalquist in 7:46.62.
The race marked the first time two Bulldogs have broken 8 minutes in the 3000 in the same race.
At the Inland Northwest Invitational hosted by Whitworth University in Spokane at The Podium, Eastern Washington's Suzi Woodall became the second Eagle in school history to clear 14 feet in the pole vault, clearing exactly 14-0 (4.27m).
Woodall, who started after most of the field were eliminated, took the win at her second height of the day 12-9 (3.89m). After clearing the next bar of 13-3 (4.04m) on her first attempt, she raised the bar to 14-0, which she cleared on her second attempt.
Eastern, which gave several event groups the weekend off from competition, earned nine wins on the day.
NOTE: The Millrose Games and the sports information offices of Gonzaga University and Eastern Washington University contributed to this report.
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