Brandon Miller wins 800m at LA Grand Prix; WSU's Laura Harmon moves on to Iowa State...
Competing in the 800 meters at the USATF LA Grand Prix meet Sunday afternoon at Allyson Felix Field and Katherine Loker Track on the USC campus, Kerr latched onto pacemaker Alex Amankwa of Ghana just after the 400, which was run in 51.16, while Kerr went through the 400 in 52.09.
After Amankwa dropped out at 450, it was Kerr leading the pack down the backstretch, with Beasts teammate Brandon Miller in fourth.
Kerr led the group through 600 in 1:18.8. Miller, who was on the rail, swung wide near the top of the turn, and shot past everyone exiting the turn and ran all the way to the victory in a season best 1:43.94.
Hsndal Rohan of Saint Vincent finished second in 1:45.32, and Donavan Brazier shot past Kerr before the finish line to take third in 1:45.41. Kerr was fourth in 1:45.46.
"I did my best to stay patient", alluding that the field didn't go with the pacer, who ran at 1:42 pace. "If we had gone out faster, I feel I would have run faster," Miller told NBC's Lewis Johnson in the post-race interview.
Courtesy of NBC Sports, here is video of the race:
Washington alum Gianna Woodruff finished third in the 400 hurdles, as she returned to the school where she worked on her graduate degree.
Training partners Anna Cockrell and Dalilah Muhammad went 1-2, running 53.43 and 53.65, respectively. Woodruff stopped the photo finish timer in 54.48.
Woodinville native Olivia Markezich finished sixth in the 3000 steeplechase, as the Bear Creek School and Notre Dame grad ran 9:30.93.
Gabrielle Jennings won the race in a meet record 9:11.72.
SATURDAY NIGHT'S LA DISTANCE CLASSIC HIGHLIGHTS...
As part of the USATF LA Grand Prix, Ridgefield's Trey Knight threw the hammer in the only field event contested in the LA Distance Classic portion of the meet Saturday.
Knight finished fifth with a best throw of 257-8 (78.54m)
Sam Wnitmarsh of the Brooks Beasts won his section of the mens 800 in a season best 1:47.76.
Valery Tobias was third in the top section of the women's 800 in 1:59.72. The B section saw Teagan Schein-Becker of the Beasts win in a personal best 1:59.76, while teammate Laura Pellicoro was fourth in 2:02.46.
The men's 3000 steeplechase saw Parker Stokes of the Beasts finish sixth in 8:24.30, while Kenneth Rooks was seventh in 8:38.82.
Washington alums Ronan McMahon-Staggs and Luke Houser were 12th and 13th in the men's 1500 in 3:41.90, and 3:43.22.
Washington alum Kayley DeLay of the Brooks Beasts was eighth in the 5000, running 15:19.92, while Beasts teammate Allie Buchalski was ninth in 15:43.45.
HARMON GOES TO IOWA STATE...
One day after Washington State's Rosemary Longisa (Paul Merca photo) won the NCAA women's 1500 meter title, Iowa State announced that Laura Harmon, the Cougars' head women's cross country coach and track & field assistant, has been hired for the same position.
"This is an exciting day for Iowa State Cross Country and Track & Field," said Iowa State director of track and cross country, Jeremy Sudbury. "Laura Harmon has established herself as one of the brightest and most respected distance coaches in the country, and we are thrilled to welcome her and her family to our community of Ames."
"I am thrilled to join Iowa State University and lead a women's cross country program with a proud tradition of success," said Harmon. "The opportunity to partner with Coach Sudbury and the Iowa State staff was a major factor in my decision. Our visions for the future of Iowa State cross country and track & field align exceptionally well, and our partnership is a natural fit. Together, we will build on an outstanding foundation, provide an exceptional experience for our student-athletes, and pursue the goal of becoming a national championship contender."
At the recently concluded NCAA championships in Eugene, the Cyclones finished sixth as a team with 30 points, led by freshman Mercyline Kirwa, who won the 10000 and finished second in the 5000.
Iowa State also got a pair of fourth place finishes in both the 10000 and 5000 from fellow freshman Betty Kipkore.
In addition to Kirwa and Kipkore, Harmon will inherit Mercy Kibet, who was 20th at the NCAA cross country championships last fall.
The Cyclone women's cross country team has appeared at the NCAA championships 14 of the last 17 seasons.
Harmon's move to Ames naturally calls into question whether or not Longisa, or for that matter, others on the Washington State team, will follow Harmon to Iowa State.
The spring window for track and field athletes to enter the transfer portal opened on May 28 and ends June 26th.
NOTE: USA Track & Field and the sports information offices of Iowa State and Washington State, contributed to this report.
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