Husky alum Mel Lawrence & Pasco HS standout Marisa Howard go under world champs standard...

LOS ANGELES—University of Washington alum Mel Lawrence (left/photo by Paul Merca) won the steeplechase Thursday night at the USATF Distance Classic at Jack Kemp Stadium on the campus of Occidental College.

Lawrence, who now resides in Bend, Oregon, led Pasco HS alum and Oiselle teammate Marisa Howard across the line, running 9:40.20, with Howard second in 9:40.40.

More significantly, both Lawrence and Howard dipped under the IAAF world championship qualifying standard of 9:42.00.

No other runners with Washington ties went under the USA outdoor qualifying standard, with only Washington alum Izaic Yorks coming close in the men’s 800, where he was 9/100ths short, running 1:47.59.


In Tucson, Washington alum Kyle Nielsen finished fourth in the javelin at the Tucson Elite throwers meet,  

The British Columbia native, who is looking for the world championship standard of 272-3 (83.00m), threw 244-1 (74.40m).

In the women’s hammer, Spokane native Britney Henry finished sixth with a best of 213-0 (64.93m), as she looks for the USATF outdoor championship standard of 219-9 (67.00m).

The Tucson Elite meet resumes Saturday. Results from Thursday’s session are available here.

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