ALBUQUERQUE -- The Washington State track and field teams were competing Friday at the Don Kirby Elite/Open at the Albuquerque Convention Center, and at the Husky Classic at the Dempsey Indoor Facility in Seattle.
In the first day at the Kirby, all four Cougar men are among the 16 who advanced from the 60m hurdles 22-man prelims. Abu Kamara (4th - 8.28), CJ Allen (7th - 8.30), Christapherson Grant (12th - 8.32) and Ian Markham (15th - 8.54) will race Saturday morning in the semifinals.
Freshman Ja'Maun Charles was the 16th and final man among the 54 racers to advance from the 60m dash prelims, running a PR time of 6.80. Zach Smith finished 33rd but with a PR time of 6.93 while Ray Littles was 41st in 7.09. Charles also ran a PR in the 200m dash with his 14th-place time of 21.60. Terrance Chambers finished 18th in a time of 21.78 and Ray Littles was 50th with a time of 22.71.
WSU multi events competitors, Alissa Brooks-Johnson and Liz Harper, ran times close to their personal-bests in the 60m hurdles preliminary heats but neither advanced to the semifinals. Harper's time of 8.57 was 17th-best as the top 16 moved one. Brooks-Johnson ran a time of 8.82, 31st among the 66 racers.
In the women's 60m dash prelims, WSU assistant coach Angela Whyte (unattached) ran a time of 7.54, 15th-best among the 81 competitors and she will run in the Saturday semifinals. Cougars and their finishes included Sarah Stavig (24th - 7.61), Regyn Gaffney (21st - PR 7.70), Danielle Darden (38th - 7.75), and Holly DeHart (50th - 7.83). Later in the evening, Dominique Keel ran the top Cougar time in the 200m dash, a PR of 24.04 which was 13th. Also running PR times in the 200m were Gaffney (39th - 24.98), DeHart (56th - 25.52) and Stavig (59th - 25.59). Christiana Ekelem's 25.03 time was 42nd out of the 89 competitors.
Kiana Davis placed 10th in the women's high jump after leaping 5-6 1/2 (1.69m). Greer Alsop long jumped a season-best of 18-2 1/4 (5.54m) and Brooks-Johnson leaped 17-11 (5.46m).
At the Husky Classic meet in Seattle, John Whelan (junior, Etna, Calif.) ran a PR time in the 5000m of 13:59.25 to finish 15th, with Michael Williams' time of 14:14.74 placing 24th and Sam Levora 37th with a PR time of 14:24.54.
Freshman Katherine Dittmann (Snohomish, Wash.) ran a PR time in the women's 5000m of 17:20.87 for 58th out of the 79 racers.
In the men's 35-pound weight throw, Travis Pickett finished 12th with a throw of 57-8 1/4 (17.58m), Adam Mahama was 16th with a PR throw of 55-4 3/4 (16.88m), Wyatt Meyring was 24th with a throw of 50-10 1/4 (15.50m).
Anden Lewis and Dino Dodig tied for sixth in the first flight of the men's pole vault as both cleared the bar at 14-8 1/4 (4.48m)
Both the Don Kirby Elite/Open meet in Albuquerque and the Husky Classic meet in Seattle continue Saturday.