Women's Recap: Brooks Beasts Allie Buchalski, Kayley DeLay Go 1-2 In Women's 3,000 Meters

By Keenan Gray of DyeStat

PHOTOS by John Decker

SEATTLE – Not many were prepared for the outcome Washington’s Carley Thomas put together in the women’s mile Saturday at the Dempsey Indoor Facility in Seattle, but head coach Maurica Powell saw it coming from afar.

Powell simply put it: “Don’t sleep on Carley Thomas”.

The Australian 800-meter specialist posted a nation-leading 4 minutes, 30.38 to come away with the win in her season debut at the UW Indoor Preview, beating world class athletes and a trio of Oregon All-Americans in the 1,500 meters last spring.

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Thomas’ outcome was a six-second drop from her previous best.

“Today was just about competing,” Thomas said. “Making sure I was strong right through the line.”

A collision between Oregon newcomer Dalia Frias and Nike’s Gabriela DeBues-Stafford created separation from Washington’s Thomas, Oregon’s Klaudia Kazimierska, Maddy Elmore and Mia Barnett and Brooks’ Nia Akins midway through the race where the pace ramped up.

Heading into the final lap, Kazimierska and Akins took the lead, trading back and forth on the back stretch as Thomas watched patiently from behind until a sense of urgency kicked in over the final 200.

“I got into a nice rhythm,” she said. “I held on and sat in for a while. Then, I felt the energy started to come and make my move. I responded pretty well.”

Thomas, who ran 1:59.95 in the 800 in Italy last July and 9:05 in the 3,000 back home in Australia in December, led Kazimierska to the No. 2 time in the country in 4:31.87 for second, while Akins, who ran at Worlds for the United States in the 800 last August, dipped 10 seconds under her previous lifetime best to run 4:32.08 for third.

Oregon’s Maddy Elmore posted a fourth-place effort of 4:33.04 to move to No. 3 in the country, with teammate Mia Barnett running 4:37.89 in her Oregon debut to place fifth overall and the seventh best time in the nation.

Allie Buchalski and Kayley DeLay went 1-2 for the Brooks Beasts in the women’s 3,000, with Buchalski winning in 8:55.46 and DeLay finishing next to her in 8:55.89. Canadian 5,000-meter champion Briana Scott took home third in 8:57.52, while Stanford freshman Amy Bunnage was fourth in 9:03.21, ranking her No. 11 in the nation.

Washington’s Chloe Forester impressed in her 3,000 debut, running 9:05.24 for fifth place.

Portland’s Laura Pellicoro held off the late attack from Oregon’s Ella Nelson in the final meters to win the women’s 1,000 in a nation-leading 2:42.51, with Nelson running 2:42.61. 

Oregon’s Jadyn Mays ran two top-10 efforts to headline the Ducks’ sprint crew with wins in the 60 and 200. Mays posted the No. 2 time in the 60 in 7.24, then ran 23.60 in the 200 to place her at No. 9 in the nation.

Aaliyah McCormick won the 60 hurdles to add to Oregon’s win total, running 8.26 for the 13th best time in the country.

Stanford sophomore standouts Juliette Whittaker and Roisin Willis won their respective races, with Whittaker running a nation-leading 2:02.67 in the women’s 800 and Willis running the No. 6 400 time with 53.56.

Both said the weekend was all about opening the season with a good effort with no expectations or pressure. 

Nastassja Campbell led four Washington women to the top four spots in the women’s pole vault, with Campbell winning at a height of 13-11.25 (4.25m). Sara Borton was second at 13-7.25 (4.15m), with Avril Wilson placing third at 13-1.50 (4.00m) and Sarah Ferguson placing fourth at 13-1.50 (4.00m)

Washington’s Beatrice Asomaning threw 67-0 (20.42m) to win the women’s weight throw competition by more than five meters.

JaiCieonna Gero-Holt, a junior at Emerald Ridge WA, cleared 6-1.25 (1.86m) to soar to victory in the women’s high jump with a US#1 mark. Gero-Holt recently announced a commitment to the University of llinois.

Oregon’s Jaida Ross set a meet record in the shot put with a throw of 59-7.75.