Stars deliver three world-leading performances at season opening UW Indoor Preview...

SEATTLE—The stars came to the Dempsey Saturday.



And the stars delivered as the University of Washington opened the gates of the Dempsey Indoor to open the Huskies’ 2018 indoor track and field season.



Shalane Flanagan (left/photo by Paul Merca), the four-time US Olympian, 2008 Olympic silver medalist in the 10000, and the winner of the 2017 TCS New York City Marathon, returned to the

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And now...the 2017 Mercanator Awards!

While December was a slightly busier month for the blog than in past years (there were 13 posts that month, the most since 2010), we were able to take some time off to enjoy the holidays.



As many of you long time readers know, I tend not to post much in December, as I focus on family, my job, and my free lance gig covering NFL football for the television networks.



That said, it is now

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Thirteen athletes with Washington ties earn US top-10 rankings from Track & Field News...

Drew Windle of the Seattle-based Brooks
Beasts earned his first US top-10
ranking from Track & Field News
(Paul Merca photo)


Track & Field News revealed its 2017 world and national rankings in its annual issue sent to its subscribers Friday.



Thirteen men and women with ties to the state of Washington received a national top-10 ranking by the magazine, which is based on honors won, win-loss

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Former WSU assistant coach Angela Whyte added to Team Canada for world champs...

Former Washington State University assistant track coach Angela Whyte (left/photo courtesy Athletics Canada) was named Friday by Athletics Canada to its squad that will compete at the IAAF World Track & Field Championships in London beginning a week from Friday.



The veteran Whyte, a fixture on national teams since 2001, won the Canadian national championship title in Ottawa earlier this

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Efraimson gets season best; Mel Lawrence PR's in 5000m at Heusden...

In Heusden, Belgium, Camas’ Alexa Efraimson (left/photo by Paul Merca) scored a season best in the 1500 meter run Saturday night at the Nacht van de Atletiek meeting.



Efraimson finished sixth in a time of 4:04.63, eclipsing her previous season best of 4:06.12 set six days ago in Padova, Italy.



US Olympian Colleen Quigley of the Portland based Bowerman TC won the race in a time of 4:03.93

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Pasco native Marisa Howard wins steeple in Lapinlahti...

In Lahpinlahti, Finland, Pasco HS alumna Marisa Howard (left/photo by Paul Merca) scored a big personal best as she won the 3000 steeplechase at the Savo Games in the Finnish town Sunday.

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Howard, paced by Washington alum Mel Lawrence and

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Alexa Efraimson wins 1500m at Morton Games in Dublin...

DUBLIN, Ireland—Camas resident Alexa Efraimson (left/photo by Paul Merca) won the women’s 1500 Wednesday night at the Morton Games in the Irish capital city.



Efraimson, who has a season best of 4:06.16 set at the TrackTown Summer Series stop in Palo Alto almost two weeks ago, ran 4:06.73 to take the win over Melissa Courtney of Great Britain, who ran 4:07.02.



Natalja Piliusina of the

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Devon Allen gets back to winning ways in Luzern...

In Luzern, Switzerland, former Renton resident Devon Allen (above/photo by Kirby Lee, Image of Sport) won the A section of the men’s 110 hurdles at the Spitzen Leichtathletik meeting Tuesday night.



Allen, who was fourth at the IAAF Diamond League stop in London on Sunday, had a bit of a slow start, but made up ground in the middle of the race and closed for the win in a time of 13.31 over

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UW alum Aaron Nelson sets PR in steeple, while fellow alum Mel Lawrence wins in Letterkenny...

With the TrackTown Summer Series in the rear view mirror, many of the state’s professional track and field athletes are eying competitions on the European continent.



While not quite as glamorous as the IAAF Diamond League circuit, Washington alum Aaron Nelson (left/photo by Paul Merca) finished second in the 3000 steeplechase Friday at the Letterkenny International Track & Field Meeting in

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Efraimson finishes fifth in 1500 at USATF outdoor championships...

SACRAMENTO—Camas native Alexa Efraimson (left/photo by Paul Merca) finished fifth in the1500 at the USATF Outdoor Track and Field Championships Saturday afternoon on a hot day at Hornet Stadium on the campus of Sacramento State University, with temperatures hovering around the mid-90 degrees, slightly below temperatures on the previous two days.



Efraimson positioned herself well over the

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List #6--Washington affiliated athletes qualified for the US Olympic Trials...

Baylee Mires poses next to the scoreboard indicating thatshe qualified for the US Olympic Trials in the 800mat the Brooks PR meet (Paul Merca photo)


Below is a list of Washington affiliated athletes who have achieved qualifying marks for the 2016 US Olympic Track & Field Trials in Eugene, Oregon starting July 1-10, 2016.



Washington affiliated athletes are those who attended high school,

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