Katie Mackey wins USATF One Mile Road Championship...

DES MOINES, Iowa—University of Washington alum Katie Mackey (above/photo courtesy Drake University) of the Brooks Beasts was a surprising winner of the USATF 1 Mile Road Championship at the Grand Blue Mile to kick off the Drake Relays through the streets of downtown Des Moines Tuesday evening.

Beasts teammate Hannah Fields went to the lead, along with Olympian Shannon Rowbury and Amanda Eccleston.

In the last quarter mile, Rowbury started her drive to the finish. as Mackey tried to cover the move.

As the field approached the finish, Mackey darted past Fields, and caught Rowbury and Eccleston with less than 100 meters remaining to take the win in 4:37.0 with Eccleston second at 4:37.4 and Rowbury third at 4:37.6.

Fields was sixth at 4:41.7, while Washington alum Eleanor Fulton was 13th at 4:46.8.

In the men’s mile, a group of nine took turns with the lead as they spread out across the width of the road, with Garrett Heath of the Brooks Beasts and former Beasts teammate Riley Masters most notable among the early front runners.

Olympic 800m bronze medalist Clayton Murphy, fresh off anchoring Team USA’s winning 4 x 800 relay squad in the Bahamas a few days earlier, made a late charge, to take the win in 4:00.0, just ahead of former Beast Masters’ 4:00.3.

Heath was fourth in 4:01.4, while Beasts teammate and UW alum Izaic Yorks ws seventh in 4:02.1. Drew Windle of the Beasts was 14th in 4:12.1.


NOTE:  USA Track & Field and the Drake Relays contributed to this report.

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