Drew Windle advances to semis in 800 meters....

LONDON--On a slightly drizzly afternoon that appears suspiciously like a typical spring day int the Puget Sound area, Drew Windle (left/photo by Paul Merca)  of the Seattle-based Brooks Beasts advanced to the semis in the first round of the men's 800 at the IAAF World Track & Field Championships at London Stadium.

Windle ran 1:46.08 to take third in heat one to advance to Sunday’s semi-final.  In typical fashion, Windle was seventh at the 400 meter mark, going through in 52.89, 1.28 seconds behind leader Andreas Kramer of Sweden.

He then made up the gap, but was in sixth at the 600 meter mark, but made his charge over the last 200.  

For a brief moment in the final straightaway, Windle, who was on the inside, would get boxed in, but there was a bit of an opening created by winner Kipyegon Best of Kenya and second place finisher Kramer that Windle shot past a group of three to get third and the automatic qualifying spot.

“I felt awful going into it, but these preliminary heats come down to fitness. My fitness is there, and I relied on it to get one of those three spots.  The most important part is that I survived to tomorrow.”

On the last part of the race, Windle said that he anticipated that a gap would open up, but he battled with himself, asking himself if he should go wide or stay to the inside, but there was a gap was there for him to slip past the pack.

“I felt flat, which is typical when you’re racing rounds, so hopefully that sparks the legs up for tomorrow.”

On what to expect tomorrow, he said, “I can’t get gapped like I did today, and I need to be much closer with 300 to go so that I can respond to those moves and be in the mix with 150 to go.”

Sunday will be a busy day for athletes with Washington ties, as Federal Way resident and Bonney Lake HS grad Jordin Andrade goes in the first round of the men’s 400 hurdles for Cape Verde at 11:05 am local time (3:05 am in Seattle). 

Three hours later, University of Washington graduate Lindsay Flanagan will run through the streets of London in the women’s marathon, while Skyview/Vancouver graduate and seven-time US national champion Kara Winger throws in the qualifying round of the women’s javelin.

Windle will run in the semis at 9:15 pm local time (1:15 pm in Seattle).

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