Strong Debuts For Stanford's Juliette Whittaker, Roisin Wilis; UW School Records For Kieran Lumb, Cass Elliott; Jorinde Van Klinken Competes In Oregon Green For First Time; Kaela Edwards Wins Mile/600 Double; Tyrone Gorze Runs Fifth-Fastest Prep Indoor 3,000

By Doug Binder, DyeStat Editor

SEATTLE -- Matthew Centrowitz raced on an oval Saturday for the first time since August of 2021 at the Washington Indoor Preview, though it was little more than a strenuous workout for the 2016 Olympic 1,500-meter champion. 

Centrowitz, 33, finished fifth in a high quality 1,000 meters and ran 2:22.68. 

That he was back on the track at all, after recovery from meniscus surgery on his knee that eliminated his chance to compete in 2022, was the victory. 

RESULTS/VIDEOS | INTERVIEWS | PHOTOS by Phil Yearian

"It felt fast, even though it was only 1,000 meters, it didn't feel easy at all," Centrowitz said. "It's just a lack of racing. It felt like we went out moderate and then there was a big pick-up in the middle and I couldn't cover it."

Washington's Sam Ellis, a transfer from Princeton running unattached, outkicked NCAA 1,500 champion Joe Waskom for the win, in 2:18.48. Waskom's time was 2:18.77. 

Centrowitz raced a road mile in December in Hawaii, which was his first return to competition since the fall of 2021. 

And he is also recently engaged, with a 2023 wedding planned with girlfriend and physical therapist Lyndsay Provencio. 

Despite the disappointment of missing out on a chance to compete at the World Championships in his former college town last summer, Centrowitz is looking foward to the final chapters of an illustrious career. 

"For me, having the World Championships in my backyard would have been an awesome opportunity, but at the same time, what's great about the sport is there's always something around the corner," he said. "So I'm just looking ahead right now."

He sees 2023 as a year to get back into racing, back in to contention for a U.S. title. 

And in 2024, Centrowitz could have an opportunity to make a fourth U.S. Olympic team. 

"I'm pretty realistic with my body, my capabilities," he said. "I want to get back to winnning U.S. Championships and anything globally is just icing on the cake. I'm focusing on one step at a time.

"I'd love to make a team this year, but I know that's kind of short notice, especially given how long of a layoff I had. I think regardless of that it will set me up really well for next year."

The Washington Indoor Preview was also notable for the array of newcomers who made sparkling debuts in 2023. 

Stanford freshmen Roisin Willis and Juliette Whittaker, who finished with gold and bronze medals at the World U20 Championships last August, returned to racing with impressive first performances for the Cardinal. 

Willis charged through her 400-meter race to win in 53.65 seconds and Whittaker ran the fastest 800 meters in the NCAA so far this year, clocking 2:02.48. 

They teamed up at the end of the day with Anna Tovkach and Taylor James to run 3:41.09 in the 4x400 relay. 

"It's definitely pretty different, a big transition," Whittaker said. "Workouts are different, just having a team, and moving across the country is a big change."

Whittaker, who starred at Mount de Sales Academy in Maryland, said she's been "loving every minute of it."

The University of Washington's bottomless depth of distance talent was on display, with Kieran Lumb and Cass Elliott both breaking school records. 

Lumb pulled away from adidas pro Sam Prakel and a strong field to win the men's 3,000 meters in 7:43.27 that moved him to the top of the NCAA performance list. 

Elliott celebrated a Husky record in the 600 meters, with 1:16.51. It was also a facility record. 

The Ellis-Waskom finish in the 1,000 was one of the best races of the day. 

In the men's mile, Stanford celebrated a 1-2-3 finish with Ky Robinson (3:55.87) and Cole Sprout (3:56.53) leading first-time sub-four miler Thomas Boyden (3:57.07). Washington's Nathan Green also became a sub-four miler with his fourth-place finish in 3:58.27. 

Kaela Edwards, an adidas pro, made a successful beginning to her season with a world-leading 4:32.83 victory in the mile and a second win in the 600 (1:27.92) in which she held off the challenge of Washington's Carley Thomas. 

Jorinde Van Klinken, an Olympian from The Netherlands and a NCAA record-breaker in the discus at Arizona State, made her Oregon debut with a victory in the shot put. Van Klinken threw an NCAA-leading mark of 59-5 (18.11m) and new teammate Jaida Ross achieved a big PR with 57-1 (17.90m) to move to No. 3 on the NCAA list. 

High school senior Tyrone Gorze, a Washington commit from Crater High in Oregon, ran in the fastest section of the men's 3,000 meters and ran 8:05.17 for the fifth-fastest prep performance ever indoors. 

Derek Holdsworth lowered his own meet record in the 800 meters, winning by three seconds in 1:48.28.

Washington's Jacob Engler won the men's pole vault with 17-9.75 (5.43m) before moving the bar up to 18-0.50 (5.50m) for three promising attempts.