Minnesotans Mason Ferlic, Obsa Ali among steeplechase elite at USATF outdoor championships

DES MOINES – Obsa Ali didn't need to come up with any elaborate strategies for his first race at the USA Track and Field championships. On a drizzly Thursday evening at Drake Stadium, the former Gophers runner simply locked eyes on a fellow Minnesotan — Mason Ferlic — who was running ahead of him in the first round of the men's 3,000-meter steeplechase.

"I actually just followed him and did what he was doing," Ali said, drawing a chuckle from Ferlic. "He has a lot more experience than me at this level."

Both of them got what they wanted on the first day of the championships, advancing to Saturday's finals. Ferlic, a St. Paul native who ran at Michigan, posted the third-fastest time of the preliminaries (8 minutes, 33.67 seconds). Ali, a former Gopher from Richfield, was fifth fastest in 8:34.41.

Another Minnesotan, former Gopher Harun Abda of Fridley, also advanced Thursday, moving on to Friday's semifinals of the men's 800 (1:48.35).

The men's 3,000 steeplechase will have a new champion for the first time since 2012, with Olympic silver medalist Evan Jager — winner of the past seven U.S. titles — sidelined because of an injury. Ferlic said Jager's absence has made the race "anyone's game" this year. The talent pool still is deep, with four or five runners competing for the top three places.

Ferlic has had this weekend "circled and double-underlined" for months, and being in ideal health has only increased the excitement for the former state cross-country champion from Mounds Park Academy.

"I'm coming in as fit as I've ever been, and feeling the best I've ever been," said Ferlic, who was fifth in the steeplechase at the 2016 Olympic trials. "[The title] is there for somebody to claim. It's a shame Evan isn't running, but now we're going to crown a new champ, and I'm ready for it."

In other preliminaries Thursday, nine-time Olympic medalist Allyson Felix raced for the first time in 13 months and advanced to Friday's semifinals of the women's 400. Felix gave birth to a daughter, Camryn, via an emergency C-section last November and has been working her way back into championship form.

"It felt a little rusty, which was to be expected," said Felix, who finished in 52.20. "I'm grateful to be back racing, even though it wasn't a great result for me. It's a starting point. My biggest goal is next year."

Heather Kampf of Minneapolis/Team USA Minnesota, a late addition to the women's 1,500 field after another runner scratched, finished 26th. Kampf has been battling calf injuries all season, which has cut into her training time. Last week marked the first time in months that she was able to complete a full track workout.

"I knew this was a potential outcome [Thursday], to have it not go very well," she said. "This was just a chance to step out and see what I could do. It wasn't there yet, but it's on the upswing."