SEATTLE, Wash. — Track & field rewards the brave.
 
Portland State freshman Ari Smith will see those rewards down the line after running a gutsy mile race as the Vikings opened the UW Preview Friday at Dempsey Indoor. Smith took the lead over two Washington State runners with 350 meters to go. He still led at the bell before the Cougars' Eric Swedin passed him for the win.
 
Smith finished second overall behind Swedin in 4:19.24, moving him up to fourth in the freshman top 10 at Portland State in the mile. His debut mile was faster than teammate Nick Moore's a year ago, and Moore followed up that time with the current freshman record, finishing in 4:16.04 at the 2025 UW Invitational.
 
Smith was one of a handful of Viking middle to long distance runners competing on the first day of the UW Preview. Amir Ahmed and JD Arthur joined Smith in the men's mile, finishing seventh and 15th overall, respectively, in times of 4:26.84 and 4:33.59. Ahmed's time marked close to a 20-second personal best for the junior.
 
Sophomore Irina López was the lone PSU runner in the women's mile, placing 14th overall in 5:08.53.
 
Abdinajib Abade led a group of three Vikings in the men's 3,000 meters. Abade finished 43rd overall in 8:35.58, shaving six seconds off the personal best he set at last year's Spokane Invitational.
 
Freshman Farhan Ibrahim and redshirt freshman Luke Gillingham joined Abade in the 3k after running the same distance a week ago at the Silver & Blue Invitational. They both shaved around 20 seconds off their season openers, finishing in 8:38.97 and 8:42.48, respectively. Ibrahim's time ranked him fifth in the freshman top 10 at Portland State.
 
Freshmen Sam Sharp and Libby Fox also bettered their 3k times from a week ago on the women's side of the race. Sharp and Fox finished in 10:35.48 and 11:02.14, respectively, a 24-second improvement for both runners from a week ago.
 
Thrower Daniel Coppedge was the lone non-distance runner competing for the Vikings Friday. He opened the day in the men's weight throw, bettering his mark from a week ago by four feet with a throw of 54-10.75 (16.72m). Five of Coppedge's six attempts were further than he threw at the Silver & Blue Invitational last week.
 
Coppedge owns the school record in the weight throw with a mark of 56-00.00 (17.07m) from last season's Riverfront Invitational in Spokane.
 
The Vikings went 5-for-5 in improving their marks from a week ago, fulfilling head coach Joseph Blue's goal for his team to get better through the early part of the indoor season. You only do that by competing hard like Smith and the other Vikings did Friday.
 
They'll look to continue that on the second day of the UW Preview Saturday. Savannah Beasley will open the day for the Vikings with the prelims of the women's 60-meter hurdles at 9 a.m.
 
UW Preview
Dempsey Indoor
Seattle, Wash.
Jan. 16, 2026
 
Women's Results:
Mile (B Sections): 14. Irina López, 5:08.53. 3,000m (B Sections): 50. Sam Sharp, 10:35.48; 54. Libby Fox, 11:02.14.
 
Men's Results:
Mile (B Sections): 2. Ari Smith, 4:19.24; 7. Amir Ahmed, 4:26.84; 15. JD Arthur, 4:33.59. 3,000m (B Sections): 43. Abdinajib Abade, 8:35.58; 58. Farhan Ibrahim, 8:38.97; 68. Luke Gillingham, 8:42.48. Weight Throw: 5. Daniel Coppedge, 54-10.75 (16.72m).