DES MOINES, Iowa - Sophomore Omet Kak (Des Moines, Iowa) ran a Missouri Valley Conference best time of 14:28.40 en route to a ninth-place showing at the 103rd running of the Drake Relays on Thursday.
"It's always nice to run here," said Kak. "Tonight there was great weather. I think I took the distance for granted. I didn't think it would be that hard."
Kak, the 2009 Most Outstanding Performer in the high school boys' division, came into the night with a personal best of 13:35.84 set at the Jim Duncan Invitational on April 15.
Kak will compete once again on Saturday in the 1500, in which he ranks second in the conference.
Sophomore Brogan Austin (Boone, Iowa), in his first 10,000-meter race of the outdoor season, had a time of 30:11.13 to claim ninth.
"I wanted to do a little bit better," said Austin. "Considering this is my first race of the outdoor season, I shouldn't be too upset. This is definitely one of the best fields for the 10,000-meters, and one of the better races at the Drake Relays."
Junior Briana Isom-Brummer (St. Louis, Mo.) claimed eighth in the heptathlon with 4923.
The Bulldogs continue competition at the 103rd running of the Drake Relays tomorrow and Saturday. Drake will also send athletes to the Kip Janvrin Open tomorrow in Indianola, Iowa.
