The Drake University men's and women's track & field teams continued to show progress Saturday, Jan. 23, at the Iowa State Cyclone Invitational.
 
In the second competition after nearly a year off, many Bulldogs competed for the first time and posted significant improvement and progression in their respective events against competitors from Iowa State and Missouri.
 
The throws were a highlight for the Bulldogs again as Joey Harkins turned the second-best performance of his career in the weight throw with a toss of 62-8.5 (19.11m) to finish second. The season-best mark for Harkins ranks third in the Valley.
 
In the shot put, freshman Austin Jentz turned in a season-best of 45-3 (13.79m) that earned him a second-place finish with the 10th best throw in program history. In the women's shot put, Chandler Haight finished second with a season-best throw of 46-5.5 (14.16m) that ranks third in the Valley.
 
On the track, the Bulldogs had three personal bests and 12 top-5 finishes, including Busiwa Asinga clocking a 57.76 finish in the 400m to place fourth with the third-fastest time in the Valley this season. She also ran the anchor leg on the Bulldogs 4x400m relay that finished second.
 
Mary Ajayi led off that relay and, earlier in the day, finished second in the 200m. The men also got a second-place finish in the 200 meters with Victor Peka finishing in 22.28, to rank fourth in the Valley this season.
 
In the distance events, Elizabeth Aho notched 23-second personal best in the 3,000 meters with a time of 10:01.67 that ranks fourth in the Valley. Teammate Ashlee Siegle also posted a personal best in the event.
 
A deep men's 800-meter field, Ryan Schweizer won his heat and finished sixth overall in 1:53.35, which is the fastest time in the Valley this season.
 
The Bulldogs will continue to train for the next two weeks before returning to competition Feb. 12-13 at Iowa State for the Iowa State Classic at the Lied Recreation Center.

Drake Men's Individual Results
60 Meters
2. William Skinner, 7.34
3. Mac Pursell, 7.41
 
200 Meters
2. Victor Peka, 22.28
4. David Olowookere, 23.19
 
400 Meters
6. Dylan DeAngelo, 52.00
7. Dyer Jarabek, 52.43
8. Sam Sturtzer, 53.97
 
800 Meters
6. Ryan Schweizer, 1:53.35
 
Mile
5. Jack Burns, 4:31.64
6. Reece Knepper, 4:35.19
 
4x400-Meter Relay
3. Olowookere, DeAngelo, Jarabek, Skinner, 3:30.04
 
Shot Put
2. Austin Jentz, 45-3 (13.79m)
 
Weight Throw
2. Joey Harkins, 62-8.5 (19.11m)
7. Austin Jentz, 44-2 (13.46m)
 
 
Drake Women's Individual Results
60 Meters
5. Joann Nguyen, 8.04
6. Rutendo Mafuta, 8.13
 
200 Meters
2. Yinka Ajayi, 25.20
7. Bria Rhodes, 26.42
8. Rutendo Mafuta, 26.59
 
400 Meters
4. Busiwa Asinga, 57.76
8. Ellie Mendlik, 1:00.78
 
800 Meters
4. Lucy Avenson, 2:25.79
 
Mile
2. Lindsey Rowatt, 5:25.42
3. Bella Evan-Cook, 5:41.96
 
3,000 Meters
8. Elizabeth Aho, 10:01.67
10. Ashlee Siegle, 10:25.75
 
4x400-Meter Relay
2. Ajayi, Rhodes, Mendlik, Asinga, 3:59.37
 
Shot Put
2. Chandler Haight, 46-5.5 (14.16m)