DES MOINES, Iowa – Drake University track and field made history earlier today as they hosted the first televised regular season track meet in Missouri Valley Conference history. The Bulldogs posted solid results themselves and competed against several other notable student-athletes.
The non-Bulldog highlights include a dominant performance by sprinter Hiba Saeed. Running unattached, Saeed set a new Sudanese national record in the 200m dash with a blazing time of 23.53 after taking gold in the 400m with a mark of 53.68.
A pair of men's high jumpers put on a show as well. Former Nebraska star Mayson Conner and Graceland University's Michael Millslagle went back-and-forth until the latter scratched all three jumps at 7'-3".
Several in-state throwers also had solid days including Iowa State's Cam Jones in the men's shot put. A former Drake Relays champion, Jones won the event with a toss of 65'- 9-1/2". Iowa thrower Sydnie Smith won a competitive women's discus with a throw of 154'-1", beating out a crowded field with the next five finishers all within six feet.
On the Bulldogs' front,
Brendan Cain and
Xander Kwa finished 1-2 in the men's 3,000m steeplechase. Both Bulldogs finished their run more than four seconds faster than the bronze medal winner Randy Jiminez of Central College. The Drake distance team had another strong showing from
Ethan Vargas, the fifth-place winner in the men's 5,000m. The Drake women's distance runner picked up two more top 10 finishes with
Barbara Vrhovac's bronze and
Meghan Coulter's seventh-place result.
Hammer thrower
Chinemerem Iwuagwu took gold as the Bulldogs' first winner of the day. She earned the top spot after throwing 184'-1". Other top field event finishes included
Zofia Landowska with a fourth-place effort in the long jump.
Erin Mcfarlane added another win in the women's 800m run with a time of 2:15.90. Her teammate Grace Shannon came in fourth in the event.
In the shorter distances,
Hayden Cross sprinted to a fourth-place finish in the men's 200m with a run of 21.52.
Justin Cunningham and
Kristian Lodholz each earned top five billings in the 100m dash.
Madison Bunton added another silver in the 400m hurdles on the women's side.
The Drake relay teams were led on the men's side by the 4x400m runner-up squad of
Hayden Cross,
Dyer Jarabek,
Deylin Chandler, and
Dylan DeAngelo. Drake's women's 4x400m relay also medaled with a third place showing. Rebecca Randleman, Hannah Cornelius, Grace Swanson, and Hailey Hindt put together a 3:59.18 run to earn their top three position.
The remainder of the Drake track and field team is competing at the Bryan Clay Invitational in Asuza, Calif. Results from that event will be posted tonight.
The Jim Duncan Invitational will continue tomorrow with the high school portion of the meet.
