Completed Event: Track and Field at Bryan Clay Invite on April 16, 2026 ,
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Track and Field
Bryan Clay Invite
Iowa State University Athletics
Track and Field Preseason Update No. 2: Sprints/Hurdles
10.19.2011 | Track and Field
AMES, Iowa - As the Iowa State track and field team continues its preseason training, the sprints and hurdles group is counting on its large number of veterans for their experience and leadership while also looking to its newcomers to add to the talent already on the track for the Cyclones.
The Iowa State sprinters return three student-athletes who qualified for the NCAA Outdoor Championships last June.
"We are training at a higher level than we have in the past," Iowa State sprints coach Nate Wiens said. "I am very proud of our part of this team and what our sprinters and hurdlers have aspired to be. We can expect good things for the upcoming season."
Senior Kianna Elahi returns after an impressive 2010-2011 season in which she broke the Iowa State school record in the indoor 600-yard run, earned All-Big 12 honors in four events (600-yard run, 400-meter hurdles, 4x400-meter relay indoor and outdoor) and qualified for the NCAA Championships in the 400-meter hurdles. In addition to her success on the track, Elahi was also named an Academic All-American.
"As a team this year, we are hoping to break the school record in the 4x400-meter relay," Elahi said. "But individually, my goals aren't usually too specific. I'm always just looking to set new personal-best times and continue getting better."
Competing alongside Elahi this season will be junior Donnise Powell and newcomer Ese Okoro. Powell was an NCAA qualifier in the 400-meter hurdles and 4x400-meter relay last season. Okoro, coming to Iowa State from the United Kingdom, was the 400-meter hurdle champion at the 2010 Under-23 England Championships. The Cyclones will be among a select few programs this season to boast three 400-meter hurdlers posting times under 60-seconds.
Key returners for the men's sprinters include senior Ian Warner and junior Brian Sandvig. Both sprinters earned All-Big 12 honors last season and Warner was an NCAA qualifier in both the 100-meter dash and 4x100-meter relay.
"Last year I missed making it to nationals by .006 seconds, so I was the first person to not make the cut," Warner said. "This year, my goal is to make it to the NCAA meet in the 100-meter dash."
The Cyclones will look to deepen their strength in the sprints and hurdles event group with the addition of six new student-athletes.
Nick Efkamp, a freshman from Madrid, Iowa, won four events as a senior at the 2011 1A Iowa state track meet. He became just the fifth Iowa prep to win four events at a single state meet, taking home titles in the 100-meter dash, 110-meter hurdles, 400-meter hurdles and the long jump.
Joining Efkamp as a strong newcomer in the men's sprints group is Xavier Shields. Shields is a transfer from Iowa Wesleyan and will start his Iowa State career as a junior in NCAA eligibility. He qualified for the NAIA Indoor (60-meter dash) and Outdoor Championships (4x100-meter relay) in 2010.
The Cyclones will continue preparing for the upcoming season and will kick off the 2011-2012 campaign when they play host the 2011 Holiday Preview on Dec. 9.
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