Completed Event: Track and Field at Bryan Clay Invite on April 16, 2026 ,
Final
Track and Field
Bryan Clay Invite
Iowa State University Athletics
Cyclone Hurdlers Open Season With Nation?s Top Times
03.29.2012 | Track and Field
AMES, Iowa – With the first meet of the outdoor season under their belt, the Iowa State women's hurdlers are sitting pretty at the top of the nation's collegiate leaderboard. Senior Kianna Elahi currently holds the nation's top time this season in the 400-meter hurdles (57.63), while teammate Ese Okoro holds the second-fastest time to-date in the event (57.88).
“All of the hard work is paying off,” Iowa State sprints and hurdles coach Nate Wiens said. “The result speak for themselves. We have a group of ladies that's really working hard together. There's a lot of team work and a lot of pushing each other in practice. I think it really showed last weekend in the 400-meter hurdles race.”
In her final season with the Cyclones, Elahi is glad to get a strong race in at the beginning of the season.
“I was really happy with my race last weekend,” Elahi said. “It's been sinking in more that it's my senior year so I've been trying to make every meet and every practice count. I've been visualizing every practice like I'm training for the NCAA meet, because that's my end goal.
Okoro is happy with her time, but is really just glad to be racing outside again after racing indoors for the last four months.
“It feels good to get back outside,” Okoro said. “Running the 600-yard races during the indoor season actually really helped me with my endurance outdoors, and I think that's going to go a long ways once we start getting more races in.”
Teammates Donnise Powell and Krista Shoeman are also showing an impressive improvement in the 400-meter hurdles from last season. Powell clocked a time of 59.97, marking the first time the junior ran a sub-60 second race to start the outdoor season. Powell currently holds the season's 19th-fastest time in the 400-meter hurdles.
Shoeman, a redshirt freshman, recorded a personal best time in the event. Her clocking of 1:01.47 is over two seconds faster than her best time last season. Shoeman's time is currently the 53rd fastest this season.
The Cyclone sprints group will return to Tempe, Ariz. April 6-7 for the Sun Angel Track Classic.
“All of the hard work is paying off,” Iowa State sprints and hurdles coach Nate Wiens said. “The result speak for themselves. We have a group of ladies that's really working hard together. There's a lot of team work and a lot of pushing each other in practice. I think it really showed last weekend in the 400-meter hurdles race.”
In her final season with the Cyclones, Elahi is glad to get a strong race in at the beginning of the season.
“I was really happy with my race last weekend,” Elahi said. “It's been sinking in more that it's my senior year so I've been trying to make every meet and every practice count. I've been visualizing every practice like I'm training for the NCAA meet, because that's my end goal.
Okoro is happy with her time, but is really just glad to be racing outside again after racing indoors for the last four months.
“It feels good to get back outside,” Okoro said. “Running the 600-yard races during the indoor season actually really helped me with my endurance outdoors, and I think that's going to go a long ways once we start getting more races in.”
Teammates Donnise Powell and Krista Shoeman are also showing an impressive improvement in the 400-meter hurdles from last season. Powell clocked a time of 59.97, marking the first time the junior ran a sub-60 second race to start the outdoor season. Powell currently holds the season's 19th-fastest time in the 400-meter hurdles.
Shoeman, a redshirt freshman, recorded a personal best time in the event. Her clocking of 1:01.47 is over two seconds faster than her best time last season. Shoeman's time is currently the 53rd fastest this season.
The Cyclone sprints group will return to Tempe, Ariz. April 6-7 for the Sun Angel Track Classic.
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