Completed Event: Track and Field at 44 Farms Team Invite on April 11, 2025 ,
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Track and Field
44 Farms Team Invite
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Iowa State University Athletics
Sakson Crowned Big 12 Champ in Day Two
05.13.2023 | Track and Field
NORMAN, Okla. – Iowa State crowned a Big 12 Champion, brought in nine medals and notched 10 finals slots in six events in the second day of Big 12 Outdoor Championships. After two days, the women stand in second place with 49 points and the men in third with 47.
Kevin Sakson took hold of his first-career Big 12 title with his shot put mark of 62-1 (18.92m), becoming the first Cyclone since 2016 and sixth in ISU men's history to notch the top mark at outdoor conference championships.
𝗕𝗜𝗚 𝟭𝟮 𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗠𝗣.
— Iowa State Track & XC (@CycloneTrackXC) May 13, 2023
Kevin Sakson posts a shot put mark of 62-1 (18.92m) to stand atop the podium! Kevin is the first Cyclone since 2016 and sixth in ISU men's history to claim a shot put Big 12 title.#CycloneSZN pic.twitter.com/yepf4fnP0G
Sydney Willits began a busy day of competition with a personal record in the heptathlon javelin and 800m run for a total of five PRs in the seven events to top her previous overall best by nearly 400 points with 5,446. The score is the second highest in school history as Willits placed fourth overall, her highest heptathlon conference finish.
Willits wasn't done just yet, as she then turned to the long jump one hour later. The sophomore passed the 20-foot barrier on her first jump, posting a wind-legal mark of 20-1 3/4 (6.14m). The mark placed her seventh to grab her second All-Big 12 honor of the day, totaling seven team points.
Men and women steeplechasers combined for five podium finishes. Gable Sieperda claimed his first-career silver medal with a season-best 8:44.64 while Quinton Orr grabbed fourth place (8:44.64) and Kelvin Bungei fifth (9:03.77). For the women, Janette Schraft matched her best Big 12s steeplechase finish of third clocking 10:21.92 and Kiki Connell had her best conference finish of fifth with 10:29.97.
Thai Thompson finished the decathlon with 7,376 points after trimming over 10 seconds off his 1,500m PR clocking 4:29.08. With the total, Thompson moves up to No. 3 in Iowa State history after previously ranking sixth. The junior hit four outdoor bests over the two days.
Jack Vetsch once again clocked a personal best in 110m hurdles this season, lowering his best time to 14.81 for a fifth-place finish in the first decathlon event of the day. Vetsch totaled 6,752 points after the 10 events for 10th place.
Iowa State will be well represented in tomorrow's 100m hurdle final with three lanes filled with Cyclones. Kaylyn Hall turned in the second-fastest prelims time of 13.31 while Katarina Vlahovic finished fourth at 13.43(w) and Katie Ruffener hit a PR of 14.00 finishing ninth.
Three Cyclones will also fill the men's 800m run. Jason Gómez stormed up the pack moving from fifth to second on the final straight to auto qualify with 1:47.73. Peter Smith also battled in front of competitors for second in his heat to auto qualify with a season-best 1:48.20. Darius Kipyego finished right behind Gómez and qualified for the final with his time of 1:47.82, also a season best.
The women's 800m also saw a battle as Makayla Clark used a big kick out of the final turn to post an auto-qualifying time of 2:07.16.
Both men and women will have a 400m hurdle finalist as Zakiyah Amos again broke a minute with a PR of 58.91, the 10-fastest performance in ISU history. This season is the senior's first time racing in the event. Freshman Alec Carr will make another run tomorrow after placing eighth in prelims with a PR of 52.43.
School-record holder Ezekiel Rop earned a finals slot after winning his heat with 3:45.52, the third-fastest prelims time. Freshman Emanuel Galdino had a dominant run of 3:44.62 for a personal best, but missed finals by one placement finishing 10th.
The Big 12 Championships continue tomorrow for the final day.
Team Standings
Women (8 of 21 events scored)
1. Oklahoma – 75; 2. Iowa State – 49; 3. Texas – 44; 4. Kansas State – 38; 5. Oklahoma State – 34; 6. TCU – 19; 7. Kansas – 18; 8. Texas Tech – 17; 9. West Virginia – 16; 10. Baylor - 2
Men (8 of 21 events scored)
1. Oklahoma – 55; 2. Kansas 51; 3. Iowa State – 47; 4. Texas – 42.5; 5. Oklahoma State – 42; 6. Texas Tech – 30.5; 7. Kansas State – 27; 8. Baylor - 17
Iowa State Results
Women
3,000m SC: 1. Ceili McCabe, West Virginia – 10:12.79; 3. Janette Schraft, Iowa State – 10:21.92; 5. Kiki Connell, Iowa State – 10:29.97
Long Jump: 1. Ackelia Smith, Texas – 23-2 3/4 (7.08m); 7. Sydney Willits, Iowa State – 20-1 3/4 (6.14m)
Shot Put: 1. Payden Montana, Oklahoma - 57-11 (17.65m); 10. Jadan Brumbaugh, Iowa State - 50-5 1/2 (15.38m); 12. Rebecca Manteuffel, Iowa State - 49-9 3/4 (15.18m)
100m Hurdle Prelim: 1. Demisha Roswell, Texas Tech – 12.92(w); 3. Kaylyn Hall, Iowa State – 13.31; 4. Katarina Vlahovic, Iowa State – 13.43(w); 9. Katie Ruffener, Iowa State – 14.00 (PR); 10. Kiersten Fisher, Iowa State – 14.11(w)
800m Run Prelim: 1. Gabija Galvydyte, Oklahoma State – 2:05.05; 4. Makayla Clark, Iowa State – 2:07.16; 11. Kinsey Christianson, Iowa State – 2:09.60
400m Hurdles Prelim: 1. Ashonti Warner, Oklahoma – 56.73; 7. Zakiyah Amos, 58.91 (PR, No. 9 ISU); 18. Mackenzie Carney, Iowa State – 1:03.99
1,500m Prelim: 1. Yazmine Wright, Oklahoma – 4:17.41; 12. Ashlyn Keeney, Iowa State – 4:23.70
400m Dash Prelim: 1. Lanae Thomas, Texas – 51.36; 14. Rachel Joseph, Iowa State – 54.24; 19. Bria Barnes, Iowa State – 55.33
Heptathlon (7 of 7 events)
Heptathlon Long Jump: 1. Kristine Blazevica, Texas – 20-5 (6.22m); 2. Sydney Willits, Iowa State – 19-6 1/4 (5.95m); 3. Kiersten Fisher, Iowa State – 19-2 3/4 (5.86m, PR); 15. Kailynn Gubbels, Iowa State – 17-4 3/4 (5.30m)
Heptathlon Javelin: 1. Kristine Blazevica, Texas – 135-7 (41.34m); 8. Kailynn Gubbels, Iowa State – 119-11 (36.56m, PR); 11. Sydney Willits, Iowa State – 100-0 (30.49m, PR); 13. Kiersten Fisher, Iowa State – 95-9 (29.19m, PR)
Heptathlon 800m: 1. Kristine Blazevica, Texas – 2:13.57; 9. Kailynn Gubbels, Iowa State – 2:24.08; 11. Sydney Willits, Iowa State – 2:25.31 (PR); 12. Kiersten Fisher, Iowa State – 2:25.51 (PR)
Men
Shot Put: 1. Kevin Sakson, Iowa State – 62-1 (18.92m); 8. Blake Veenstra, Iowa State – 55-11 3/4 (17.06m, PR)
3,000m SC: 1. Victor Shitsama, Oklahoma State – 8:33.59; 2. Gable Sieperda, Iowa State – 8:44.64; 4. Quinton Orr, Iowa State – 8:55.83; 5. Kelvin Bungei, Iowa State – 9:03.77
800m Run Prelim: 1. Mehdi Yanouri, Oklahoma State – 1:46.84; 5. Jason Gómez, Iowa State – 1:47.73; 6. Peter Smith, Iowa State – 1:48.20; 8. Darius Kipyego, Iowa State – 1:47.82; 23. Cebastian Gentil, Iowa State – 1:57.85
1,500m Prelim: 1. Fouad Messaoudi, Oklahoma – 3:40.85; 5. Ezekiel Rop, Iowa State – 3:45.52; 10. Emanuel Galdino, Iowa State – 3:44.62 (PR); 13. Peter Smith, Iowa State – 3:46.25; 15. Chad Johnson, Iowa State – 3:48.26; 19. Seth Clevenger, Iowa State – 3:53.98
110m Hurdles Prelim: 1. Caleb Dean, Texas Tech – 13.49; 6. James Ezeonu, Iowa State – 14.11; 12. Jack Latham, Iowa State – 14.35 (PR)
400m Hurdles Prelim: 1. Nathaniel Ezekiel, Baylor – 48.74; 8. Alec Carr, Iowa State – 52.43 (PR)
High Jump: 1. Vernon Turner, Oklahoma – 7-6 1/2 (2.30m); 13. Tyson Cooley, Iowa State – 6-7 (2.01m)
100m Dash: 1. Courtney Lindsey, Texas Tech – 10.17; 19. Mikey McClain, Iowa State – 10.87
Decathlon (10 of 10 events)
Decathlon 110m Hurdles: 1. Alexander Jung, Kansas – 14.50; 5. Jack Vetsch, Iowa State – 14.81 (PR); 8. Thai Thompson, Iowa State - 15.15
Decathlon Discus: 1. Joseph Keys, Texas Tech – 141-10 (43.25m); 9. Thai Thompson, Iowa State – 114-2 (34.80m); 12. Jack Vetsch, Iowa State – 83-9 (25.54m)
Decathlon Pole Vault: 1. Alexander Jung, Kansas – 16-3 1/4 (4.96m); 7. Thai Thompson, Iowa State – 14-7 1/2 (4.46m); 9. Jack Vetsch, Iowa State – 13-11 3/4 (4.26m)
Decathlon Javelin: 1. Nikolaj Groenbech, Oklahoma – 203-5 (62.00m); 5. Jack Vetsch, Iowa State – 162-7 (49.57m); 9. Thai Thompson, Iowa State – 148-11 (45.39m)
Decathlon 1,500m Run: 1. Emil Uhlin, Kansas State – 4:23.85; 2. Thai Thompson, Iowa State – 4:29.08 (PR); 8. Jack Vetsch, Iowa State – 4:53.70
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