Kipyego, Mclear Race in Elite 800 to Close Drake

Wednesday, April 24

Des Moines, Iowa

Iowa State

Drake Relays

Kipyego, Mclear Race in Elite 800 to Close Drake

04.27.2024 | Track and Field

Results

DES MOINES, Iowa – Darius Kipyego and Finley Mclear highlighted the day running in the invite 800-meter running among an elite field to close out Drake Relays.

In the featured race of the day, the World Athletics Continental Tour Elite 800-meter, the stacked field featured Kipyego and Mclear along with Cyclone legend Jason Gómez. Kipyego nearly came away with the win clocking 1:46.27, .19 seconds behind first. The time is Kipyego's second this outdoor season under the U.S. Olympic Trials auto-qualifying time.

Mclear toed the line in his first outdoor race in two years, clocking an opener of 1:46.81 to cement fourth. The time is an Iowa State best for Mclear and ranks at No. 7 in outdoor program history. Gómez, continuing his racing career as a professional, crossed the line eighth in 1:48.93.

In the 110m hurdles final, freshman Jack Latham finalized eighth with a time of 14.65w in windy conditions. Latham clocked a dominant all-conditions best of 13.85w yesterday in prelims.

In the university division of the hammer throw, Zach Verzani just missed out on the final with a best mark of 196-0 (59.75m) to take 10th.

Nathan Vincent led the Cyclones to sixth place in the javelin university division with 180-5 (54.99) as he moved onto the final, while Clyde Hendrix turned in a new personal best of 173-4 (52.85m) for 12th.

The 114th Drake Relays closed with the 4x400m relay, with the women's squad of Brooklyn Sandvig, Rachel Joseph, Cameron Moon and Camryn Hubbard taking fourth in 3:37.11. The time goes down as the fifth-fastest performance in school history.

The men's team featuring three freshman made of Calvin Curcija, Grayson Hartman, Alec Carr and Jensen Meeker claimed sixth with 3:12.57.

Iowa State ends the Relays with three champions, Dana Feyen (10,000m), Cam Jones (Shot Put) and the men's 4x800m.

The Cyclones return to action Friday, May 3 to host the ISU Alumni Invite, the final regular season meet.

Iowa State Results

Women

4x400m Relay: 1. Kentucky – 3:31.88; 4. Iowa State (Sandvig, Joseph, Moon, Hubbard) – 3:37.11 (No. 5 ISU)

Men

World Athletics Continental Tour Elite 800m: 1. Wes Ferguson, Nebraska-Kearney – 1:46.08; 2. Darius Kipyego, Iowa State – 1:46.27; 4. Finley Mclear, Iowa State – 1:46.81 (No. 7 ISU)

Hammer Throw University Division: 1. Lukas Baroke, Virginia Tech – 212-2 (64.64m); 10. Zach Verzani, Iowa State – 196-0 (59.75m)

110m Hurdles Final: 1. Alexander Chukwukelu, Kentucky – 13.54w; 8. Jack Latham, Iowa State – 14.65w

Javelin University Division: 1. Rhet Liley, Missouri S&T – 201-4 (61.37m); 6. Nathan Vincent, Iowa State – 180-5 (54.99m); 12. Clyde Hendrix, Iowa State – 173-4 (52.85m, PR)

4x400m Relay: 1. Kentucky – 3:03.06; 6. Iowa State (Curcija, Hartman, Carr, Meeker) – 3:12.57