Cyclones Go 1-2 in 10K, Men Lead After Day One

WACO, Texas – Sanele Masondo was crowned the 10,000-meter Big 12 champion while Iowa State secured four spots in finals to open the Big 12 Outdoor Championships. The Cyclones dominated the men's 10k as ISU racked up 19 team points in the race, aiding the men in leading the team standings after day one.

After a lengthy weather delay and as the temperature cooled off, Masondo took the title in 29:14.53 while Said Mechaal crossed the finish line right after in 29:15.62 to seal the top two spots. Masondo is the fifth men's 10k champ in ISU history while he broke the facility record set by fellow Cyclone Edwin Kurgat with 30:56.47 in 2018. In Big 12 men's 10k history, a team has now taken first and second six times. Iowa State is one of two schools to do so multiple times (2021, 2024).

How about a one-two finish? pic.twitter.com/AVuJT5on9a
— Iowa State Track & XC (@CycloneTrackXC) May 10, 2024

About 6,000m into the race Mechaal and Masondo began to make moves. The duo remained in the lead pack of six, while the pace picked up in the final three laps. Mechaal sprinted into the front in the last lap, while the two battled with Oklahoma State's Adisu Guadia in the final stretch. Masondo had a big kick, running the last 400m in 56.9 seconds to win it. Timothy Sindt worked his way into scoring position, sealing eighth in 29:57.27.

The women raced next with another trio of Cyclones scoring. ISU took sixth through eighth with Dana Feyen (34:50.94) leading Iowa State, and Madelynn Hill (34:52.28) and Brenna Cohoon (35:08.28). Hill hit a personal best while Cohoon clocked a season best.

The three-plus hour weather delay proved to be worth the wait, as three Cyclones automatically qualified for the men's 1,500m final right as the meet resumed. Ezekiel Rop posted the fastest prelims time while downing the facility record with 3:40.23.

Devan Kipyego then had a strong finish to take an auto-qualifying spot finishing second in the second heat, finishing with a PR of 3:41.38, just .19 seconds off the top 10 ISU list. In the third and final heat, Peter Smith worked his way from third to first out of the final curve to qualify with 3:42.63.

❗️3 BIG Qs❗️

Ezekiel Rop (3:40.23), Devan Kipyego (3:41.38, PR) and Peter Smith (3:42.63) automatically qualify for the 1,500m final! Rop downs the facility record with his time. #Run4ISU pic.twitter.com/rwljtDtLuI
— Iowa State Track & XC (@CycloneTrackXC) May 10, 2024

Bella Heikes followed that with qualifying for the women's 1,500m final. Heikes qualified on her time of 4:19.44, once again lowering her personal best and posting the No. 6 performance in program history.

Two men medaled in the hammer, combining for six team points. Zach Verzani placed fifth with 207-2 (64.16m) for the sophomore's first Big 12 medal while Cam Jones finished seventh with a mark of 205-0 (62.80m).

In the heptathlon, Kailynn Gubbels ends the first day in 10th with 3,141 while Kiersten Fisher sits in 15th with 3,016 through four events. Gubbels tied her season best in the high jump with a clearance of 5-7 (1.70m) for fifth while Fisher also had a fifth-place finish with 14.33 in 100m hurdles. Fisher hit a personal best in the shot put (34-5, 10.49m) while Gubbels hit a best in the 200m (25.46) to round out the day.

Both men representing the Cyclones in the javelin threw personal bests. Multi-event athlete Kole Becker placed 10th with 188-8 (57.51m) while fellow freshman Nathan Vincent took 12th with 186-5 (56.82m).

Day two begins at 11:45 a.m. with the final three events of the heptathlon.

Team Standings

Men (3 of 21 events scored)

1. Iowa State – 25; 2. BYU – 22; 3. Kansas State – 16; 4. Texas – 13; 5. Baylor – 10; 6. Texas Tech – 8; 7. Oklahoma – 6; 7. Oklahoma State – 6; 9. Houston – 5; 9. Kansas – 5; 11. Cincinnati - 1

Women (2 of 21 events scored)

1. Oklahoma State – 18; 2. Oklahoma – 12; 3. Kansas State – 10; 4. Texas – 8; 5. Iowa State – 6; 5. Texas Tech – 6; 7. Cincinnati – 5; 7. Houston – 5; 9. BYU – 4; 9. Baylor – 4

Iowa State Results

Women

Heptathlon 100m Hurdles: 1. Kristine Blazevica, Texas – 13.76; 5. Kiersten Fisher, Iowa State – 14.33; 14. Kailynn Gubbels, Iowa State – 14.67

Heptathlon High Jump: 1. Mayci Taylor, BYU – 5-9 1/4 (1.76m); 5. Kailynn Gubbels, Iowa State – 5-7 (1.70m); 15. Kiersten Fisher, Iowa State – 5-1 (1.55m)

Heptathlon Shot Put: 1. Urte Bacianskaite, K-State – 47-10 3/4 (14.60m); 10. Kiersten Fisher, Iowa State – 34-5 (10.49m, PR); 11. Kailynn Gubbels, Iowa State – 34-1 (10.39m)

Heptathlon 200m: 1. Juliette Laracuente-Huebner, Cincinnati – 24.58; 11. Kailynn Gubbels, Iowa State – 25.46 (PR); 12. Kiersten Fisher, Iowa State -25.47

Hammer: 1. Monique Hardy, K-State – 210-9 (64.24m); 11. Ella O'Neall, Iowa State – 167-3 (50.99m)

1,500m Prelims: 1. Gracie Morris, TCU – 4:14.18; 8. Bella Heikes, Iowa State – 4:19.44 (PR, No. 6 ISU); 11. Riley Beach, Iowa State – 4:23.75; 18. Ashlyn Keeney, Iowa State – 4:34.16; 24. Sydney Morrell, Iowa State – 4:43.24

200m Prelims: 1. Dejanea Oakley, Texas – 23.00; 24. Brooklyn Sandvig, Iowa State – 24.06w

10,000m: 1. Gabby Hentemann, Oklahoma State – 34:31.91; 6. Dana Feyen, Iowa State – 34:50.94; 7. Madelynn Hill, Iowa State – 34:52.28 (PR); 8. Brenna Cohoon, Iowa State – 35:08.28; 11. Taylor Briggs, Iowa State – 36:03.60

Men

Hammer: 1. Kade McCall, K-State – 229-1 (69.83m); 5. Zach Verzani, Iowa State – 207-2 (64.16m); 7. Cam Jones, Iowa State – 205-0 (62.80m); 17. Garret Wagner, Iowa State – 169-11 (51.80m)

Javelin: 1. Chinecherem Prosper Nnamdi, Baylor – 262-6 (80.02m); 10. Kole Becker, Iowa State – 188-8 (57.51m, PR); 12. Nathan Vincent, Iowa State – 186-5 (56.82m, PR)

1,500m Prelims: 1. Ezekiel Rop, Iowa State – 3:40.23; 4. Devan Kipyego, Iowa State – 3:41.38 (PR); 5. Peter Smith, Iowa State – 3:42.63; 15. Emanuel Galdino, Iowa State – 3:45.31; 21. Ryan Watts, Iowa State – 3:48.30; 27. Levi Taylor, Iowa State – 3:53.60

200m Prelims: 1. Shaun Maswanganyi, Houston – 20.60; 18. Mikey McClain, Iowa State – 21.25

400m Hurdles Prelims: 1. Nathaniel Ezekiel, Baylor – 49.49; 13. Alec Carr, Iowa State – 52.84; 14. Joven Nelson, Iowa State – 53.15

10,000m: 1. Sanele Masondo, Iowa State – 29:14.53; 2. Said Mechaal, Iowa State – 29:15.62; 8. Timothy Sindt, Iowa State – 29:57.27

Players Mentioned

Riley Beach

Kole Becker

Taylor Briggs

Alec Carr

Brenna Cohoon

Dana Feyen

Kiersten Fisher

Emanuel Galdino

Kailynn Gubbels

Bella Heikes

Madelynn Hill

Cam Jones

Ashlyn Keeney

Devan Kipyego

Sanele Masondo

Mikey McClain

Said Mechaal

Sydney Morrell

Joven Nelson

Ella O'Neall

Ezekiel Rop

Brooklyn Sandvig

Timothy Sindt

Peter Smith

Levi Taylor

Zach Verzani

Nathan Vincent

Garret Wagner

Ryan Watts

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