Women’s sprinters rev up for Big Tens

Connor Sindberg, [email protected]

February 18, 2016

Iowa runner Elexis Guster stands in the ready position before the women’s 4 x 400 meter relay at Drake Stadium on Saturday, April 26, 2014. Iowa placed seventh. (The Daily Iowan/Joshua Housing)

The indoor season is coming to close for the Iowa women’s track and field team.

With only one regular-season meet left, this week the Hawkeyes are preparing for the Feb. 26-27 Big Ten Championships.

One area to watch at the Big Tens is in the sprint competitions. The Hawkeyes have contenders in both the 400 meters, 200 meters, and relay group.

“In training this week is to prepare me to run fast in the 400, we are working on speed, and we are going to continue to build up my strength to come home strong in the last 100 of the 400,” sprinter Elexis Guster said.

Sprint-group teammate Briana Guillory will join Guster as one of the runners the Hawks count on to score points. And in training this week, the freshman is immersed in her favorite workout in order to be at her best.

“My favorite workout is in the pool,” she said. “Right now is about refining and just keeping my strength and health up.”

The relay group of MonTayla Holder, Guster, Alexis Hernandez, and Guillory is another event to watch. In the 1,600-meter relay, they will be counted on score points and to contend for a Big Ten title.

Last time out, at the Feb. 12-13 Tyson Invitational, Holder, juniors Guster and Hernandez, and Guillory ran the fastest 1,600-meter relay in Hawkeye track and field history with a time of 3:36.47.

Even with the record setting performance, Director of Track & Field Joey Woody believes there’s a better time out there.

“I think women’s [1,600-meter relay] can run a second and a half faster if they have better handoffs and everyone runs their best splits on the same day,” he said.

Guster, a former outdoor 400-meter Big Ten champion, agreed with her coach.

“It was nice to be on the relay team that has the fastest time in Iowa’s history; however, we know we’re capable of running faster, so we are looking forward to breaking our own record at the championship,” she said.

Getting that time is crucial. The Hawks need to be in perfect form to compete for a title.

With the sprinters sitting out, this weekend’s Alex Wilson Invitational is a good opportunity for other groups. Woody wants to see improvement in other events.

“A couple really good events for us in the past have been the 600 and 800,” Woody said. “Those are still two events in which it’s just a matter of a couple more races before the girls do some great things in both of those events.”