The Iowa track and field team was the next victim in a line of Midwesterners blitzed by harsh April weather. The team’s first home meet of the season, the Musco Twilight XIX, was rescheduled on Tuesday in an effort to avoid bad weather. It will now take place today, with a much more favorable forecast is expected.
According to National Weather Service, today’s high temperature will be 65; Saturday’s forecast is 49. Saturday’s chance for precipitation 50 percent during the day; today’s chance is 30 percent at night.
“If we ran on Saturday, it would be pointless,” sprinter Briana Guillory said. “Everyone would get hurt.”
The meet will include Loyola, Northern Iowa, Iowa State, Minnesota State, Iowa Central, and Bradley. It will be the first time the meet has ever taken place on a Thursday. The event will also serve as Senior Day, allowing the program to honor its 18 graduating seniors.
The Hawkeyes lead the Big Ten in nine events after three weeks of competition in the outdoor season.
Senior Brittany Brown has the fastest time in the 200 meters. Her mark of 22.76 seconds was good enough for second last weekend at LSU’s Battle on the Bayou.
Mar’Yea Harris and Guillory both won the 400 meters at LSU. Harris’ time of 45.71 seconds is third in the country and the best in the Big Ten.
“It meant a lot to perform that well at LSU because it shows that I can compete with some of the best athletes in the country,” Harris said.
Jenny Kimbro’s 5,164 points at the 91st Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays in the heptathlon is the best in the Big Ten.
In the field, Jahisha Thomas leads the Big Ten in the triple jump (13.04 meters) and long jump (6.44 meters). Thomas won both events at the Big Ten Indoor Championships in February.
“This is a great start. To open up with a personal best is exciting,” Thomas told Hawkeye Sports. “It’s exciting to know what’s to come and what can be better because there is still room to improve. Nothing is perfect, so this is a good foundation to start on.”
Laulauga Tausaga leads the Big Ten in the discus with a mark of 59.86 meters. At LSU, Tausaga broke two school records. She broke her own record in the discus and then broke a record held for over 25 years in the shot put with a 16.31-meter throw. She is 10th in the nation in the discus.
On the men’s side of the field, Reno Tuufuli’s 58.8-meter throw is sixth in the country.
For the distance athletes, Nathan Mylenek leads the Big Ten in the 3,000-meter steeplechase (8:48.66) and Andrea Shine leads the 10,000 meters with a time of 33:50.25.
The men’s 4×400 relay team of Collin Hofacker, Antonio Woodard, Dejuan Frye, and Harris, is also first in the Big Ten with a time of 3:04.38, which it ran at the Florida Relays.
According to the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association, the Iowa men are ranked 28th in the country, and the Iowa women are ranked 34th.
