Iowa women’s track and field finds competition on the road
The Hawkeye women’s track and field team moves into the second half of the indoor season as it travels to Lincoln and South Bend.
Iowa sophomore Laulauga Tausaga attempts a discus throw during the 19th annual Musco Twilight meet at the Francis X. Cretzmeyer Track in Iowa City on Thursday, April 12. Tausaga finished first in the event with a distance of 56.69 meters.
January 31, 2019
After four-straight home meets, the Iowa track and field teams will make their way to their first road meet at the Frank Sevigne Invitational on Friday, hosted by Nebraska, and the Meyo Invitational on Saturday, hosted by Notre Dame.
With an important part of the schedule coming up, Iowa took some precautionary measures to make sure the athletes could achieve peak performances.
“We held a lot of our athletes out this week because they’ve been training at such high levels,” Iowa Director of Track and Field Joey Woody said. “We used this week to train for the last half of the indoor season.”
A big contender this season, Laulauga Tausaga, holds two Iowa records: shot put (17.34 meters) and weight throw (21.30). After taking a break last weekend at the Black & Gold Premier, she eyes making big advances.
“It’s a great feeling, but there’s still more to be done,” she said. “I’m trying to keep moving up in the national rankings and keep working to make the Big Ten Championships.”
Seven Hawkeye tracksters have spots in the top five of the Big Ten ranks.
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Briana Guillory has the top time in the 400 meters (52.67). She also is fourth in the 600 meters (1:30.92).
Jenny Kimbro, No. 2 in Hawkeye all-time 60-meter hurdles, also is second in the Big Ten 60-meter hurdles (8.29).
Three jumping events are also in the mix, held by two Iowa women: Aubrianna Lantrip in the high jump (1.76 meters) and Amanda Carty in the long jump (6.16 meters) and the triple jump (21.84 meters).
Tausaga is ranked in the shot put and weight throw as well.
In the most recent NCAA rankings, the women’s team has three spots. Guillory in the 400 meters is third (52.67), Tausaga is 13th in both the shot put (16.70) and the weight throw (21.30).
Recently, the women’s throwers hit a new achievement in the shot put. Tausaga sits in first with a 17.24-meter throw, Nia Britt is next with a 16.19-meter toss, followed by Erika Hammond with a 15.79-meter throw.
“That’s a great way to open the meet,” Woody said. “Those girls, they keep firing. Every single week they keep getting better. I think being in this environment as often as we can just makes people better. You see a lot out of our own athletes, but you also learn about your team and your program.”
The Hawkeyes will head to their respective meets with hopes of achieving new personal bests, records, and gold medals.
After this weekend, some athletes will hit the road to Ames to compete in the Iowa State Classic on Feb. 8-9, while others will head to the Tyson Invitational, hosted by Arkansas on the same dates.
