Iowa track and field hosted its annual Musco Twilight Invite on Saturday without multiple star Hawkeye runners.

Sophomore sprinters Jenoah McKiver and Kalen Walker did not participate in Iowa’s sole home meet of the outdoor season. Iowa director of track and field Joey Woody told reporters on Wednesday that both may be out until the Big Ten Championships. 

Athletes from Iowa, Iowa State, Northern Iowa, Drake, Iowa Central, Indian Hills, Creighton, Northern Illinois, Western Illinois, University of Dubuque, Iowa Western, and Kirkwood Community College traveled to the Francis X. Cretzmeyer Track in Coralville to partake in the meet.

Iowa’s Nik Curtiss and Northern Iowa’s Darius King engaged in a shot put battle on Saturday afternoon, as the event came down to each competitor’s last heave.

King won the meet with a 20.26-meter toss, currently the fifth-best throw in the NCAA. Curtiss finished second with his 20.04-meter throw. The five highest finishers behind King were Hawkeyes.

Hawkeye junior Amanda Howe took bronze in the women’s hammer throw, and her 62.92-meter toss broke the meet record. 

The Hawkeyes’ field success extended beyond the throwing group. Sophomore Zack Pluff won the men’s high jump and Maria Gorham placed second on the women’s side.

Drake Woody placed second in the men’s javelin with a 52.63-meter throw.

On the track, Eli Ward earned gold in the men’s 800-meter with a time of 1 minute and 54.93 seconds.

The Hawkeyes took the top two spots atop the podium with a pair of 200-meter PRs from Payton Wensel and Erin Dowd. Wensel won the race with her 24 second-flat performance.

Hawkeyes still battling injuries

Woody told reporters on Wednesday that the Hawkeyes have endured a tough travel schedule throughout the 2022 outdoor season. He said the week-long pit stop in Iowa City has helped the Hawkeyes focus on schoolwork and recover from injuries.

“Getting back home lets us focus on the student part of being a student-athlete,” Woody said. “Getting back in the classroom lets us get caught back up on our schoolwork, especially these next few weeks as we finish up school and get ready for finals. That leads us right into the Big Ten Championships.

“I think it’s important to sleep in our own bed, get back into the routine of not eating on the road … I think the travel just kind of caught up to us a little bit.”

Up next

The Hawkeyes will return to the road after their one-week home stand.

Iowa will split up to travel to the Drake Relays April 27-30 and Simpson College’s Kip Janvrin Open in Indianola, Iowa, on April 29.