MANHATTAN, Kan. – Iowa State’s Edward Kemboi knew he had it when he had it. The sophomore used his personal formula of kicking late and he followed it until there was no one to follow, winning the Big 12 men’s 800-meter title Sunday at the league outdoor track and field championships on the RV Christian Track. The Iowa State women placed eighth overall, with 58 points. Texas won the women’s team crown with 139 points. The Cyclone men finished ninth with 54 points. Texas A&M won the men’s team title with 150 points.
Kemboi sat at the back of the 800-meter field until there was less than 300 meters to go. Then the All-American started picking off his opponents, one-by-one.
“(Iowa State head coach Corey Ihmels) told me before the race that the first lap could go out very fast,” Kemboi said.
It did, with the leaders finishing the initial lap in 50 seconds.
“I just stayed in contact and then made my kick,” Kemboi said. “Down the stretch I felt good and said ‘Let’s do this.'”
Once he took the lead in the final 20 meters, Kemboi held his hand high in triumph. He grabbed his Iowa State jersey, demonstrating his Cyclone pride as he crossed the finish line in 1:46.65 ahead of Rickey West of Missouri, who was second in 1:47.33. Kemboi , second in last year’s race, is Iowa State’s first 800-meter outdoor conference champion since Joseph Chepsorir in 1994. Kemboi’s effort came just 80 minutes after he had placed seventh in the 1500-meters.
Ihmels said better tactics will be needed two weeks from now at the NCAA Regional meet.
“We can run faster and will have to do so against tough competition coming up,” Ihmels said. “But the things Edward can accomplish on a national basis are quite exciting.
Iowa State freshman Cameron Ostrowski capped an auspicious season, taking second in the high jump with a clearance of 7-1. In his final conference meet, senior Derek Alderks came through with a third-place finish after clearing 6-11.
“The earlier part of the season has had some challenges and injuries,” Alderks said. “But I’ve been training well the last two weeks and it paid off today.”
Iowa State head coach Corey Ihmels didn’t have enough praise for the performance of the Cyclone field events.
“They carried us this weekend,” Ihmels said. “We had a pair of walk-ons place second and third in the high jump. That is a tribute to them and (jumps coach) Peter Herber. The same goes for the throwers and Grant Wall.”
Ian Warner stepped up big time, placing fourth in the 100-meters. His 10.13w clocking was wind-aided but that effort ranks him second as a performer for pure time in Iowa State history. Elliott Hanna ran a wind-aided 10.04w in 1985.
“I had a good start,” Warner said. “It wasn’t as good as in my prelim but I got out,” Warner said. “I feel great about the time. I now know that my body can run that fast. Now it’s time to get ready for regionals.”
In other men’s action, Akeem Holmes placed fifth for the Cyclones in the triple jump in 50-00.05. The Cyclone 4 x 100-meter relay team of Teddy Lampkin, Nick Efkamp, Patrick Lewis and Ian Warner finished seventh.
In Cyclone women’s action, Ejiro Okoro was third in the women’s 800-meter run in 2:06.89. The race was won by Matalja Piliusina of Oklahoma State in 2:05.23. Kendra Chambers of Texas was second in 2:06.76.
“The race did not start as fast as I thought it might,” Okoro said. “I knew that the final 200 meters was going to be real tough, a sprint.”
In the women’s 400-meter hurdles, Iowa State’s Kianna Elahi and teammate Ese Okoro finished second and fourth, respectively. Elahi’s time of 56.41 was a personal best. Okoro’s 57.65 was also a career best. Danielle Dowie of Texas won the race in 56.10. Elahi said the race was not perfect.
“It is my PR so I am happy about that,” Elahi said. My steps over the final two hurdles were off but the time is good.”
Ihmels singled out Elahi’s consistency.
“What Kianna is today is what she was as a freshman and throughout her career,” Ihmels said. “She always gives you all she has and today was more of the same.”
Iowa Stater Morgan Casey was seventh in the 3,000-meter steeplechase. Dani Stack finished fourth in the 5,000-meters in 16:12.51. The 4 x 100-meter relay team of Tamerria Dansby, Callan Jacobson, Kelly McCoy and Jessica Nichols finished eighth. The 4 x 400-meter relay team of Krista Shoeman, Elahi and the Okoro sisters, placed sixth in 3:38.49.
Women’s Results
FINAL TEAM SCORING – 1. Texas, 139; 2. Kansas, 129.50; 3. Texas A&M, 128.50; 4. Baylor, 72; 5. Texas Tech, 71; 6. Oklahoma, 63; 7. Missouri 60; 8. IOWA STATE 58; Kansas State 58; 10. Oklahoma State.
Discus – 1. Kearsten Peoples, Misssouri, 178-05; 13. Hayli Bozarth, IOWA STATE, 144-05; 15. Tressa Borchardt, IOWA STATE, 142-06
4×100-meter relay – 1. Texas A&M, 42.99; 8. IOWA STATE, 47.09
3,000-meter steeplechase – 1. Rebeka Stowe, Kansas, 10:18.11; 7. Morgan Casey, IOWA STATE, 10:56.70
800-meter run – 1. Natalja Piliusina, Oklahoma State, 2:05.23; 3. Ejiro Odoro, IOWA STATE, 2:06.89
400-meter hurdles – 1. Danielle Dowie, Texas, 56.10; 2. Kianna Elahi, IOWA STATE, 56.41; 4. Ese Okoro, IOWA STATE, 57.65
High Jump – 1. Shanay Briscoe, Texas, 6-1.25; 11. Hannah Willms, IOWA STATE, 5-7; Kelly McCoy, IOWA STATE, NH
5,000-meter run – 1. Nathosha Rogers, Texas A&M, 15:57.17; 4. Dani Stack, IOWA STATE, 16:12.51; 9. Taylor Peterson, IOWA STATE, 17:03.78; 11. Katie Moen, IOWA STATE, 17:09.50; 14. Maddy Becker, IOWA STATE, 17:20.13; 17. Morgan Casey, IOWA STATE, 17:30.07; 21. Maggie Gannon, IOWA STATE, 17:55.40; 22. India Lee, IOWA STATE, 18:03.89
4×400-meter relay – 1. Kansas, 3:28.10; 6. IOWA STATE, 3:38.49
Men’s Results
Team Scoring – 1. Texas A&M 150; 2. Texas, 130; 3. Oklahoma 65; 4. Kansas State 75; 5. Texas Tech 72; 6. Baylor 65, Oklahoma State 65; 8. Kansas 64; 9. IOWA STATE 54; 10. Missouri 52
4×100-meter relay – 1. Texas A&M, 39.00; 7. IOWA STATE, 40.80
800-meter run – 1. Edward Kemboi, IOWA STATE;
5,000-meter run – 1. George Alex, Oklahoma, 14:01.17; 12. Marty Coolidge, IOWA STATE, 14:26.55; 16. Rico Loy, IOWA STATE, 14:30.68; 29. Besu Shannon-Tamrat, IOWA STATE, 14:58.30; 31. Charlie Paul, IOWA STATE, 14:59.46; 33. Stephen Saylor, IOWA STATE, 15:26.60
1,500-meter run – 1. Riley Masters, Oklahoma, 3:43.48; 7. Edward Kemboi, IOWA STATE, 3:46.81
100-meter dash – 1. Prezel Hardy, Jr., Texas A&M, 10.03w; 4. Ian Warner, IOWA STATE, 10.13w
3,000-meter steeplechase – 1. Henry Lelei, Texas A&M, 8:38.90; 9. Josh Heitkamp, IOWA STATE, 9:09.70;
Triple jump – 1. Mark Jackson, Texas, 52-03.25; 5. Akeem Holmes, IOWA STATE, 50-00.50
High Jump – 1. Erik Kynard, Kansas State, 7-3; 2. Cameron Ostrowski, IOWA STATE, 7-1; 3. Derek Alderks, IOWA STATE, 6-11.
4×400-meter relay – 1. Texas A&M, 3:03.04; 9. IOWA STATE, 3:12.16
