Iowa State makes more Drake Relays history Saturday

DES MOINES — The Iowa State men’s track and field team had a historic day Friday at the Drake Relays, breaking a 36-year-old record.

On Saturday, the Cyclones made more history.

Iowa State won the sprint medley relay, the 3,200-meter relay and the distance medley relay. It was the first time a school won those three relays at the Drake Relays since Kansas in 1954. The only other school to achieve the accomplishment was Illinois in 1941.

The Cyclones won the sprint medley relay and the 3,200-meter relay on Friday and the distance medley relay on Saturday.

The same group that won the 3,200-meter relay won the distance medley.

Jason Gomez led Iowa State off with a 1,200-meter time of 2:56.12, which had the Cyclones in third, but easily within striking distance. Roshon Roomes, who wasn’t even planning on running in this race, took the baton from Gomez and ran the 400-meter leg in 47.08 to vault the Cyclones into first place.

“I wasn’t planning on running the DMR today — I was thinking about doing the 4x400,” Roomes said. “But we needed those Relay Cup points, so I went ahead and did the DMR and helped get the win for the guys.”

Daniel Nixon maintained Roomes’ lead during the 800-meter leg and ran it in 1:50.03. Nixon handed the baton to Lagat, Iowa State’s closer.

Lagat was in a battle with Air Force’s Sam Gilman and Sean Torpy of Miami (Ohio) during the final 1,600 meters.

“I just wanted to stay patient,” Lagat said. “I didn’t want to lead the whole race — I wanted to wait for the last 100 meters and win the relay for my guys.”

That’s exactly what he did. Lagat was in a near dead heat with Gilman and Torpy, but pulled away in the last 50 meters and won relatively comfortably.

The Cyclones won with a time of 9:42.12, Air Force was second with a time of 9:42.70 and Miami (Ohio) finished third in 9:43.40.

Roomes, a senior, ran in all three winning relays for the Cyclones.

“This is awesome,” Roomes said. “My first Drake Relays, I don’t even think I won a flag at all. To come here my senior year and get three, it’s amazing. If we come through with the Relay Cup, that’d be the icing on the cake or the cherry on top.”

The victory in the distance medley relay secured the Relay Cup for Iowa State with 32 points. The second-place team was Houston with 21 points.

“Yes, we had victories yesterday but today’s a new day and so we had to get back to work,” Nixon said. “It was important to reset. We had fun yesterday and we had fun again today with another victory. We’re glad and thankful for that.”

Even though Iowa State expended four of its best 800-meter runners in the relay events, it still wasn’t done winning events that involved the 800.

Leonel Perez won the 800-meter run with a time of 1:50.79.

“I wanted a flag, too,” Perez said. “I knew I had to take the lead on the back stretch because of the wind and grind through the wind, then I knew if I was in the lead with 200 to go, it was my race to win.”

Iowa’s Jamal Britt had a good showing in the Journey to Gold 110-meter hurdles.

Britt finished third with a time of 13.442, just ahead of Shane Brathwaite’s time of 13.445.

Fellow Iowa teammate Jaylan McConico finished fifth in that race with a time of 13.56.

The winner of the 110-meter hurdles was Daniel Roberts, who finished in 13.39.

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