UNI quartet, all Iowans, get their long-awaited Drake Relays flags

DES MOINES — They’re all native Iowans. Rylan Santi, Allison Hilleman, Emily Vos and Emily Paul had shared another commonality.

“None of us had ever won a flag here,” Paul said.

Not until Friday.

The foursome from the University of Northern Iowa was somewhat of a surprise champion in the women’s University Division 800-meter relay at the Drake Relays.

“I’m shocked,” Santi said. “When (Paul) got to the finish, I had to look up at the scoreboard again. Did we just win?”

Yes, Rylan. You just won. The final time: 1 minute, 39.20 seconds.

“The time just added to my shock and happiness,” Santi said.

A junior from Madrid, Santi led it off. Then it was Hilleman (senior, West Marshall), Vos (junior, Pella) and Paul (senior, Pleasant Valley).

“It’s pretty great,” Hilleman said. “We weren’t expecting this.”

The Panthers led pretty much the whole way, winning by nearly a full second.

True, only four teams entered the 4x200. But flags are flags, they’re a valuable commodity, and the proud Panthers aren’t giving them back.

“I’m just so happy,” Santi said. “Freshman year was tough. But freshman Rylan to Rylan now ... there’s a big difference. I’m way more confident.”

North Dakota State swept the top three places in the women’s shot put, and Solon native Shelby Gunnells was right in the middle of it.

A senior, Gunnells took the lead with her second throw of 56 feet, 5 3/4 inches, and it held until Akealy Moton surpassed her with an effort of 56-11 1/2 on her final heave.

Tasha Willing was third at 51-11.

“I love it,” Gunnells said. “We are able to push each other day in and day out.”

The first women’s elite race of the weekend — dubbed “Journey to Gold” — was held Friday evening, and Leah Falland won it, running 9:32.53 in the 3,000-meter steeplechase.

“I felt good the entire race,” said the 28-year-old Falland, a two-time NCAA steeplechase champion at Michigan State. “One of my main goals was to practice race strategies. I wanted to race like I’m going to race at Eugene (site of the Olympic trials).”

Oklahoma State ruled Friday’s women’s distance relays.

First, in the 6,400-meter relay, all four of the Cowgirls ran under 5 minutes, including a 4:47 effort by anchor Heidi Demeo, and they rolled to the title in 19:27.09.

Then, a 2:07.6 leg by second runner Kaytlyn Larson broke open the 3,200-meter relay. The Cowgirls’ time of 8:39.53 topped the field by about 14 seconds.

Drake earned a pair of top-three women’s individual finishes.

Running in the slow heat, Drake’s Busiwa Asinga finished second in the 400-meter hurdles, in 1:01.04. Teammate Yinka Mary Ajayi was third in the open 400.

Iowa State and Northern Iowa ran 2-3 behind North Dakota State in the sprint medley relay.

NDSU was clocked in 3:55.87, then it was the Cyclones in 3:57.13 and the Panthers in 3:59.85.

Mount Vernon native Maggie Davis anchored in 2:13.3 for ISU.

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com