Gold for Miller

DES MOINES - Ashley Miller beamed, one hand on hip, one long-sought flag clutched in the other.

As the former Tipton star-turned-Nebraska standout embarked on her first Drake Relays victory lap as a collegian on Saturday, she stopped to sign autographs.

Another first, which drew another smile.

“It's crazy,” Miller said after winning the women's 1,500-meters - her last Relays event. “I felt like such a celebrity.”

Miller closed this blue oval-based chapter in her decorated running career with flair, churning up a dominant record-setting performance.

The 15-time state champion and three-time Relays winner as a prep ran the race in four minutes, 15.61 seconds - 0.3 seconds better than the previous best.

“I knew I could do it because of how my workouts have been going,” said Miller, who anchored second- and third-place efforts for the Cornhuskers on Friday. “I knew I was capable of coming here and breaking that record, so it didn't surprise me that I ran that fast, but I'm really happy I did.”

Miller led most of the race and finished 3.24 seconds ahead of second-place Laura Roxberg of Missouri.

McKenzie Melander of Iowa took third at 4:20.22.

“Any time you come away with a Drake Relays flag it's special,” Miller said after earning her 19th gold within the confines of Drake Stadium. “This one is really meaningful because it's my last shot.”

Speaking of last shots - Iowa State's Kianna Elahi and the Hawkeyes' Troy Doris converted theirs.

Elahi, a senior, won the women's 400-meter hurdles in a time of 56.78 seconds.

Her previous efforts at the Relays in the event?

Two seconds, one third.

“I just feel so blessed right now,” Elahi said. “I'm so thankful God was with me for this race, helping me through it. I'm just thankful for the opportunity to be able to come here for this meet and race with such talented people.”

It's been a whirlwind senior season for the Cyclone.

She's one summer class from graduating with an engineering degree.

She's engaged to be married in July.

“It's a big year,” Elahi said. “It's just a really exciting way to finish off college. In some ways I haven't gotten to have the typical college experience, but just being able to come this far with track, being able to graduate with my degree in four years, getting married and meeting the man of my dreams, I feel like it's made everything kind of worth it, to have this kind of reward at the end of everything.”

Doris' senior year hasn't been quite as eventful, but he, too, earned his first Relays crown in his last opportunity.

The 2011 All-American finished third last year.

“Finally got my flag and all that cool stuff,” said Doris, who edged friendly foe Omar Craddock of Florida in the triple jump with a leap of 53 feet, 10.25 inches. “I'm happy.”

So is Miller, who like Elahi and Doris point to conference championships, the NCAA Regionals and a likely return to Drake Stadium for the June 6-9 NCAA Outdoor Championships.

“It gives me some confidence going into some big races coming up,” Miller said. “Definitely running a fast race after running two races (Friday), it's a good confidence booster.”

Also Saturday, Arkansas sophomore Kyle Dunn, a former Linn-Mar prep, finished fifth in the 400-meter hurdles in 51.26 seconds.