PELLA — Getting the opportunity to race on the famed blue oval at Drake Stadium, the Central College track and field team was in action at the Drake Relays this weekend.

Central also had athletes entered at the Kip Janvrin Open hosted by Simpson College

Gunner Meyer (senior, Fairbank, Wapsie Valley HS) was fifth in the men's 110-meter hurdles in 13.94 seconds. He also finished tied for 10th in the high jump after clearing 6 feet, 8 inches. Teammate Lance Bunde (sophomore, Guthrie Center, ACGC HS) tied for seventh after also clearing 6-8 but on fewer attempts.

In Thursday night's distance carnival, Peyton Steffen (senior, Marion) was sixth in the women's 5,000-meter run Open in 17 minutes, 9.56 seconds.

Mary Gustason (senior, Marion, Linn-Mar HS), Olivia Bohlen (senior, Belle Plaine), Danika Arnold (sophomore, Glenwood) and Olivia Phillips (freshman, Saint Charles, Interstate-35 HS) ran the fourth-fastest 4x200-meter relay time in school history, crossing the line in 1:42.85 to finish 19th.
Gustason, Bohlen, Phillips and Alivia Roerdink (junior, Tiffin, Ohio, Hopewell-Loudon HS) were eighth in the sprint medley relay in 4:12.75

Just missing the finals in the women's 4x400-meter relay, Roerdink, Emily McMartin (senior, Pella), Kennedy Petersen (freshman, Story City, Roland-Story HS), Kennedy Petersen (freshman, Story City, Roland-Story HS) and Ava Parkins (junior, Monmouth, Ill., Burlington Notre Dame [Iowa] HS) were 10th in 3:48.85. In the 4x100-meter relay, Gustason, Parkins, McMartin and Karlee Warnke (junior, Primghar, South O'Brien HS) were 12th in 48.08 seconds.

Warnke was 18th in the long jump (17-8), McMartin was 22nd in the women's 400 meters (57.74 seconds) and Bohlen was 23rd (14.28 seconds).

Men's javelin thrower Grant Miller (senior, Norwalk) was 11th with a toss of 174 feet, 10 inches.

Kip Janvin Open – Owen Tomko (junior, Costa Mesa, Calif., Fountain Valley HS) won the men's long jump with a mark of 22 feet, 9 inches. He's just outside the national top 50 in the event.

Women's long jumper Jasmyn Williams (senior, Denver, Colo., Arvada West HS) finished third with a leap of 17-6.

Gage Huyser (senior, Pella) had a pair of top-10 finishes in the pole vault (fourth, 13-11.25) and 110-meter hurdles (sixth, 14.83 seconds),
           
Maddy Stevens (freshman, Grimes, Dallas Center-Grimes HS) was sixth in the women's 5,000 meters in a time of 17:21.52
           
Central will host the three-day American Rivers Conference Outdoor Track and Field Championships starting next Thursday.