Hawkeyes Tally 5 Medalist Finishes on Final Day of B1G Championships

LINCOLN, Neb. – University of Iowa track and field wrapped up competition at the 2026 Big Ten Outdoor Championships at the Nebraska Outdoor Track on Sunday afternoon.

“Overall, we had a lot of highs and lows and everything in between, but that’s how championships go,” Iowa Director of Track and Field Joey Woody said. “I am extremely proud of how our team competed, from the start of the decathlon and hammer throw all the way through the 4x400 relay. Our team never quit, and we battled across all events throughout the three days. Unfortunately, we didn’t reach our goals or expectations as a team.”

“For the men, we had to battle through some injuries and illness this weekend, but they never backed down and kept battling throughout the entire weekend,” Woody noted.

The men’s team finished in seventh place with 56 points. The women’s team placed 10th with 29 points. 

The Hawkeyes totaled five third-place finishes on the final day of competition.

Iowa racked up 11 points in the women’s 400-meter final and was led by a season-best performance from Damaris Mutunga. Mutunga placed third overall for the second-straight season and finished in 52.02. Chioma Nwachukwu followed in fourth at 52.47. In the men’s race, Iowa had two top-five finishes. Freshman David Akhalu led the Hawkeyes with a 45.89 and third-place time. Tyrese Miller ran 46.72 to take home fifth. Together, Akhalu and Miller scored 10 crucial points for the men’s team. 

“Damaris had an amazing meet, competing in tough, windy conditions in the 400 meters to earn a third-place medal,” Woody said. “Chioma competed great in the 400 meters, taking it out hard and fast into a tough headwind on the backstretch to finish fourth and add to our team total."

"David was the last-time qualifier from Saturday and was stuck in lane one, but he took it out hot and went for the win from the gun," Woody noted. "He closed extremely well to earn his first individual medal with a third-place finish. Tyrese also ran an exceptional race and closed extremely fast over the final 100 meters to finish fifth.”

In the high hurdles, the Hawkeyes’ duo of Vaughn DeVaughn III and Blake Nyenati teamed up to score a combined nine points. DeVaughn III earned the bronze in 13.43, while Nyenati placed sixth in 13.85. Jailya Ash wrapped up her debut at the Big Ten Championships with a sixth-place finish of 13.20 in the women’s edition. Both hurdles races were contested in windy conditions.

“Jailya competed extremely well in the 100 hurdles,” Woody added. “She battled through tough, windy conditions and athletes falling next to her to earn a sixth-place podium finish. She is really close to breaking 13 seconds, and I think it will all come together in the next two weeks.”

Prior Ochonogor took home third in the men’s 400-meter hurdles final against a loaded field. Ochonogor ran 50.84 in his Big Ten Championships debut. The top three finishers all crossed the line within one-tenth of each other.

“Prior had an amazing race in the 400-meter hurdles and went for it from the gun,” Woody said. “He was out fast through the first 300 meters and was closing well but just got caught at the line. I’m proud of how well he competed to earn his first Big Ten medal.”

The Hawkeyes’ top relay came from the men’s 4x400 race, where Miller, Ochonogor, Akhalu and Landon Fontenot claimed third in 3:06.73.

In a very windy men’s 100-meter final, Darwin Jimenez ran 9.93 to earn sixth place. Olaolu Olatunde placed eighth in 10.18. The race was contested with a tailwind of 5.6 meters per second. Alivia Williams competed in the 200-meter final and placed ninth in a wind-aided 23.29.

Elsewhere on the track, Rosemary Arthur scored four points by placing fifth in the 800 meters. In her Big Ten Championships debut, Arthur finished in 2:04.83.

“Rosemary competed exceptionally well, running a really gusty race in the 800 meters to finish fifth overall,” Woody noted. “She has made some great strides these past few weeks.”

Iowa scored points and posted top-10 program times in both of the 4x100 relays. The women’s team of Ash, Williams, Alexandria Edison and Holly Duax placed fifth in 44.32 and registered the eighth-fastest time in school history. On the men’s side, Jimenez, Jordan Gross, Jaylin Holmes and Olatunde ran 39.20 to finish sixth and post Iowa’s ninth-fastest time.

Up Next: The Hawkeyes head to the NCAA First Rounds in Fayetteville, Arkansas, May 27-30.

HAWKEYE RESULTS
Men’s 100 Meters Final
6. Darwin Jimenez - 9.93*
8. Olaolu Olatunde - 10.18*

Women’s 100-Meter Hurdles Final
6. Jailya Ash - 13.20*

Men’s 110-Meter Hurdles Final
3. Vaughn DeVaughn III - 13.43*
6. Blake Nyenati - 13.85*

Women’s 200 Meters Final
9. Alivia Williams - 23.29

Men’s 400 Meters Final
3. David Akhalu - 45.89
5. Tyrese Miller - 46.72

Women’s 400 Meters Final
3. Damaris Mutunga - 52.02
4. Chioma Nwachukwu - 52.47

Men’s 400-Meter Hurdles Final
3. Prior Ochonogor - 50.94

Women’s 400-Meter Hurdles Final
9. Ali Frandsen - 1:01.05

Women’s 800 Meters Final
5. Rosemary Arthur - 2:04.83

Women’s 5,000 Meters Final
34. Hillary Trainor - 18:04.77

Men’s 4x100 Relay Final
6. Jimenez, Gross, Holmes, Olatunde - 39.20, 9th at Iowa 

Women’s 4x100 Relay Final
5. Ash, Al. Williams, Edison, Duax - 44.32, 8th at Iowa

Men’s 4x400-Meter Relay Final
3. Miller, Ochonogor, Akhalu, Fontenot - 3:06.73

Men’s Shot Put
12. Bryce Ruland - 18.19 meters, PR
21. Landon Prince - 16.09 meters

Women’s Triple Jump
13. Lovisa Ulvenstam - 12.67 meters (41’ 7”)*

* = wind-aided