DES MOINES — The ISU women’s 4×1,600-meter relay team accomplished a feat it had never achieved before: a victory at the Drake Relays.

In the April 25, 2013 race anchored by senior Ejiro Okoro, who ran a 4.43-second 1,600-meter leg, the relay team was able to pull away and race to a convincing win with a time of 19:16.69.

“Basically, I knew I had the lead and I just had to be consistent to maintain the lead,” Okoro said. “Everyone just did their best and we all pulled through. It was a good job, well done.”

Fifth-year senior Dani Stack started the race and put her teammates in a good position before handing the baton to Maggie Gannon, who raced to the front of the competition for the early lead.

“For me personally, this is something that I’ve wanted since my freshman year,” Stack said. “Especially with the season that I’ve been having. I was injured. Being at home on the Drake field is more than I could have imagined; this is by far my most exciting moment.”

Running third for the Cyclones was freshman Crystal Nelson, who stretched Iowa State’s lead even further. Nelson, running in the Drake Relays for the first time, set the stage for Okoro.

“I remember coach saying before the race started, if you take the lead what are you going to do? And I said I’m going to keep the lead,” Nelson said with a laugh. “I’m more comfortable with the 5k distance events and running a [4×1,600] got me really nervous but I didn’t want to let these ladies down. It was definitely an experience.”

Winning this event for the first time at the Drake Relays is a surprise to most, with the women’s long-distance program Coach Corey Ihmels has instilled at Iowa State. This Cyclone relay team is not surprised by the result.

“We are better in the mid-distance side than we have been in a while and it’s always been frustrating us because of our distance program for the women in cross-country and long distances in track,” Gannon said. “I think this year we knew that we are all much better runners this year than the last year.”