Junior Kianna Elahi came close to getting the expensive pair of Oakleys given to the winner of each of the event.

Elahi finished second overall in the 400-meter hurdles with a time of 56.73. She was edged by Ryann Karis of Kansas State. Karis finished with a time of 56.62.

The homestretch is what Elahi will remember for small mistakes she feels she made.

“The past couple times I’ve been able to go through seven hurdles on my dominant leg, and that time I had to switch on the last one,” Elahi said. “It felt really strong, but I probably could have hurdled the last few a little better. It was good, I felt like it was an aggressive race.”

She felt good coming into the last few hurdles, but didn’t have enough momentum in order to overtake Karis.

Despite the close finish, she was pleased with setting a new personal best in what has become her strongest event. She still couldn’t get the sponsored prize off her mind.

“I can’t complain about that,” Elahi said. “That’s my personal best. I just didn’t get any Oakleys.”

Elahi finished second in the 400-meter hurdles during the 2010 Drake Relays with a time of 58.58. Her training over the past three seasons has allowed her to shave more than two seconds off her time

“It’s one of those things where, each year, you get progressively faster and stronger,” Elahi said. “Just keep doing the workouts and the training.”

Elahi and sophomore Donnise Powell set personal bests in the event. Powell finished with a time of 59.52. Powell’s time was identical with that of Nakita Tracy of Oklahoma Baptist University.

After going to the fourth decimal place, Powell came out ninth overall. She took third place in the opening heat. Powell was especially pleased to set a personal best on one the state’s biggest stage.

“This is our turf, so it was good to have the support of everybody that I know in the stands and it was the perfect environment to run a personal best,” Powell said.

She knew she had done well right after she finished when she looked up at the scoreboard. She saw the times ahead of hers were still in the 59-second range.

“I saw the other girls had run 59-low, so I felt really good because I knew I was right there,” Powell said. “Then when I saw my time, I just clapped a few times and said ‘Thank you Lord’. All my hard work is paying off and it will continue to pay off.”