The Big 12 Outdoor Track and Field Championships kicked off Friday afternoon from Waco, Texas, and the highlights of the day for the Iowa State women came from the team’s hammer throwers and 10,000 meter runners.

Seniors Christabel Okeke and Tessa Krempel each set new personal bests en route to top ten finishes in the hammer throw to start the day for Iowa State, giving the Cyclone women their first six points of the meet. 

Okeke finished fourth with a best throw of 189-feet one-inch, nearly 14 feet better than the 175-foot 3-inch throw she had entered the final round with.  Krempel, meanwhile, took eighth place with a best throw 178-feet 2-inches that came on her second throw of the day.

Day one ended on a high note for Iowa State when junior Anne Frisbie and freshman Amanda Vestri took second and third place, respectively, in the 10,000 meter run.

The pair finished less than two seconds apart in the race, with Frisbie crossing the finish line 35:09.60 and Vestri in 35:11.45.  The results gave the Cyclone women 14 additional points, putting the team in second place with a total of 20 to end the night.

Also competing on Friday was sophomore Bailey Righi, who finished 11th in the javelin with a best throw of 117-feet 4-inches.

Day two of the outdoor championships will kick off from Waco starting at 10 a.m. on Saturday.