Swarmed by blue, there were no difficulties locating the ISU women’s track and field athletes at the Drake Relays on Thursday night.

But more important than standing out among their competitors on the track, the ISU runners stood out in the standings, as well.

The entrance to one of the most anticipated outdoor track and field events of the season resulted in a third place finish for the Cyclones in the 1,600-meter relay.

Junior Perez Rotich led the way and was followed by freshman Evelyne Guay and graduate student Kate DeSimone. Freshman Abby Caldwell anchored home the strong finish for the Cyclones, crossing the finish line with a 19:23.90 team time.

The time they recorded is the fourth fastest for the event in ISU women’s track and field history.

“The [race] felt pretty good,” Guay said. “It was tricky because there was a gap between me and the front pack. It was a little weird gauging my pace because I’ve never run a mile before.”

For Guay and DeSimone, the relay marked their official Drake Relay debuts and first time competing on the smurf track.

“It’s pretty cool,” Guay said. “It’s a very prestigious meet. There was random people wishing us good luck, so the camaraderie for people from Iowa is really cool.”

Guay will compete in the 800-leg of the distance-medley relay for Iowa State on Saturday. She said the goal is to run as well as she can and possibly clock a personal record in what expects to be less than ideal weather conditions.

Caldwell, a Waverly, Iowa, native, has competed in the Drake Relays in the past as a high school athlete, but this year marked her first in college.

DeSimone and Caldwell will both make returns to the track before the relays end and compete in either in the distance-medley relay or 1,600-meter.

Redshirt junior Julie Wiemerslage concluded the day of competition for the Cyclones in the 5,000-meter run, but unlike her teammates in the 1,600-meter relay, she performed under the lights. The distance runner finished 20th with a time of 17:29.57. 

Senior Christina Hillman will begin Friday’s competition for the Cyclones at the relays. Hillman is the defending outdoor champion in the shot put and will compete in the event at 11:15 a.m.