Tionnna Tobias was awfully busy Saturday. Busy setting PRs.
Tobias, an Iowa freshman from Winslow, posted PRs in two events and missed a third PR by a fraction at the Big Ten Invite #1 at Billy Hayes Track and Field Complex at Indiana University in Bloomington.
She placed second in the high hurdles in 13.58, second in the long jump at 19-11 and even ran a fast 200, clocking 24.70.
Competing in a number of events at a high level at one meet isn’t new for Tobias, who’s an accomplished multi-event competitor. She placed 5th in the Big Ten pentathlon in February. She hasn’t competed in a heptathlon yet as a collegian but she scored 4,672 when she won the 2018 AAU National Club Championship in Kissimmee, Fla.
Let’s take a look at each of Tobias’s performances at Indiana:
100-METER HURDLES
Tobias placed second to teammate Jenny Kimbro, who ran 13.46. Tobias’s previous PR was a 13.99 at the 2019 state Group 2 meet at Central Regional. Kembro is the school record holder in the heptathlon and an honorable mention All-American in 2019.
Tobias’s hurdles time is No. 6 in Iowa history and No. 11 in NCAA Division 1 so far this year among freshmen. Kimbro and Tobias currently rank No. 1 and 2 in the Big Ten Conference.
LONG JUMP
Tobias soared 19-11 in the long jump, placing second to Indiana’s Leah Moran, who jumped 20-7 1/4.
She missed her lifetime PR of 19-11 1/2 – from the 2018 state meet at Central Regional – by half an inch, but her mark is No. 7 in Iowa history, No. 7 among NCAA freshmen this year and No. 3 this year in the Big Ten, behind Penn State senior Madeline Holmberg (20-10 1/2) and Moran.
200-METER DASH
Tobias never ran a 200 in high school, but she ran 24.70 Saturday, No. 9 this year in the Big Ten so far.
In the same race, former high school teammate Shakira Dancy ran a PR of 24.30 in her first outdoor college race. Dancy placed fourth.
From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank 