Winslow Township graduate Tionna Tobias surpassed 5,000 points in her first collegiate heptathlon, scoring 5,083 points and placing ninth overall and second among freshmen.
Competing at the Big Ten Championships at Demirjian Park in Champaign, Ill., Tobias scored 1,037 points in the 100-meter hurdles with a lifetime-best 13.59 and 924 points in the 200 with a lifetime-best 24.60 and also surpassed 700 points in the high jump (5-2 1/2), long jump (18-11 3/4) and 800 (PR 2:23.98).,.
The only freshman to finish ahead of Tobias was Jessica Franklin of Illinois, who scored just 77 more points.
Tobias is the fifth Iowa woman to surpass 5,000 points in the heptathlon. Senior Jenny Kimbro (third with 5,477) and junior Dallyssa Huggins (5,437) placed 3rd and 4th. Kimbro holds the school record with 5,679 points.
Tobias also moved into the No. 6 spot in Iowa history in the 100-meter hurdles with her 13.59.
Tobias’s previous high score in a heptathlon was 4,672 points at the 2019 AAU National Club Championships in Kissimmee, Fla., which she won.
From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank 