Time to fly: D-NH's Kiewiet lands Drake Relays long jump title

DES MOINES – Parker Kiewiet felt the pressure.
 
Ever since his fifth-place finish at the Drake Relays long jump as a sophomore, he said he's wanted to get back here for a chance to win it all.
 
With his friends, teammates and family coming down from Dike- New Hartford to Drake Stadium to watch him compete, he wanted to deliver on what has, so far, been a stellar junior season.
 
But in his first few jumps, Kiewiet felt obligated to deliver: "I've gotta hit this, I've gotta hit this," Kiewiet said of his mindset. "I was really nervous."
  
The D-NH junior needed a home run on his last leap, but he also changed his mindset around.
 
"It was more of knowing that I could do this, that I knew I had it in me," Kiewiet said.
 
Kiewiet fulfilled his goal with a confident leap of 22 feet, 8 inches on his last attempt of the finals to catapult into the top spot and leave the Drake Relays with his first flag as long jump champion.
 
Western Dubuque's Damon Jaeger was second at 22 feet, 6.75 inches. Aplington-Parkersburg's Morgan Knock took seventh place at 21-5.5.
 
"Last year, I knew it'd be an experience-type thing, that I needed to be here first, and that hopefully I could be back next year and take it all," Kiewiet said. "This feels so good."
 
Complete Drake Relays coverage will be in next week's Grundy Register. Subscribe now by calling (319) 824-6958 or clicking here.