Iolas Elysia Kunkler has reached the USA TF Hershey National Junior Olympic Track and Field Championships, held in Sacramento, Calif., July 22 – 28.
This marks Kunklers third trip to the Junior Olympics, but her first time competing as a heptathlete. The heptathlon consists of the high hurdles, long jump, high jump, 200-meter run, 800-meter run, shot put, and javelin.
I feel kind of nervous, Kunkler said. Last time I went, I got 16th in the hurdles. My family expected me to be an All-American. Even though Im not running the hurdles as an individual event, they still expect me to be an all-American, because my coaches said I could make it.
Kunkler resides in Norman, Okla., for the summer. Leading up to nationals, Kunkler competed in Oklahomas state meet, which works in conjunction with the USA Track and Field circuit. Thirty-six states do not have competitions for javelin, including Oklahoma, giving Kunkler and other heptathletes a free pass to regionals. At state, Kunkler competed in three events, finishing first in the 100-meter hurdles, second in long jump, and seventh in the 800m run.
Kunklers next step was to compete at regionals at Emporia State. At regionals, she finished second in the heptathlon, making her a national qualifier for the third time in four years.
Kunkler did not attend nationals last summer after her sophomore track season. Instead, she went to Philadelphia on a mission trip. Kunklers mother, Damaris, stressed that her daughter still went through all the necessary preparation as if she were attending nationals.
There was no question that she wanted to go on a mission trip, Damaris said. I was all for it. She still went through the process of succeeding in state, regionals and qualifying for nationals, but decided she didnt want to go. She loves to compete, and at the time was coming off of a high. At the end of her sophomore year, she was the second-fastest runner in Kansas all the way from 1A through 6A.
Kunkler has been privileged to work with elite instructors like Emilyn Dearman, who currently is at Pittsburg State training for the Olympics as a heptathlete.
She showed me how to step over the hurdle and not just fly over it and to drive in between each hurdle, Kunkler said. She did help me a lot with hurdles.
This summer, David Daugharthy, track and field coach at Iola High, has gone down to Norman to assist Kunkler. The javelin is one of the events Kunkler has sought improvement in. Luckily enough, Daugharthy was an all-state thrower at Iola.
He went to college for the javelin, and he has taught me how to throw it, Kunkler said. I knew the basics, but my coaches in Oklahoma dont know it well. Ive already seen a lot of improvements. At regionals I threw 66 feet, and that was before knowing anything. When David came, we did a one-step drill and I threw it somewhere between 50 and 60 according to him. That was with no run up, just one step and throw.
Entering her senior year, Kunkler undoubtedly will have the pick of the litter when it comes to deciding where her next home will be after graduation. As a heptathlete, she has an edge over other athletes vying for spots on college track teams. At the moment, she has received interest from all three major universities in Kansas, KU, K-State, and Wichita State.
Most recently, Kunkler attended a camp at the U.S. Naval Academy, describing the experience as a lot of fun. The Naval Academy coaches are aware of Kunklers success in the long jump and 100m hurdles, and believe her dominance in two of the seven events creates an opportunity to excel as a heptathlete.
Kunkler leaves Oklahoma for Sacramento on Sunday to compete in her heptathlon events Monday and Tuesday. The goal is to finish in the top 15.
I think they open the practice field on Sunday, Kunkler said. So after settling down in the place Im staying, I may head down to see what the track is like and practice. I also may rest, but definitely practice a bit.
