The decorated senior sprinter and hurdler put herself in position for medals in two events on Thursday, qualifying for the 100 and 200 meter dash finals by posting a top-eight time in preliminaries. Her 200 time of 26.33 seconds jumped her up to the third seed in finals, qualifying from the first heat.

In the 100, Tyynismaa lined up in the third heat and won the heat with a personal best time of 12.9 to lock up a spot in the finals as the fifth seed.

In her two weaker events, the senior locked up medals ahead of Friday’s 100 and 400 hurdles — where Tyynismaa will be the No. 2 seed in each event.

Thursday’s races were the perfect start to the weekend, Tyynismaa said.

T-R PHOTO BY NOAH ROHFLING South Tama junior Emma Harwick makes an attempt at the opening height during the Class 3A high jump on Thursday in Des Moines.

“This is a really good start,” Tyynismaa said. “Comparing it to last year, I didn’t do so hot in those two events. Being able to come back and get those events and knowing I’m able to make it to the finals on Saturday with those is exciting.

“With these being not as strong as my hurdles, I was a little bit more nervous about them but seeing how I’ve been able to perform definitely boosts my confidence.”

Her first event on Friday is the 100 hurdles preliminaries, where she will be in lane 4 of the second heat.

The other Trojans to medal on Thursday were the 4×800 boys’ relay group of James Brant, Jonathan Meyer, Trusten Rosenberger and Tommy Tyynismaa.

Their time of 8:13.91 was the best they’ve had as a group and it locked them up with a seventh-place finish, outperforming the No. 8 seed they got in qualifying.

Tommy said the race was a good one for STC.

“Really good improvement and I think we’re all pretty happy about the outcome,” Tommy said.

The warm weather had a small impact on the race, but Meyer said the training this group has done together prepared them for the pressure and the heat of the occasion.

“This group of us, we trained in the snow and we trained in the heat,” Meyer said. “Whatever it is, we’re going to go out there and try our best. I think we really showed that we’re gonna thrive in whatever weather nature throws at us.”

Emma Harwick did not place in the high jump after failing to clear on all three attempts at the opening height of 4 feet, 10 inches.

In one of the day’s final events, senior Trusten Rosenberger took part in the 400 finals and finished 21st with a time of 52.59.

The first event Friday for STC is Kortney Babinat in the shot put at 2 p.m.