DES MOINES — In what she may describe as a love/hate relationship, Gladbrook-Reinbeck junior Kennedy Brant took on the 400-meter hurdles for only the third time in her career, coming away with third place on Friday at the Iowa Co-Ed State Track and Field Championships.

What her mom and coach Justina Brant says is an act of rebellion “because mom suggested it,” Kennedy has never cared much for the long-form hurdle race, running it as few times as she could.

Before her hurdle endeavor, Brant was busy contesting the Class 1A girls high jump. She cleared 4 feet, 10 inches on the first try before moving up to 5 feet. Proving to be more of an honest height, Brant missed on her first two attempts. Admitting her nerves were in play, her final attempt proved fruitful with a clear before changing spikes and lining up for the 400 hurdles.

What she described as “terrible in the moment,” Brant’s 400 hurdles race was gritty. In the last hundred meters, Brant’s legs pounded the track as her arms flailed. With a strained look on her face, Brant placed second in the heat. The only thing separating her from runner-up was Anna Lursen of Fort Dodge St. Edmond, who came out of the second heat with a time of 1:05.06 compared to Brant’s 1:05.32.

After a bit of a break with being recognized on the podium, she changed spikes again and finished the high jump competition.

Being up to 5-2, the higher bar provided a formidable challenge for the noticeably tired Rebel. With two minutes in between each attempt, Brant missed on all three, ending in 11th place.

“I was stressing myself out a little before, that’s why it took me so many tries in high jump,” she said. “I just had to tell myself one thing at a time and not think about all the different things I was doing.”

“I hope she’s OK after all of this,” Justina said.

Fellow G-R junior Hudson Clark competed in the 400 hurdles, finishing in 57.87 for a solid performance earning him 16th place.

In other area action, BCLUW’s Morgan Bergman finished 22nd in the 1A girls discus, clearing 85-1 in her final throw as a Comet.

The Comet quartet of Brinna Benson, Klayre Gallentine, Ceanna White and Kalia Stover finished 18th in the distance medley relay with a time of 4:26.10.