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There’s no shortage of Olympians and record holders competing at this year’s Drake Relays.
Athletes from across the globe will descend upon Des Moines in the coming days for the 115th edition of the Drake Relays.
The multiple-day track and field meet draws top amateur and professional athletes and has long been a proving ground for legends of the sport, such as Jesse Owens, who won the 100-meter event at Drake in 1935, a year before claiming four gold medals at the 1936 Summer Olympics.
Here's what you need to know about the 2025 Drake Relays and some notable athletes who will be competing.
The Drake Relays officially started April 19, with the 5K, 10K and half-marathon Drake Road Races.
The Grand Blue Mile and USATF 1-mile Championships take place April 22, followed by the debut of the World Shot Put Series on April 23, which marks the start of the field events of the Drake Relays.
Here are some athletes who have competed in past Olympic Games that will be competing at this year's Drake Relays.
Tara Davis-Woodhall will be defending her title as the best women's long jumper in the world when she competes at the Drake Relays this year. Davis-Woodhall was the 2024 Olympic gold medalist in the women's long jump and is a three-time U.S. champion.
She will be challenged by the likes of Ese Brume, the Nigerian national record holder and three-time Olympian, and Quanesha Brooks, a 2021 Olympian in Tokyo.
Davis-Woodhall will also be joined by her husband, Hunter Woodhall, in competing at the Drake Relays. Huner, who is a multiple-time Paralympian, will be competing in the men's 400-meter race.
The 100-meter hurdles event for the women will feature multiple Olympians, headlined by Masai Russell, who won gold at the Paris Olympics last year and holds the second-best time in U.S. history with a 12.25. Russell will compete against fellow 2024 Olympian Denisha Cartwright of The Bahamas and 2021 Olympian Andrea Vargas from Costa Rica.
Perhaps the event most packed with Olympic talent, the women's 400-meter hurdles will feature five runners who have all previously competed in the Olympic Games. Three of the athletes — Lauren Hoffman of the Philippines, Grace Claxton of Puerto Rico and Alanah Yukich of Australia — all ran at the 2024 Olympics, and Ashley Spencer and Tia Adana Belle of Barbados both competed during the 2016 games, with the latter qualifying for the 2021 Olympics as well.
Last year's Drake Relays champion in the 800-meters, Aurora Rynda, will defend her title against a host of other challengers, including 1500-meter finalist at the Paris Olympics, Klaudia Kazimierska from Poland.
The No. 20 javelin thrower in the world, Rhema Otabor, is currently the favorite to win the event at this year's Drake Relays. Otabor, a 2024 Paris Olympian from the Bahamas, broke the collegiate javelin record with a throw of 64.19 meters at the 2024 NCAA Championships.
The Drake Relays women's hammer throw features 2024 Olympic silver medalist Annette Echikunwoke from Nigeria and fellow Paris Olympians Erin Reese and Stamatia Scarvelis from the U.S. and Greece, respectively.
Records may potentially be broken in the women's 1500-meter race as Iowans Karissa Schweizer and Shelby Houlihan will be battling it out amongst 15 other runners. Schweizer, a two-time Olympic finalist, graduated from Dowling Catholic in 2014. Houlihan, a Sioux City native, placed 11th in the 5000m final at the 2016 Olympics.
Paris Olympians Vera Hoffmann of Luxembourg and Alma Cortes of Mexico will also look to rest the Drake record against Schweizer and Houlihan.
The women's steeplechase features 2024 Olympians from India, Parul Chaudhary and Ankita Dhyani. Anita Konieczek of Poland is the third former Olympian in the lineup and has qualified for the Olympic Games twice previously.
Previously mentioned Hunter Woodhall will highlight the men's slate of the 400-meter race. Woodhall was a three-time All-American at the University of Arkansas despite being born with fibular hemimelia, a disease which resulted in the amputation of both his legs below his knees.
Hunter will not be competing against other para-athletes during the Drake Relays and instead will race against seven other competitors, featuring Jamaican Olympians Sean Bailey and Zandrion Barnes.
Kenyan Wiseman Mukhobe will look to dethrone defending Drake Relays champion Aldrich Bailey Jr. in the 400-meter hurdles. Mukhobe was a 2024 Olympic semifinalist and holds a personal best time of 48.57 seconds.
Arguably the best shot put thrower in the world, three-time Olympic champion and five-time Drake Relays champion Ryan Crouser will headline a stacked shot put lineup taking part in the World Shot Put Series and Drake Relays. Crouser will be going against two-time Olympian Payton Otterdahl and 2024 Olympic bronze medalist Rajindra Campbell from Jamaica.
Josh Cinnamo, the bronze medalist in the shot put at the 2021 Paralympics in Tokyo, will compete in the outdoor portion of the shot put.
The No. 14 javelin thrower in the world, Curtis Thompson, will take part in the men's javelin contest at Drake. Thompson is a two-time Olympian and will compete against eight other throwers, including Nigerian Olympian Chinecherem Nnamdi.
Participants of the men's hammer throw include Olympians Rudy Winkler and Canadian Rowan Hamilton.
Cooper Worth is a service/trending reporter for the Des Moines Register. Reach him at [email protected] or follow him on X @CooperAWorth.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Drake Relays brings Olympians to Des Moines. Who will compete?
Continue reading...
Athletes from across the globe will descend upon Des Moines in the coming days for the 115th edition of the Drake Relays.
The multiple-day track and field meet draws top amateur and professional athletes and has long been a proving ground for legends of the sport, such as Jesse Owens, who won the 100-meter event at Drake in 1935, a year before claiming four gold medals at the 1936 Summer Olympics.
Here's what you need to know about the 2025 Drake Relays and some notable athletes who will be competing.
When are the 2025 Drake Relays?
The Drake Relays officially started April 19, with the 5K, 10K and half-marathon Drake Road Races.
The Grand Blue Mile and USATF 1-mile Championships take place April 22, followed by the debut of the World Shot Put Series on April 23, which marks the start of the field events of the Drake Relays.
Here are some athletes who have competed in past Olympic Games that will be competing at this year's Drake Relays.
Tara Davis-Woodhall competing in Drake Relays women's long jump
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Tara Davis-Woodhall will be defending her title as the best women's long jumper in the world when she competes at the Drake Relays this year. Davis-Woodhall was the 2024 Olympic gold medalist in the women's long jump and is a three-time U.S. champion.
She will be challenged by the likes of Ese Brume, the Nigerian national record holder and three-time Olympian, and Quanesha Brooks, a 2021 Olympian in Tokyo.
Davis-Woodhall will also be joined by her husband, Hunter Woodhall, in competing at the Drake Relays. Huner, who is a multiple-time Paralympian, will be competing in the men's 400-meter race.
Drake Realys women's 100-meter hurdles features 3 Olympians
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The 100-meter hurdles event for the women will feature multiple Olympians, headlined by Masai Russell, who won gold at the Paris Olympics last year and holds the second-best time in U.S. history with a 12.25. Russell will compete against fellow 2024 Olympian Denisha Cartwright of The Bahamas and 2021 Olympian Andrea Vargas from Costa Rica.
Drake Relays women's 400-meter hurdles field has 5 Olympians
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Perhaps the event most packed with Olympic talent, the women's 400-meter hurdles will feature five runners who have all previously competed in the Olympic Games. Three of the athletes — Lauren Hoffman of the Philippines, Grace Claxton of Puerto Rico and Alanah Yukich of Australia — all ran at the 2024 Olympics, and Ashley Spencer and Tia Adana Belle of Barbados both competed during the 2016 games, with the latter qualifying for the 2021 Olympics as well.
Drake Relays women's 800-meter defending champion will have to ward off an Olympian
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Last year's Drake Relays champion in the 800-meters, Aurora Rynda, will defend her title against a host of other challengers, including 1500-meter finalist at the Paris Olympics, Klaudia Kazimierska from Poland.
Drake Relays javelin favorite is a 2024 Olympian
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The No. 20 javelin thrower in the world, Rhema Otabor, is currently the favorite to win the event at this year's Drake Relays. Otabor, a 2024 Paris Olympian from the Bahamas, broke the collegiate javelin record with a throw of 64.19 meters at the 2024 NCAA Championships.
Drake Relays women's hammer throw includes 3 Olympians
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The Drake Relays women's hammer throw features 2024 Olympic silver medalist Annette Echikunwoke from Nigeria and fellow Paris Olympians Erin Reese and Stamatia Scarvelis from the U.S. and Greece, respectively.
Iowans Karissa Schweizer and Shelby Houlihan to battle in Drake Relays 1500-meter race
Records may potentially be broken in the women's 1500-meter race as Iowans Karissa Schweizer and Shelby Houlihan will be battling it out amongst 15 other runners. Schweizer, a two-time Olympic finalist, graduated from Dowling Catholic in 2014. Houlihan, a Sioux City native, placed 11th in the 5000m final at the 2016 Olympics.
Paris Olympians Vera Hoffmann of Luxembourg and Alma Cortes of Mexico will also look to rest the Drake record against Schweizer and Houlihan.
Drake Relays women's steeplechase features 3 Olympians
The women's steeplechase features 2024 Olympians from India, Parul Chaudhary and Ankita Dhyani. Anita Konieczek of Poland is the third former Olympian in the lineup and has qualified for the Olympic Games twice previously.
Paralympian Hunter Woodhall to compete against 2 Olympians in Drake Relays 400-meter race
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Previously mentioned Hunter Woodhall will highlight the men's slate of the 400-meter race. Woodhall was a three-time All-American at the University of Arkansas despite being born with fibular hemimelia, a disease which resulted in the amputation of both his legs below his knees.
Hunter will not be competing against other para-athletes during the Drake Relays and instead will race against seven other competitors, featuring Jamaican Olympians Sean Bailey and Zandrion Barnes.
Kenyan Olympian looks to dethrone defending champion in Drake Relays 400-meter hurdles
Kenyan Wiseman Mukhobe will look to dethrone defending Drake Relays champion Aldrich Bailey Jr. in the 400-meter hurdles. Mukhobe was a 2024 Olympic semifinalist and holds a personal best time of 48.57 seconds.
Three-time Olympian Ryan Crouser competing in Drake Relays shot put against 2 other Olympians
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Arguably the best shot put thrower in the world, three-time Olympic champion and five-time Drake Relays champion Ryan Crouser will headline a stacked shot put lineup taking part in the World Shot Put Series and Drake Relays. Crouser will be going against two-time Olympian Payton Otterdahl and 2024 Olympic bronze medalist Rajindra Campbell from Jamaica.
Josh Cinnamo, the bronze medalist in the shot put at the 2021 Paralympics in Tokyo, will compete in the outdoor portion of the shot put.
Drake Relays javelin and hammer throw include 2 Olympians each
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The No. 14 javelin thrower in the world, Curtis Thompson, will take part in the men's javelin contest at Drake. Thompson is a two-time Olympian and will compete against eight other throwers, including Nigerian Olympian Chinecherem Nnamdi.
Participants of the men's hammer throw include Olympians Rudy Winkler and Canadian Rowan Hamilton.
Cooper Worth is a service/trending reporter for the Des Moines Register. Reach him at [email protected] or follow him on X @CooperAWorth.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Drake Relays brings Olympians to Des Moines. Who will compete?
Continue reading...
