The Drake Relays is an outdoor track and field event held in Des Moines, Iowa, in Drake Stadium on the campus of Drake University. Billed as America's Athletic Classic, it is regarded as one of the top track and field events in the United States. In 2020, the Drake Relays was named a Silver Level event on the World Athletics Continental Tour, one of only two competitions in the United States to earn Silver Level status.
History The inaugural Drake Relays were held in 1910. The first meet drew just 100 spectators and 82 athletes, all from Des Moines-area colleges and high schools. The second year attendance grew to 250 athletes and a crowd of some 500 spectators. In 1914, the Relays saw its first world record set. By 1922, the Relays had expanded to two days and drew 10,000 fans, becoming the first major track and field event broadcast on radio. For the 1926 Relays, Drake Stadium was built on the site of the prior host, Haskins Field.
Women's events were added beginning in 1961 with Wilma Rudolph competing in the 100 meters. The 1966 Relays began a streak of 48 consecutive Saturdays with a sellout. In 1969, a $175,000 tartan track was installed. The events at the Relays would go all-metric in 1976 and the track was rebuilt as a 400-meter oval in 1978. It was resurfaced in 1983, and in 1988 was renamed the "Jim Duncan Track" to honor the long time relays public address announcer.
Hundreds of Olympic gold medalists have competed at Drake Stadium including Caitlyn Jenner, Michael Johnson, Carl Lewis, Jesse Owens, Wilma Rudolph, Frank Shorter, Gwen Torrence, and Jeremy Wariner. Hundreds more Drake Relays competitors have gone onto compete in the Olympic Games, including 113 at the 2012 Olympic Games.
In 2006, a Friday evening session was added. In 2010, the Grand Blue Mile, a one-mile road race in downtown Des Moines, was added. The week of festivities currently opens with a parade on Saturday, continues with a Beautiful Bulldog Contest (Drake's mascot) on Sunday, the Grand Blue Mile on Tuesday, and an indoor pole vault on Wednesday with the decathlon and heptathlon beginning Wednesday and concluding alongside the distance carnival on Thursday.
Midwest grocer Hy-Vee became the presenting sponsor beginning in 2013, enabling the Relays to offer a $50,000 purse in running events and $25,000 purse in field events, making the Drake Relays the richest athletics event in the United States. ESPN2 aired 90 minutes of live-action coverage that year and ESPN3 aired an additional two hours. The 2013 field saw 25 Olympic medalists compete. Currently NBCSN airs 2–3 hours of coverage on Saturday with live online coverage via NBCSports.com throughout the event.
In January 2018 Drake Relays unveiled the Blue Standard, under which Iowa's top high school athletes automatically qualify based on their event performance. The Blue Standard is the top 25 percent of accepted entrant's results from past Drake Relays.
In March 2020, Xtream powered by Mediacom was named the presenting sponsor of the Drake Relays. Xtream's sponsorship allows the Drake Relays to maintain its status as a premier track and field event, to be called the "Drake Relays presented by Xtream powered by Mediacom".
In addition to the track meet, the Relays serves as a second homecoming for the university and sees other community events such as student street painting and a downtown Des Moines block party.
Drake Stadium
Opened in 1925, the 14,557-seat stadium and its famous blue oval have hosted the Relays since 1926. A $15 million renovation in 2006 reduced capacity from 18,000 seats in order to expand the lanes, allow fans to watch throwing and running at the same time, and allow for more hosting of events. Another renovation following the 2016 relays saw a new track installed, constructed of the same material used for tracks in Beijing and London for the Summer Olympics.
Directors Eleven men have claimed the role of director of the Drake Relays since the very first officially organized track and field event took place more than 100 years ago back in the year 1910.
John L. Griffith 1910–1918Griffith was the founder of the Drake Relays. He remained director for nine years and moved to the University of Illinois after World War I. He later became commissioner of the Big Ten Conference. Drake's live bulldog mascot, Griff, is named for him. M. B. Banks 1919–1921Banks also served as coach to the Drake football and basketball teams. K. L. (Tug) Wilson 1922–1925Wilson was a former Illinois and Olympic athlete. After his tenure as director, he went on to become athletic director at Northwestern University. Wilson was also a former Big Ten Conference commissioner. O. M. (Ossie) Solem 1926–1932Longtime Drake coach succeeded Wilson, later became head football coach at the University of Iowa and Syracuse University F. P. (Pitch) Johnson 1933–1940 M. E. (Bill) Easton 1941–1947 Tom Deckard 1948–1955 Bob Karnes 1956–1969 Bob Ehrhart 1970–2000 Mark Kostek 2001–2005 Brian Brown 2006–2016Brown participated in the relays himself and held the Drake Relays record in the high jump until 2014. For his first eight years as director, Brown had attempted to have his record broken by recruiting some of the best high jumpers in the country. Blake Boldon 2017–present
Meet records
Men
+Men's meeting records of the Drake Relays Event Record Athlete Date 100 m10.01 Harvey Glance24 April 1976200 m20.02 Wallace Spearmon28 April 2012400 m44.08Kirani James29 April 2016800 m1:45.86Randy Wilson28 April 19781500 m3:38.27Steve Scott28 April 1984Mile3:51.71Alan Webb28 April 20075000 m13:21.39Morgan McDonald23 April 202110,000 m28:07.40Kipsubai Koskei26 April 1980110 m hurdles13.04 Omar McLeod29 April 2017400 m hurdles48.15Alison dos Santos24 April 20213000 m steeplechase8:31.02Henry Marsh30 April 1977High jumpDerek Drouin25 April 2014Pole vaultKC Lightfoot22 April 2024Long jumpAnthuan Maybank24 April 1993Triple jumpChristian Taylor27 April 2013Shot putPayton Otterdahl24 April 2024Discus throwReggie Jagers28 April 2018Hammer throwRudy Winkler24 April 2025Decathlon8265 ptsTill Steinforth23–24 April 20254 × 100 m relay38.96University of Alabama:Emmit KingLamar SmithCalvin SmithWalter Monroe30 April 19834 × 200 m relay1:20.53University of Texas-El Paso:Obadele ThompsonMilton MallardHayden StephenAndrew Tynes30 April 19944 × 400 m relay3:00.78Southern Illinois University:Parry DuncanTony AdamsElvis FordeMichael Franks28 April 1984Sprint medley relay (2,2,4,8)3:12.19Alabama State University:Lamar SmithCalvin SmithTerry MenefeeWilliam Wuyke30 April 19834 × 800 m relay7:12.57Iowa State University:Jason GomezJoven NelsonDaniel NixonFestus Lagat23 April 2021Distance medley relay9:30.45Southern Methodist University:Rob ToppingRussell MitchellBen BorPaul Rugut30 April 19834×110 m Shuttle hurdles relay52.94USA Blue:Jason RichardsonAleec HarrisAries MerrittDavid Oliver25 April 2015
Women
+Women's meeting records of the Drake Relays Event Record Athlete Date 100 m11.06 LaShauntea Moore24 April 2010200 m 22.40 Gwen Torrence30 April 1994400 m50.13Francena McCorory25 April 2015800 m2:00.03Ajee' Wilson24 April 20151500 m4:03.35Jennifer Simpson26 April 2013Mile4:23.69Krissy Gear26 April 20253000 m8:56.03Suzy Favor-Hamilton27 April 2002Two miles9:16.78Jennifer Simpson27 April 20185000 m15:23.21Karissa Schweizer26 April 201810,000 m32:57.38Patti Murray28 April 1988100 m hurdles12.40 Jasmin Stowers25 April 2015400 m hurdles53.88Dalilah Muhammad30 April 20223000 m steeplechase9:32.23Leah Falland26 April 2018High jumpChaunte Lowe28 April 2012Pole vaultSandi Morris28 April 2018Long jump Aisha James26 April 2003Triple jump Shani Marks26 April 2003Shot put Tia Brooks29 April 2016Discus throw Becky Breisch24 April 2010Hammer throw Brooke Andersen27 April 2023Heptathlon6040 ptsDiana Pickler21–22 April 20094 × 100 m relay43.58University of Texas:Morgan SnowAllison PeterChristy UdohChalonda Goodman28 April 20124 × 200 m relay1:31.96Texas Southern University:Linda EseimokumohBeatrice UtonduDyan WebberMary Onyali28 April 19894 × 400 m relay3:28.42Purdue University:Chole AbbotBrionna ThomasSymone BlackJahneya Mitchell28 April 2018Sprint medley relay (2-2-4-8)3:43.64Arkansas State University:Regine WilliamsDaina HarperTaylor Ellis-WatsonChrishuna Williams25 April 20154 × 800 m relay8:27.42University of Minnesota:Julie SchwenglerJamie CheeverGabrielle AndersonHeather Dorniden27 April 2007Distance medley relay11:03.25Notre Dame University:Olivia MarkezichKelly HartErin SullivanKatie Wasserman24 April 20214 × 100 m Shuttle hurdles relay50.50USA Blue:Brianna RollinsDawn Harper-NelsonQueen HarrisonKristi Castlin24 April 2015
Mixed +Mixed meeting records of the Drake Relays Event Record Athlete Date 4 × 110 m Shuttle hurdles relay54.42Team Blue:Kristi CastlinSpencer AdamsNia AliEddie Lovett30 April 2016
Results 2020s 2010s 2000s 1990s 1980s 1970s 1960s 1950s 1940s 1930s 1920s 1910s 2029 2019 2009 1999 1989 1979 1969 1959 1949 1939 1929 1919 2028 2018 2008 1998 1988 1978 1968 1958 1948 1938 1928 1918 2027 2017 2007 1997 1987 1977 1967 1957 1947 1937 1927 1917 2026 2016 2006 1996 1986 1976 1966 1956 1946 1936 1926 1916 2025 2015 2005 1995 1985 1975 1965 1955 1945 1935 1925 1915 2024 2014 2004 1994 1984 1974 1964 1954 1944 1934 1924 1914 2023 2013 2003 1993 1983 1973 1963 1953 1943 1933 1923 1913 2022 2012 2002 1992 1982 1972 1962 1952 1942 1932 1922 1912 2021 2011 2001 1991 1981 1971 1961 1951 1941 1931 1921 1911 2020 2010 2000 1990 1980 1970 1960 1950 1940 1930 1920 1910
Future dates 117th Drake Relays - April 21–24, 2027 118th Drake Relays - April 26–29, 2028
Notes
References
External links
Drake Relays Digital Archives Drake Relays Hall of Fame Listing