2014 DRAKE RELAYS PRESENTED BY HY-VEE
MOSCOW WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP REMATCHES
As of Jan. 16, 2014
MEN’S 110- METER HURDLES METERS
Ryan Wilson
Silver
Jason Richardson Fourth
Aries Merritt
Sixth
Andrew Riley
Eighth
Jeff Porter
MEDIA RELEASE
DRAKE ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS
MEN’S 100-METER HURDLES
Thursday, Jan. 16, 2014
CONTACT: Ty Patton
PHONE: 515-271-3014
E-MAIL: [email protected]
Brianna Rollins
Gold
Tiffany Porter
Bronze
Queen Harrison
Fifth
Kellie Wells
DRAKE RELAYS PRESENTED BY HY-VEE ANNOUNCES EARLY FIELD AND ENHANCEMENTS
TO THE 2014 RELAYS
DES MOINES, Iowa – A total of eight medalists from the 2013 IAAF World Championships have agreed
to compete at the 2014 Drake Relays Presented by Hy-Vee, Drake Relays Director Brian Brown announced Thursday, Jan. 16. The foundation of what promises to be another outstanding field at Drake
Stadium April 24-27 was one of several announcements Brown made that promise to elevate the 2014
Drake Relays to an even greater level of fan enjoyment and engagement.
MEN’S 400-METER HURDLES
Michael Tinsley
Silver
WOMEN’S 400-METER HURDLES
Zuzana Hejnova
Gold
MEN’S HIGH JUMP
Derek Drouin
Erik Kynard
Bronze
Fifth
Last year, the Relays staged London Olympic Games rematches with medalists from the 2012 Olympiad competing for the largest purses offered on American soil. This April, many of those same athletes
will compete again in what are being hailed as Moscow World Championships Rematches following
last summer’s IAAF World Championships in Moscow, Russia. Once again, the one of a kind athletic
spectacle at Drake Stadium will provide Central Iowa and the world the opportunity to watch some of
the world’s greatest athletes compete at a nationally renowned Iowa tradition.
WOMEN’S HIGH JUMP
“The model in which we engaged in last year, where we held London Games Rematches, that model
will be something we’re going to do again this year,” Brown said. “We’ll have Moscow World Championship Rematches and we’re going to go after any medalists from the World Championships to see if
they’ll grace us with their presence on the Blue Oval.”
MEN’S 110-METER HURDLES
Brown also announced the addition of a new event, an elite shuttle-hurdle relay, to the schedule with the
goal of shattering a world record as well as exciting enhancements to the Hy-Vee Road Races at the
Drake Relays. Hy-Vee’s continued involvement presents an opportunity for everyone in the community
to be actively involved in the Drake Relays.
Brown has already built and confirmed a world-class field in the men’s 110-meter and women’s 100-meter hurdles with a total of three World Championship medalists and five other finalists. In the women’s
100-meter hurdles, 2013 World Champion and U.S. record holder Brianna Rollins headlines a field that
includes World Championship bronze medalist Tiffany Porter and fourth-place finisher Queen Harrison,
who ran away with the 2013 Drake Relays title in the event. Crowd favorite Kellie Wells, who finished
third at the Relays last season, will also be in the field.
The men’s 110-meter hurdles will be equally as potent with Moscow silver medalist Ryan Wilson and
world record holder Aries Merritt headlining a lineup that includes World Championship finalists Jason
Richardson and Jamaican Andrew Riley, who will be defending his 2013 Relays’ title. Merritt finished
second in the event a season ago while Wilson was fourth. Jeff Porter, who finished sixth on the Blue
Oval in 2013, is also scheduled to return.
For the first time ever, 16 of the top hurdlers in the world will join forces with their eyes on setting a
world record in the men’s and women’s shuttle hurdle relays.
“Many of the hurdlers scheduled to compete in April will be pulling double-duty,” Brown noted. “This will
be a must-see event that is sure to thrill the crowds on Friday night and Saturday afternoon.”
The 400-meter hurdle races are shaping up to be equally exciting with a World Championship gold
medalist and 2013 Relays champion Zuzana Hejnova of the Czech Republic confirmed to compete on
the Blue Oval. World Championship silver medalist and 2013 Relays champion Michael Tinsley will also
reprise his appearance at Drake Stadium in the men’s 400-meter Moscow WC Rematch.
The Drake Relays’ early athlete confirmations aren’t limited to the track events as Brown has already
assembled one of the top high jump competitions in the world. The women’s event will feature Olympic
and Moscow silver medalist Brigetta Barrett, WC bronze medalist and 2013 Relays champion Ruth
Beitia of Spain and American record-holder Chaunte Howard-Lowe. The men’s event includes Moscow
bronze medalist Derek Drouin of Canada and American finalist Erik Kynard. The latter was a silver
medalist at the 2012 Olympics and won a pair of NCAA Championships at Drake Stadium for Kansas
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Brigetta Barrett
Silver
Ruth Beitia
Bronze
Chaunte Howard-Lowe
USA
USA
USA
Jamaica
USA
USA
Great Britain
USA
USA
USA
Czech Repulic
Canada
USA
USA
Spain
USA
CONFIRMED ATHLETE HIGHLIGHTS
Ryan Wilson – WC Silver Medalist
In addition to winning the silver medal at the 2013
World Championships he was also the 2013 USA
Outdoor Champion at Drake Stadium and finished
fourth at the 2013 Drake Relays.
Jason Richardson – Fourth at WC
Finished fourth at the most recent World Championships after capturing gold at the event in 2011.
Was a silver medalist at the 2012 Olympics ...
competed in, but registered a false start at the
2013 Relays.
Aries Merritt – Sixth at WC
Was the 2012 gold medalist at the London Olympics and was second in the event at the 2013
Relays ... is the current world record holder in the
event at 12.80
Andrew Riley – Eighth at WC
Is the defending Relays champion and an Olympian for his native Jamaica ... became the first
collegiate athlete to win NCAA Championships in
the 100 meters and 110-meter hurdles, which he
accomplished at Drake Stadium in 2012.
Jeff Porter
A 2012 Olympian, he was sixth in the event last
season at the Drake Relays.
WOMEN’S 100-METER HURDLES
Brianna Rollins – WC Gold Medalist
Took the track world by storm in winning the world
championship and becoming the American record
holder in the event just months after winning the
NCAA Championship in the event.
@DrakeRelays/@DUBulldogs
2014 DRAKE RELAYS PRESENTED BY HY-VEE
State in 2011 and 2012.
Thursday’s announcements extend beyond the confines of Drake Stadium with an exciting addition to
the Hy-Vee Road Races at the Drake Relays. Both the 10-kilometer and half marathon courses will still
traverse the grueling climb up 28th Street, dubbed ‘Bulldog Hill.’ This year, that stretch of pavement will
become a race within itself as event organizers time the fastest runners up the hill. The top male and female runner in each age group to climb 28th street will receive a custom medal in honor of Porterhouse,
the late Drake Bulldog mascot. The fastest male and female elite athletes to cover Bulldog Hill will earn
an extra $1,000 in purse money for being the quickest up that section of the course that climbs more
than 100 feet including a 60-foot incline in the first 400 meters.
The Hy-Vee Road Races at the Drake Relays will again include three races, a 5k, which is a change
from the 6k in 2013, 10k and half marathon. The half marathon promises the biggest purse in the world
for the elite athletes at $30,000. Those elite athletes will be racing through the streets of Des Moines
alongside amateur athletes and novice runners. All will finish inside Drake Stadium on the iconic Blue
Oval with the proceeds from entry fees donated to local charities in order to support Hy-Vee’s commitment to wellness in our local communities. The Hy-Vee Road Races present an opportunity for everyone in the community to be actively involved in the Drake Relays.
Interest in the road races is already reaching new levels with more than 1,200 runners registered, well
above last year’s early registration numbers. To secure your spot in one of the three road races, visit
www.HyVeeRoadRaces.com.
All-Session tickets for the 2014 Drake Relays go on sale to the public Jan. 23, while All-American &
Gold packages are available for purchase Feb. 20. Single session tickets are scheduled to go on sale
March 20. To secure your tickets for the 2014 Drake Relays Presented By Hy-Vee, visit www.GoDrakeBulldogs.com or call the Drake Athletic Ticket Office at 515-271-DOGS (3647).
Tiffany Porter – WC Bronze Medalist
In addition to winning bronze at the recent World
Championships, she was a 2012 Olympian and
is the British record holder in the event ... finished
sixth in the event at the 2013 Drake Relays.
Queen Harrison – Fifth at WC
Is the defending Drake Relays champion in the
event with what was then the fastest time in the
world ... was also a member of the 2008 Olympic
team.
Kellie Wells
Was third in the event at the 2013 Drake Relays
after winning an Olympic bronze medal in 2012.
MEN’S 400-METER HURDLES
Michael Tinsley – WC Silver Medalist
Is the defending Relays champion in the event
after earning a silver medal at the most recent
World Championship ... was a silver medalist at
the 2012 London Olympics.
WOMEN’S400-METER HURDLES
Zuzana Hejnova – WC Gold Medalist
Is the reigning World Champion and Drake
Relays champion in the event ... was also a 2012
Olympic bronze medalist.
MEN’S HIGH JUMP
Derek Drouin – WC Bronze Medalist
Took bronze at both the most recent World
Championships and Olympic games ... also won
a Drake Relays title as a collegian in 2009 for
Indiana.
Erik Kynard – Fifth at WC
Was the London Olympics silver medalist and
owns the Drake Stadium high jump record at 7-8
which he set at the 2012 NCAA Championships.
WOMEN’S HIGH JUMP
Brigetta Barrett – WC Silver Medalist
Was the silver medalist at both the most recent
World Championships and Olympics following a
collegiate career at Arizona that saw her win six
NCAA titles, including two at Drake Stadium.
Ruth Beitia – WC Bronze Medalist
Is the defending Drake Relays champion in the
event and went on to take bronze at the recent
World Championships ... was a 2012 Olympian
that finished fourth in the event.
Chaunte Howard-Lowe
Is the American indoor and outdoor record holder
in the high jump and a 2004 and 2008 Olympian
... along with Barrett, she is one of just eight
Americans to ever clear the 2-meter mark.
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@DrakeRelays/@DUBulldogs