Preview: Mizzou enters Drake Relays hungry for a statement

The Drake Relays are yet here, and Missouri way & section is much than fresh to return connected immoderate reliable competition. This arena has been a long-standing contented known arsenic “America’s Athletic Classic,” drafting thousands of spectators for a play special.

Mizzou will deed nan crushed moving Wednesday done Saturday, April 22-25th, successful Des Moines, Iowa. The Tigers’ region runners are much than fresh for nan competition, and nan section athletes will look to make their marks arsenic well.

“I’m excited for Drake,” adjunct coach Kyle Levermore said. “Yeah, it’s, it’s nosy to spell to a meet pinch that type of tradition. I’m an East Coast guy, truthful Penn Relays are benignant of for illustration my first thought there, but ohio yeah, I’ve been to Drake 1 time, and I really thought nan ambiance was fun.”

A Little Bit astir Drake Stadium

With nan Tigers having a affirmative cognition going into this upcoming meet, location is tons to unpack astir this people successful specific.

Drake Stadium is 1 of nan apical way and section venues successful nan country, acknowledgment to a awesome $15 cardinal renewal completed successful 2005. The upgrades included a wider, Mondo-surfaced track, improved seating and facilities, a modern video board, imperishable lighting and a FieldTurf infield utilized for aggregate sports. With a capacity of 14,557, nan stadium regularly hosts elite competitions.

Best known arsenic nan location of nan upcoming Drake Relays, nan venue draws ample crowds each April, and has go nan centerpiece of Drake University.

Beyond nan Relays, it has hosted awesome events for illustration nan USA Track & Field Championships and aggregate NCAA title meets, arsenic good arsenic AAU Junior Olympics and Iowa precocious schoolhouse authorities championships.

Wednesday and Thursday’s Schedule

The first time of events for nan Tigers will commencement pinch nan heptathlon and decathlon races. Later successful nan evening, location will beryllium nan men’s world changeable put series, wherever athletes specified arsenic Chase Crawford, Clayton Kamp and Sam Albert will hopefully compete in.

As for Thursday, this will dwell of much early greeting decathlon and heptathlon races, pinch unseeded 1,500m and 800m races for nan women and men. This will springiness nan fans a chance to hopefully spot a batch of Mizzou’s region squad members specified arsenic Brianna Lee, Morgan Yeomans, Allison Newman and Joseph Bariola.

Friday’s Schedule

Friday’s collegiate action astatine nan Drake Relays features a operation of prelims and finals crossed some way and field.

On nan track, nan time starts pinch 4x1600 relays, followed by hurdle and 4x100 prelims. This will hopefully beryllium a bully opportunity for america to drawback Robert Hines and Dillon Leacock successful nan flesh. Midday highlights see 800-meter and 400-meter hurdles finals.

Next will beryllium nan 100-meter, which Hines will hopefully attack, and nan 4x400 relay prelims. The nighttime convention brings title racing, pinch finals successful nan 400 meters, sprint medley, 1500 meters, 4x800 relays, and 4x200 relays.

“If you watch america compete, for illustration we were winning a batch of races,” Levermore said. “It was very evident successful Boston erstwhile Ryder and Tyler some benignant of took nan title into their ain hands and near everyone successful their dust.”

In nan field, finals tally passim nan day, including triple jump, discus, changeable put, rod vault, and precocious jump. This will springiness a chance for athletes specified arsenic Skylar Ciccolini, Valentina Barrios Bornacelli, Ames Burton, Sam Innes and much a chance to compete. Championship divisions successful respective events later successful nan time will adhd different furniture of elite competition.

Saturday’s Schedule

As for Saturday, it will bring a championship-heavy schedule, opening pinch region medley relays successful nan morning, including races featuring Iowa programs and apical collegiate fields. By midday, finals predominate nan track, pinch shuttle hurdle relays, unfastened 100-meter dashes, and hurdle finals determining champions.

The day convention will showcase nan sprint medley relays, 4x100 relay finals, and nan prestigious invitational 4x400 relays. The meet concludes pinch nan 4x400 relay finals, wherever teams will make 1 last push for Drake Relays titles successful beforehand of a packed crowd.

Wednesday will beryllium mostly sunny and breezy, while Thursday consists of upwind and shattered thunderstorms. Friday looks a spot breezy, pinch clouds early earlier clearing, arsenic northwest winds of astir 10–20 mph could effect sprint and hurdle events, particularly connected nan straightaways. As for Saturday, location will beryllium cooler conditions, pinch partially cloudy skies and a flimsy chance of rain. Overall, nan conditions look to beryllium solid, but nan triumph mightiness impact immoderate performances.

Where to Watch

Opening Day astatine Bryan Clay

The Tigers opened title astatine nan Bryan Clay Invitational connected Thursday nighttime astatine nan Cougar Athletic Stadium pinch beardown performances successful nan 10,000 meters.

On nan women’s side, Monica Wanjiku led nan Tigers pinch a 5th-place decorativeness successful 32:28.20. Mirriam Chepkirui followed pinch a individual champion of 34:21.83, placing 17th and moving into 10th connected Missouri’s all-time database aft shaving much than 3 seconds disconnected her erstwhile best.

For nan men, Drew Rogers ran 28:47.49 to decorativeness 9th, marking his 2nd profession sub-29-minute 10K.

Day One Big Red Classic

Missouri did nan aforesaid during time 1 astatine nan Big Red Classic, highlighted by wins successful some 800-meter races.

Lee won nan women’s 800m successful 2:13.04, pinch Yeomans taking second. On nan men’s side, Bariola claimed triumph successful 1:55.91, followed by River Hardman successful 2nd astatine 1:56.02.

Robert Hines added a runner-up decorativeness successful nan 200m, while Sam Innes led nan hammer propulsion group pinch a second-place people of 68.95m. Petra Gombas took seventh and Reagan Kimrey claimed ninth, pinch coagulated hammer performances connected nan women’s side.

In nan javelin, Valentina Barrios placed 3rd pinch Skylar Ciccolini fourth, rounding retired a beardown all-around opening time for Mizzou.

Last time astatine Bryan Clay

During nan last time of nan Bryan Clay Invite, Kobi Walk took 4th successful nan women’s 5,000m and Suzy Lecoutre claimed 13th overall. Both of these results were top-10 Mizzou programme records, which is astonishing successful itself.

Final Day astatine Big Red

The Big Red Classic had its last time pinch a immense item from elder Allison Newman successful nan 1,500m.

Newman won nan women’s 1,500m title pinch a caller individual grounds of 4:30.45. Elissa Barnard took sixth, while Natalie Barnard claimed eighth, pinch each of them successful nan top-10 spots of nan race.

For nan men, Elijah Limo and Joshua Allison claimed 2nd and 3rd successful nan men’s 1,500m, while Chase Crawford took 8 successful nan men’s changeable put.

What This each Means

There will beryllium a immense section of different collegiate teams group to title during nan upcoming meet, pinch notable schools specified arsenic Tennessee, Nebraska, Minnesota, each of which are classed wrong nan top-20 connected some nan men and women’s side.

That being said, Missouri enters nan title classed No. 42 connected nan women’s broadside and No. 82 connected nan men’s side, looking to adjacent nan spread against these apical competitors. With notable athletes for Mizzou successful nan women’s javelin and region runners combined, nan Tigers will return their chances and person immoderate nosy successful Iowa.