DES MOINES, IOWA, April 23–25 — Want to see some great hurdle races? Or high-flyin’ vaulters? Or the big guys putting on a shot show?
Drake is the place, pretty much all the time in late April, regardless of the often-fickle weather conditions. The 2026 edition, Drake’s 116th, was no exception. Urged on as always by Relays voice Mike Jay, the crowd rewards all competitors, oohing and aahing better-than-average efforts and going wildly enthusiastic for oh-so-close finishes and/or record-setting performances.
Though the long throws may elicit slightly fewer oohs and aahs by dint of being contested outside the Blue Oval of the main stadium, Thursday’s hammers and javelins made some of the biggest news this time around.
Not least the WA Continental Tour (CT) men’s javelin. Curtis Thompson and Marc Minichello made history pushing out the event’s first-ever comp to see two U.S. throwers surpass 275ft or 84 meters (275-7).
World Champs bronze medalist Thompson, four times the U.S. champion, had, of course, thrown farther on 7 occasions since 2022. Here Georgia grad Minichello reached a new level. Throwing into the teeth of a headwind, the 2-time NCAA titlist led from the first round and in frame 4 launched long, a 275-11 (84.11) blast that improved his year-old PR by more than 4½ft (1.46m, to be exact) and advanced him to No. 7 all-time among Americans.
Thompson — caught on his back foot, a position he’s not used to lately in U.S. comps — struck back in round 5, lifting his best-in-series from 253-6 all the way to 277-8 (84.63). Game over and history made.
Winner Thompson mentioned “some small things that need to be kind of touched up on,” then added, “But it was a great performance, a great competition, and I’m excited for what’s next.”
Of the blustery conditions he said, “Wind’s a little tough, plays little tricks on the mind, just making you overthink for the most part. But, yeah, it’s part of it. [You] can’t really change it or do anything about it except just accept it and make it happen.”
Said Minichello of claiming lucky number 7 on the ATL, “That’s got a nice little ring to it. I mean, I’m definitely happy to come out here and be at my best. You know, to be able to get a personal record is something that you try to do every time you step on the track. You don’t know when they’re gonna come. They seem to come at the most unpredictable times. So to be able to come out here and really accomplish a goal is something that I’m proud of.”
Madison Wiltrout in the women’s jav went Minichello one better on her ATL number. Heading into the sixth round, the 26-year-old North Carolina alum found herself in 2nd behind Rhema Otabor, the Bahamian Nebraska alum who had thrown 199-7 (60.83) in round 4.
Wiltrout, who threw in the Tokyo World Champs last fall, fired strong in frame 5, to 199-2 (60.72), 5 inches too short. In the final round, though, she found the point into the wind: 209-1 (63.74), an 8ft PR that moved her from No. 7 on the U.S. ATL to No. 6.
Cognizant of the quality of her competition going in, Wiltrout said she told herself, “‘We’re gonna have a back and forth this whole comp.’ So I showed up prepared to be consistent. That’s what I focused on this entire time. But I knew it took one good one to try to get that win, and I knew I was last. And something in me was like, ‘All right, just bring it down just slightly more,’ and I yelled. Normally I don’t yell.”
The CT hammer comps were high quality also. Brooke Andersen won the women’s at 257-9 (78.56) from Minnesota’s Annie Nabwe. The Liberian junior’s 254-9 (77.64) best was a near-2-meter improvement on the African Record she set at the Jones Memorial 5 days earlier and strengthened her at No. 2 on the collegiate ATL.
AR-holder Rudy Winkler took the men’s contest with 258-4 (78.75) from young Texas Tanner. Air Force’s senior throws all-arounder hit 253-2 (77.16) in round 5.
The meet is, after all, the Drake Relays. Friday’s session provided a memorable collegiate women’s 4 x 800. While local fans’ dog in the fight may have been runner-up Iowa State (8:26.82), Oklahoma State ran away with it, all the way to the No. 2 all-time collegiate clocking, 8:16.65.
The Sooners went hard from the gun. Frosh Kadence Huck, an Iowa native, led off in 2:07.35. Then it was Elyse Wilmes (2:03.27) to Kaylie Politza (2:03.98) with Billah Jepkirui sparkling on anchor (2:02.05). The final time missed Arkansas’s CR set in ‘25 by 0.53.
“Coming up short [of the CR], it does feel a little sour,” said frosh Wilmes, “but I think, you know, just seeing all of us giving it our all and everyone’s dead tired.… that just is kinda itself like a little pat on the backs that, you know, even though we came up short, we still gave it all out there. And, you know, there’s a lot more to the season than just running a meet record in April. We’ve got a lot of goals, so this was just a stepping stone in that direction.”
Also on Friday evening, Gracie Hyde’s 9:22.19 steeple win by nearly 9 seconds netted the Adams State alum a nice PR and the world lead.
Roger Steen, twice a world medalist indoors, won Saturday’s CT shot on his fourth throw, with his 71-11½ (21.77) not far off the 72-5 (22.07) he threw indoors in February. The heave was good enough to get the better of Nigerian Chuk Enekwechi, whose 71-4 (21.74) throw had led the competition through three rounds.
“I’m excited, especially with how far I’m throwing this early,” Steen said. “I’m chomping at the bit to get in the big meets and show the good shape I’m in.”
The newest Drake Relays Hall of Fame inductee, veteran vaulter and U.S. record-holder Sandi Morris, again showed her bona fides, kicking off her outdoor season with a 15-3 (4.65) jump in the CT women’s pole vault. That completed a busy week following her win Monday in an exhibition competition at a local mall. Morris cleared bars at 14-7¼ and 14-11 before going 15-3 on her final attempt. She passed at 15-7 before missing three times at 15-9.
“It’s always a pleasure to jump here. I’ve got family in Illinois, so this hits really close to home for family and friends to come watch me,” Morris said. “I can’t believe that more than 10 years ago I jumped at my first Drake Relays and I still get to be here today. Time is of the essence, and I have a fire under me. The more years that pass by the more grateful I am to still be here and still jumping the height that I’m jumping and [with] the knowledge that I have more there.”
Jacob Wooten won the CT men’s vault on his first attempt at 18-5¼ (5.62) and was the only jumper to clear that height; ironically, he needed three tries to make the 17-11¼ opening bar. Despite a loaded field, only KC Lightfoot, Chris Nilsen and Sam Kendricks (also a new Hall of Fame inductee) were able to clear the starting height before all missed at Wooten’s eventual winning clearance. Lightfoot was defending his Drake title of 2025 and had won the exhibition vault a few days earlier.
Drake has for many years been synonymous with great hurdle races, both on the straight and the oval. Having run a WL 13.07 twice in April, Jamal Britt clearly is on a roll, claiming his second CT 110 hurdles title in 13.22 into a negative wind, beating Jamar Marshall (13.31). “It’s always an honor and exciting to be here,” said the former Iowa standout. “The goal was to come out here and win. I wanted to knock that time down, but I had a strong headwind.”
Former NCAA champion Alia Armstrong made her Drake debut one to remember, claiming the CT women’s invitational 100 hurdles in 12.77 seconds against a 1.7mps wind for the win over Danae Dyer (12.82) and Alexandra Webster (12.84).
In the invitational men’s 400H, Olympic semi-finalist CJ Allen came from behind into the final turn to reel in fast-starting Assinie Wilson with a 48.94 that notched him his second Relays title. James Smith was runner-up for the second consecutive year in 49.45 while Wilson faded to 3rd in 49.61.
“I’ve been running here since 2018,” said Allen, who first won here in 2019. “My first professional win was here, so this is a special place for me. It’s always an amazing atmosphere… an amazing crowd and a great track. I felt very smooth and executed well. I focused on hitting different phases of the race that I had been working on and I did that well.”
Shamier Little made her outdoor debut with a 54.72 in the women’s 400H, beating new professional Aliya Garozzo, a three-time Ivy League champion for Penn who was 2nd in 54.90. “It was exciting,” said Little, who posted the second-fastest time in the U.S. this year and No. 4 in the world. “This is my bread and butter… to come out here, the weather was beautiful, it’s perfect and to get the win I couldn’t be more grateful. I felt very strong.”
DRAKE RELAYS MEN’S RESULTS
Continental Tour Events
1500: 1. Cooper Cawthra (UArmMRB) 3:35.22; 2. Titouan Le Grix’ (Fra) 3:36.11; 3. Waleed Suliman (BrkB) 3:36.54;
4. Isaac Basten (BAA) 3:36.78; 5. Jack Crull (unat) 3:37.20; 6. Shane Streich (unat) 3:37.86.
110H(-0.4): 1. Jamal Britt (unat) 13.22; 2. Jamar Marshall (unat) 13.31; 3. Darius Brown (unat) 13.46; 4. Tade Ojora’ (GB) 13.47; 5. Connor Schulman (unat) 13.51.
400H: 1. CJ Allen (Asics) 48.94; 2. James Smith (AzF) 49.45; 3. Assinie Wilson’ (Jam) 49.61; 4. Clement Ducos’ (Fra) 49.86.
PV: 1. Jacob Wooten (Nike) 18-5¼ (5.62); 2. KC Lightfoot (Puma) 17-11¼ (5.47); 3. tie, Chris Nilsen (Nike) & Sam Kendricks (unat) 17-11¼.
SP: 1. Roger Steen (Vel) 71-11½ (21.93); 2. Chuk Enekwechi’ (Ngr) 71-4 (21.74); 3. Rajindra Campbell’ (Jam) 71-3¼ (21.72); 4. Josh Awotunde (Shore) 66-9¼ (20.35).
HT: 1. Rudy Winkler (NikeNYAC) 258-4 (78.75); 2. Tanner 253-2 (77.16); 3. Christos Frantzeskakis’ (Gre) 250-2 (76.27); 4. *Ryan Johnson (Ia) 248-11 (75.89); 5. Daniel Haugh (Nike) 247-9 (75.53); 6. Trey Knight (unat) 247-4 (75.40).
JT: 1. Curtis Thompson (adidas) 277-8 (84.63);
2. Marc Minichello (On) 275-11 (84.11) (7, x A);
3. Sindri Gudmundsson’ (Ice) 254-5 (77.55); 4. Arthur Petersen’ (Den) 252-5 (76.95); 5. Elvis Graham’ (Jam) 238-9 (72.77).
University Events
100(1.4): 1. Kalen Walker (Ia)10.30.
110H(-2.0): 1. Luke Schroeder (WiLC) 13.68.
4 x 100: 1. Iowa 39.72.
4 x 200: 1. South Dakota State 1:24.18.
4 x 400: 1. Iowa 3:05.25.
4 x 800: 1. Iowa 7:20.36; 2. Iowa State 7:22.74; 3. Air Force 7:23.61; 4. Kansas State 7:26.41.
4 x 1600: 1. Air Force 16:25.88 <16:32.60>; 2. Iowa State 16:26.07; 3. Gonzaga 16:39.84; 4. Drake 16:40.64.
SpMed: 1. Air Force 3:16.72; 2. Iowa 3:17.38; 3. Kansas State 3:20.36.
DisMed: 1. Iowa State 9:40.73.
4 x 110H: 1. Minnesota State 55.83; 2. Iowa 56.25; 3. Indiana State 56.96.
HJ: 1. *Mason Kooi (Nb) 7-1¾ (2.18).
PV: 1. ***Caelan Harland (SD) 18-2¾ (5.56).
LJ: 1. Carter Morton (NnIa) 25-4 (7.72)
SP: 1. ***Hencu Lamberts’ (Nb-SA) 65-3¼ (19.89).
DT: 1. Mitchell Weber (unat) 200-3 (61.05); 2. Yakob Ekoue (unat) 193-10 (59.08); 3. *Brett Schwartz (Nb) 192-8 (58.72); 4. Jordan Johnson (unat) 190-6 (58.07).
HT: 1. *Angelos Mantzouranis’ (Mn-Gre) 246-5 (75.11); 2. Anthony Barmes’ (Mn-NZ) 235-8 (71.84).
JT: 1. Jacob Zednik (Wi) 229-0 (69.81).
Dec: 1. Drew Thompson (unat) 7514.
DRAKE RELAYS WOMEN’S RESULTS
Continental Tour Events
Mile: 1. Annika Reiss (unat) 4:25.52; 2. Addy Wiley (adidas) 4:25.96; 3. Berlyn Schutz (Nb) 4:27.30; 4. Taryn Parks (adidas) 4:29.36; 5. Kate Current’ (GB) 4:30.98; 6. Christina Aragon (Nike) 4:31.76.
St: 1. Gracie Hyde (unat) 9:22.19 (WL); 2. Rachel Anderson (MnDE) 9:28.72; 3. Angelina Ellis (unat) 9:29.06; 4. Adva Cohen’ (Isr) 9:30.33.
100H(-1.7): 1. Alia Armstrong (unat) 12.77; 2. Danae Dyer (HurdM) 12.82; 3. Alexandra Webster (unat) 12.84; 4. Tonea Marshall (Nike) 13.02; 5. Amoi Brown’ (Jam) 13.09; 6. Denisha Cartwright’ (Bah) 13.17.
400H: 1. Shamier Little (unat) 54.72; 2. Aliya Garozzo (unat) 54.90; 3. Sanique Walker’ (Jam) 55.31; 4. Riley Knebes (unat) 55.52; 5. Grace Claxton’ (PR) 56.04; 6. Dinedye Denis’ (CI) 56.81; 7. Abbey Glynn (unat) 57.31.
PV: 1. Sandi Morris (unat) 15-3 (4.65); 2. Emily Grove (Nike) 14-11 (4.55); 3. Tori Thomas (unat) 14-7¼ (4.45); 4. Chloe Timberg (unat) 14-7¼.
HT: 1. Brooke Andersen (Nike) 257-9 (78.56);
2. *Annie Nabwe’ (Mn-Lbr) 254-9 (77.64) (CL) (2, 2 C);
3. Rachel Richeson (unat) 252-7 (76.99); 4. Jiale Zhang’ (Chn) 248-9 (75.82); 5. Annette Echikunwoke (unat) 247-9 (75.51).
JT: 1. Madison Wiltrout (unat) 209-1 (63.74) (6, x A) (192-3, 183-3, 195-3, 191-9, 199-2, 209-1) (58.61, 55.87, 59.51, 58.45, 60.72, 63.74);
2. Rhema Otabor’ (Bah) 199-7 (60.83); 3. Tori Moorby’ (NZ) 193-11 (59.12); 4. Maddie Harris (unat) 189-7 (57.79); 5. McKyla Van Der Westhuizen’ (Rice-SA) 187-6 (57.15);
6. Jana Lowka’ (Nb-Ger) 186-2 (56.74); 7. Ariana Ince (BouRR) 184-5 (56.23) 169-0 (51.52); 11. Sarah Blake (unat) 165-10 (50.55).
University Women Events
100(0.9): 1. *Holly Duax (Ia) 11.52.
100H(1.2): 1. *Rachel Mehringer (InSt) 13.10.
Heats: I(3.3)–1. Mehringer 13.03w. III(1.7)–1. *Jailya Ash (Ia) 13.19; 2. Adrianna Rodencal (ConcNb) 13.24w.
4 x 100: 1. Iowa 44.04; 2. Nebraska 44.31.
4 x 200: 1. Nebraska 1:34.46.
4 x 400: 1. Iowa 3:31.05; 2. Iowa State 3:31.87; 3. Nebraska 3:32.46; 4. Kansas State 3:32.77.
4 x 800: 1. Oklahoma State 8:16.65 (CL) (2 C) (Huck 2:07.35, Wilmes 2:03.27, Politza 2:03.98, Jepkirui’ 2:02.05);
2. Iowa State 8:26.82.
4 x 1600: 1. Oregon State 19:06.06 <19:12.71>; 2. Oklahoma State 19:07.24; 3. Iowa State 19:09.09.
SpMed: 1. Iowa 3:44.68; 2. Oklahoma State 3:50.09; 3. Kansas State 3:50.99; 4. DePaul 3:51.69.
DisMed: 1. Oklahoma State 10:54.94.
4 x 100H: 1. Indiana State 55.59.
HJ: 1. **Ela Velepec’ (Nb-Slo) 6-0 (1.83); 2. **Karsyn Leeling (Nb) 6-0; 3. *Marlena Tresnjo’ (Mo-Can) 6-0.
PV: 1. **Anna Willis (SD) 15-2¼ (4.63); 2. Marleen Mulla’ (SD-Est) 14-8¼ (4.48).
LJ: 1. Sydney Willits (IaSt) 21-1¼ (6.43).
SP: 1. Mine De Klerk’ (Nb-SA) 57-7¾ (17.57); 2. Danni Langseth (Wi) 54-8¾ (16.68); 3. *Anthonett Nabwe’ (Mn-Lbr) 54-5½ (16.60); 4. Amelia Flynt (Nb) 53-6¼ (16.31).
DT: 1. **Donna Douglas (Nb) 186-4 (56.80); 2. Flynt 183-6 (55.95); 3. Taylor Kesner (Wi) 179-11 (54.84).
HT: 1. *Hadley Streit (Mn) 230-3 (70.18).
JT: 1. Taylor Kesner (Wi) 161-11 (49.35).
Hept: 1. Anneke Moersdorf (unat) 5665; 2. Joey Perry (NnIa) 5643; 3. Shaina Burns (unat) 5610.
