December 18, 2024

111th Drake Relays postponed

By TYLER HETU

Drake University's famous 'blue oval,' the home of the annual Drake Relays. The nationally televised event that hosts a combination of high school, collegiate and professional athletes will be pushed back from its original start date of April 22. (OST photo)

The 111th Drake Relays have been postponed, Drake University announced in a press release Wednesday afternoon, March 18. The Relays, originially scheduled for April 23-25 at Drake Stadium.

The storied event that has been seen as the first leg of a “run towards state” comes as a serious blow for track and field athletes who were looking to make a return to the blue oval for the Relays or to gain experience on one of the biggest stages in the sport.

Information from the release:

Drake University has postponed the 2020 Drake Relays presented by Xtream powered by Mediacom along with related special events and programs due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The health, safety, and wellbeing of Drake Relays presented by Xtream participants and fans, along with guidance from local and national health officials, have been at the forefront of the decision-making process. Recent directives from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Iowa Department of Public Health, and City of Des Moines regarding large gatherings make it clear that postponing the Drake Relays presented by Xtream is necessary. We will continue to monitor the rapidly evolving COVID-19 situation and will work with local, state, and national officials to reschedule the Drake Relays presented by Xtream at a date that ensures the health and wellbeing of participants and fans.

The postponement of the Drake Relays presented by Xtream also postpones all events associated with the Drake Relays presented by Xtream, including the Beautiful Bulldog Contest, Grand Blue Mile, and Drake Road Races.

Drake University and Drake Relays presented by Xtream leadership are working to reschedule these events and other campus activities associated with the Drake Relays presented by Xtream.

For more information on the postponement of the 2020 Drake Relays presented by Xtream and to access other campus resources related to the COVID-19 pandemic, please visit drake.edu/coronavirus.

State qualifying sites released

Listed below are the qualifying sites for the 2020 Iowa High School Track and Field Championships.

Class 1A school Mount Ayr is currently scheduled to host. No more than 24 qualifiers in any event will advance out of the meet for a state berth.

The qualifier is scheduled for Thursday, May 14, with both classes performing. Due to spring sports being suspended by both the IHSAA and IGHSAU until mid-April, any updates or adjustments to the spring sports schedule will be announced whenever they are available by both parties.

Qualifying sites

Class 1A – Audubon; Belle Plaine; Edgewood-Colesburg; Grundy Center; Madrid; Mount Ayr; Northwood-Kensett; Ridge View; WACO, Wayland; West Harrsion, Mondamin.

Class 2A – Cascade, Western Dubuque; Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont; Hudson; Manson Nothwest Webster; Tipton; West Marshall, State Center; West Sioux, Hawarden.

Class 3A – Carlisle; Glenwood; Independence; Marion; MOC-Floyd Valley; Mount Pleasant; Nevada; Pella.

Class 4A – Cedar Rapids, Kennedy; Council Bluffs, Abraham Lincoln; Davenport, Central; Iowa City, West; Urbandale; Waukee.