DES MOINES — The Drake Relays presented by Xtream powered by Mediacom unveiled the 2022 schedule of events. The competition will welcome athletes and spectators from around the world during the 112th edition of America’s Athletic Classic, to be held April 27-30, 2022, at Drake Stadium.
After the cancellation in 2020 and an altered schedule in 2021, the 112th edition of the Drake Relays will return to the conventional format with competitors from university, college, high school and elite ranks all participating in an integrated schedule over four days in Drake Stadium.
Track and field competition will begin on Wednesday, April 27 with the men’s decathlon and women’s heptathlon, which will mark the first time in three years that either of these events will be contested. The combined events conclude on Thursday, April 28, followed by the Distance Carnival. Friday, April 29, will again be divided into two sessions, featuring the nation’s top collegiate athletes alongside Iowa’s finest high school athletes.
“Like thousands of track and field fans, we’re anxious to see this schedule come to life on the Blue Oval. This will undoubtedly be a week for the record books,” Franklin “Pitch” Johnson Director of the Drake Relays Blake Boldon said. “We are all eager to see area elementary and middle school athletes compete alongside NCAA elite programs and dozens of Olympians.”
Relays fans should note:
- The Xtream Sprint Series, powered by Mediacom returns featuring Olympians in the Invitational Women’s 100m Hurdles and 400m Hurdles, Invitational Men’s 110m Hurdles and 400m Hurdles and collegiate stars in the Men’s and Women’s 100m Dash.
- Elementary Shuttle, Middle School Distance Medley and Masters 800m will return this year, after not taking place in 2021.
- New in 2022, Rex Harvey Memorial Masters Shot Put will follow the men’s invitational shot put, which features the World Record Holder, Ryan Crouser.
More key notes for Relays Week:
- The Drake Road Races will offer both in-person and virtual options for participation again this year. Registration for the in-person event will close on Saturday, April 23rd. Register here.
- In collaboration with Runablaze Iowa, the Drake Road Races will host the Blazing 10k. Club Competition, where a prize purse of $4,000 is on the line for elite teams.
- The Wellmark Set the Pace Challenge will be returning both in-person and virtually during the Grand Blue Mile. To register for the Grand Blue Mile, click here. The challenge encourages Iowans to develop sustainable, healthy habits to adopt throughout 2022. The community with the highest percentage of its residents participating in the Grand Blue Mile will be awarded $10,000 to use on a project that promotes safe, inclusive, and accessible places in which to be active, such as a park, playground or trail.
For an early look at the meet schedule and for the 2022 Drake Relays presented by Xtream powered by Mediacom, click here (PDF).
For high school meet information, click here (PDF).
For university and college meet information, click here (PDF).
All-session tickets are on sale now and can be purchased at www.draketix.com/drakerelays.
All-session reserved tickets are $100 and all-session general admission tickets are $75. Single-session tickets go on sale to the public on April 1.
Current Drake University students can attend all Drake Relays sessions and sit in General Admission seating (sections J, K and L) by scanning their Student ID at the gate.