Director Blake Boldon gave the Johnston Rotary Club an update on the soon to-be-here relays.
Brian Bolden updated us on the upcoming 109th Drake Relays. Brian is the 12th director of the relays. Raised in Osceola, he brings a unique perspective to his role as director. He has participated in the Relays as a spectator, high school athlete, college athlete, collegiate coach and now director.
His personal passion for the Relays is obvious. Yet what he wanted to share was the passion for the Relays that others have share with him. He recounted several stories where, once someone found out who he was, whether it was at 3 AM in the Minneapolis airport or at a Track and Field event in Belgium, someone would pull him aside and share their personal story of the Drake Relays. The personal impact of the event is immeasurable. Brian’s goal is to take the Drake Relays to the life of every Iowan. The economic impact of the event is estimated to be $4.2 million annually.
Changes to this year’s event includes featuring the road races the Sunday prior to the Relays. This will be the first time in the 50-year history of the event that it will be on the week prior. The event draws runners from 30 different states. All the races finish in Drake Stadium. Other changes for this year:
- Four Paralympic Events
- Special Olympics 4 x 100 race
- Age graded 100 meter race
- Iowa native & Five-time Drake Relays champion Jenny Simpson returns to the Blue Oval to challenge the American outdoor 2-mile record
- Women's high jump will feature another standout field headlined by Vashti Cunningham who has won four USA Championships at just 20 years old. Cunningham is the daughter of former NFL quarterback Randall Cunningham.
- World’s fastest men – Andre De Grasse is just one of five Olympians in the eight-competitor field that will race down the homestretch of the Blue Oval April 28 at 2:56 p.m. Six of the event's eight lanes will feature competitors that have shattered the 10-second mark in the event.