By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

The 114th Drake Relays presented by Xtream and Powered by Mediacom are scheduled for Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday, April 24-27 at Jim Duncan Track and Drake Stadium in Des Moines, Iowa.

WATCH THE 114TH DRAKE RELAYS PRESENTED BY XTREAM LIVE APRIL 25-27 ON USATF.TV

Here are 10 elite invitational storylines involving professional and collegiate athletes to keep an eye on at one of the most prestigious meets in the country:

Turn back the clock

Although it has been adidas professional athlete Tia Jones who has won the past two Drake Relays titles in the World Athletics Continental Tour women’s invitational 100-meter hurdles, it will be 41-year-old Lolo Jones (no relation), a Des Moines native and four-time winner at America’s Athletic Classic, who will be part of Saturday’s elite race at Jim Duncan Track.

Lolo Jones received her induction Thursday into the Drake Relays Athletes Hall of Fame following four consecutive victories from 2005-08 in the 100 hurdles on the Blue Oval.

Nia Ali, 35, took third last year and is still seeking the first Drake Relays individual title in her illustrious career that includes the 2019 World title and a silver medal at the 2016 Olympics, in addition to a pair of World indoor gold medals in the 60-meter hurdles.

Queen Claye, 35, is seeking her first Drake Relays victory since 2013, with British competitor Cindy Sember pursuing a second win in Des Moines in the past four years.

Talie Bonds, Christina Clemons, Gabriele Cunningham and Demisha Roswell are also expected to race, all attempting to win for the first time at America’s Athletic Classic.

Jasmin Stowers still holds the women’s invitational 100 hurdles record of 12.40 from 2015.

Korir begins comeback tour

Emmanuel Korir, an Olympic gold medalist and World champion from Kenya in addition to an NCAA Division 1 indoor and outdoor 800-meter champion during his career at UTEP, hasn’t raced since August following a disappointing conclusion to last year’s schedule after being eliminated in the heats at the World Athletics Outdoor Championships in Budapest, Hungary.

Korir, representing Kenya, has an opportunity to eclipse the 1978 meet record of 1:45.86 established by Oklahoma’s Randy Wilson, as does rising American standout Wes Ferguson, the two-time NCAA Division 2 outdoor 800 champion at Nebraska-Kearney, including a personal-best 1:45.46 at last year’s final in Pueblo, Colo.

Korir ran 1:42.05 in 2018, making him the No. 6 all-time global competitor. But he didn’t run sub-1:46 in any of his races last year after prevailing in the 2022 Diamond League final in Switzerland in 1:43.26.

Shane Streich, representing Atlanta Track Club Elite, is also scheduled to compete following a third-place finish last year behind two-time winner Isaiah Jewett, who decided not to pursue a three-peat Saturday.

Drake All-Americans Isaac Basten and Adam Fogg are expected to race, in addition to the Iowa State trio of Finley McLear, Jason Gomez and Darius Kipyego, as well as 2022 Japanese national champion Mikuto Kaneko.

Taking flight on a Friday night

The women’s invitational 3,000-meter steeplechase is the marquee event on the Friday night schedule, with several athletes capable of challenging the 2021 meet record of 9:32.53 achieved by Leah Falland.

Lizzie Bird, the British national record holder at 9:07.87 from 2022 in Monaco, has only competed in road races so far this year and is racing the steeplechase for the first time since July in London.

Several American athletes enter the race with aspirations of securing the Olympic standard of 9:23.0, including Angelina Ellis of Under Armour Mission Run Dark Sky Distance, ASICS competitor Logan Jolly, New Balance professional Katie Rainsberger, Annie Rodenfels representing adidas and Team Boston Athletic Association and Collet Rampf of the U.S. Army World Class Athlete Program.

Grace Fetherstonhaugh, an All-American at Oregon State representing Canada, is also entered, in addition to Aneta Konieczek from Poland and former Ole Miss standout and Dutch competitor Kristel van den Berg.

Simone Ponte Ferraz from Brazil, who took third last year, and Preeti Lambia of India are also expected to compete.

No ring rust

Despite not competing since September, American athlete Payton Otterdahl wasted little time demonstrating his potential this year in the shot put, producing a lifetime-best 74-1.50 (22.59m) to triumph Wednesday with Jessica Ramsey in the Team Shot Put Showcase at the Drake Fieldhouse.

Otterdahl is scheduled to return Saturday to the ring on the infield of Drake Stadium adjacent to Jim Duncan Track, looking to prevail in the men’s invitational competition after the event has been dominated by Ryan Crouser since 2018.

Crouser won his fifth consecutive title at the Drake Relays last year, a total that would have likely reached six, had it not been for the COVID-19 pandemic forcing the cancellation of the 2020 meet.

With Crouser deciding not to return to Des Moines this year as a result of a minor injury, Otterdahl has the potential to become the first men’s shot put winner other than Crouser since Reese Hoffa in 2013, as the event was not showcased at America’s Athletic Classic from 2014-17.

Otterdahl will square off again with Team Shot Put Showcase competitors Rajindra Campbell from Jamaica, Chuk Enekwechi of Nigeria and fellow American athlete Adrian Piperi.

Joining the men’s field will be Uziel Munoz of Mexico, along with American competitors Jordan Geist, Roger Steen and Tarik Robinson-O’Hagan from Ole Miss. Josh Cinnamo, a U.S. Paralympic athlete, is also expected to participate.

Crouser set the meet record last year of 73-5.25 (22.38m), despite competing in standing water in the ring as the result of a driving rainstorm.

In addition to Swedish national record holder, Nebraska standout and NCAA Division 1 champion Axelina Johansson, the women’s shot put competition Saturday is also expected to showcase American athletes Jessica Woodard, Josie Schaefer and Ramsey, plus Ole Miss teammates Jalani Davis and Jasmine Mitchell.

Mine de Klerk, another Nebraska competitor from South Africa, as well as former Alabama standout Portious Warren of Trinidad and Tobago, are also expected to participate.

Chase Jackson triumphed in last year’s competition, the first time the women’s invitational shot put returned to the schedule in Des Moines since 2017. Johansson, who took third last season, is attempting to become the first collegiate athlete to secure victory in the invitational field at the Drake Relays since 2003.

The women’s invitational record of 63-6.75 (19.37m) achieved by Tia Brooks has stood since 2016.

Lightfoot once again has high hopes

KC Lightfoot has run the gamut of emotions competing at the Drake Relays, with the latest highlight coming Monday in the return of the indoor pole vault event at Jordan Creek Town Center, with the PUMA athlete prevailing with a 19-4.25 (5.90m) clearance.

Lightfoot has also endured some humbling experiences inside Drake Stadium, most notably not clearing the opening height in his professional debut in Des Moines in 2021, followed by a sixth-place finish in 2022 with a 17-8.50 (5.40m) clearance.

But the American record holder at 19-11 (6.07m) looks to add to his indoor success with another victory Saturday in field of U.S. professional athletes Zach Bradford, Matt Ludwig, Cole Walsh, Clayton Fritsch, Tray Oates, Nate Richartz, Luke Winder and reigning NCAA Division 1 indoor champion Keaton Daniel from Kentucky.

Sam Kendricks produced the men’s invitational pole vault record of 19-2.75 (5.86m) in 2021.

The most meaningful middle-distance matchup

As if the women’s invitational 1,500-meter field wasn’t already strong enough just highlighting the athletes who competed Tuesday in the USATF 1 Mile Championships, the depth was only enhanced with the additions of Oregon teammates Silan Ayyildiz from Turkey and Klaudia Kazimierska of Poland, plus France’s Berenice Fulchiron, Vera Hoffman of Luxembourg, Canadian competitor Kate Current, Alma Cortes from Mexico, Parul Chaudhary of India and American veteran Stephanie Brokaw.

They will square off against the top three finishers from Tuesday’s race in champion Rachel McArthur, representing Bandit Running, adidas competitor Anna Camp-Bennett and PUMA athlete Micaela DeGenero, plus Alex Teubel, Melissa Tanaka, Emily Lipari, Savannah Shaw, reigning U.S. indoor 800 champion Allie Wilson and Heartland Track Club teammate Emma Grace Hurley.

McArthur is looking to complete a similar sweep to what Lululemon athlete Nikki Hiltz achieved last year in Des Moines by winning the U.S. title in the road mile and securing victory in the invitational 1,500. 

Jenny Simpson has held the women’s invitational 1,500 record of 4:03.35 since 2013.

Back to the barriers

Trevor Bassitt and Khallifah Rosser are two of the elite American competitors in the 400-meter hurdles and both athletes will be navigating the barriers for the first time Saturday in the men’s invitational matchup.

Bassitt has only run the 400 meters so far this year, with Rosser competing in the 400 and 800 in preparation to race in Des Moines.

CJ Allen, another U.S. standout, prevailed at Drake Relays last year in 48.78, his first victory at America’s Athletic Classic since 2019, following back-to-back wins for Brazilian star Alison dos Santos in 2021-22.

The meet record of 48.15 was achieved by dos Santos in 2021.

In addition to Bassitt and Rosser, fellow American athlete Aldrich Bailey, Jr. is also expected to race, in addition to Shakeem Hall-Smith from the Bahamas, Eric Cray of the Philippines, Italian competitor Gabriele Montefalcone and Pablo Andres Ibanez Guevara from El Salvador.

There is also plenty of international flavor in the women’s invitational 400 hurdles, with American athletes Ashley Spencer, Deshae Wise and Jessica Wright scheduled to compete against Gianna Woodruff from Panama, Brooke Overholt of Canada, Lauren Hoffman from the Philippines, Grace Claxton of Puerto Rico and Tia-Adana Belle from Barbados.

Dalilah Muhammad clocked 53.88 in 2022 to achieve the women’s invitational all-time performance at Drake Relays.

Ejore excited to run it back

After the women’s invitational was not part of the elite schedule at the Drake Relays for six consecutive years, this marks the third year in a row it is highlighted Saturday, with Kenyan athlete Susan Ejore of Under Armour Mission Run Dark Sky Distance attempting to secure back-to-back victories after prevailing last year in 2:03.84.

American standout Ajee’ Wilson won at Drake Relays in 2015 and 2022, but the last female athlete to triumph in the invitational 800 in consecutive years was Suzy Favor Hamilton in 1997-98.

Ejore is scheduled to square off against adidas athlete and U.S. competitor Kaela Edwards, in addition to British performer Gemma Finch, Chrisann Gordon-Powell from Jamaica, Jaqueline Beatriz Weber of Brazil and Malta’s Gina McNamara, in addition to Bradley standout Julia Nielsen of Sweden and former Iowa standout Mallory Lindaman.

Wilson ran 2:00.03 in 2015 to achieve the meet record, but no female athlete has run sub-2:03 at Drake Relays since then.

Will they be great enough to beat Scott?

This year will mark the sixth time the men’s invitational 1,500 meters has been showcased at America’s Athletic Classic, but the most memorable one remains the first occasion in 1984, with U.S. standout Steve Scott running both meet and stadium records by clocking 3:38.27.

No athlete has even run sub-3:39 at Drake Relays since, but there is potential for the all-time mark to be challenged Saturday, especially with the group of athletes returning from competing Tuesday in the USATF 1 Mile Championships to race at Jim Duncan Track.

Vincent Ciattei of Under Armour Mission Run Dark Sky Distance just missed the world record in the road mile, clocking 3:56.97, only adding to his motivation to eclipse Scott’s performance from 40 years ago.

John Reniewicki, Kasey Knevelbaard, Macauley Franks, Nick Randazzo and Mikey Brannigan are also scheduled to race for the second time in a five-day span and are expected to be joined by Kenyan athlete Justin Kipkoech, who achieved a personal-best 3:34.56 last year in Poland and ran 3:40.09 on March 16 in San Juan Capistrano, Calif.

Ryan Adams and Brett Meyer, both American athletes, are also entered in the invitational field, along with Indian competitors Avinash Sable, Ajay Kumar Saroj and P.R. Rahul.

Championship pedigree

Four athletes who have won national titles for their respective countries, in addition to the 2023 NCAA Division 1 60-meter hurdles champion, are all scheduled to participate Saturday in the men’s invitational 110-meter hurdles.

Tade Ojora, a four-time British champion and USC All-American, is looking to continue his momentum after winning April 20 in a wind-legal 13.48 at the 64th Mt. SAC Relays Presented by Nike in Walnut, Calif.

Ojora is scheduled to match up against Craig Thorne from Canada, Rasheem Brown from the Cayman Islands, Martin Saenz de Santa Maria of Chile, in addition to former Clemson standout and last year’s Division 1 indoor 60-meter hurdles winner Giano Roberts from Jamaica.

Joining them will be American athletes Dylan Beard, Cameron Murray and Michael Dickson, looking to follow the victory last year of Jamal Britt, who ran a wind-legal 13.29.

Omar McLeod of Jamaica produced the meet record of 13.04 in 2017.