DES MOINES, Iowa – Five of the top 10 110-meter hurdlers in the world will compete at the 107th Drake Relays presented by Hy-Vee, Relays director Brian Brown announced Monday, March 21.
The seven announced athletes have made a total of four Olympic appearances with three Olympic medals between them. They will be looking to add to that total at this summer's Olympic games with their march toward the medal stand beginning at the Drake Relays presented by Hy-Vee in the Rio Olympic Games Preview on Saturday, April, 30 at 2:51 p.m. on the Blue Oval.
Additionally, five of those in field have shattered the elusive 13-second barrier in the event, something that only 20 competitors in the history of the event have achieved.
Aries Merritt is set to make his return to Drake Stadium after finishing his 2015 season ranked fourth in the world by Track & Field News and recording the sixth-fastest time in the world of 13.04. He completed his 2015 season by finishing third at the IAAF World Championships and begins his push towards Rio as the reigning Olympic gold medalist and world record holder in the event with a personal best of 12.80.
Jamaican Hansle Parchment was the 2012 Olympic bronze medalist in the event and also finished second at last summer's World Championships to finish his season ranked seventh in the world. He owns the 10th fastest time in the history of the event at 12.94.
David Oliver will begin his outdoor season after finishing the 2015 campaign ranked second in the world after clocking a season-best of 12.98. The 2008 Olympic bronze medalist owns a personal best of 12.89, the fourth-fastest time ever by a hurdler.
Aleec Harris will try to stave off that field to defend his Relays title from 2015 in which he darted past many of the same competitors from lane No. 2 in 13.16, just shy of his personal best of 13.11.
Andrew Riley also brings Olympic credentials to Drake Stadium after representing Jamaica in the last Olympic games and earning a gold medal in the 2014 Commonwealth Games.
Up-and-coming phenom Omar McLeod will make his Drake Stadium professional debut after winning the collegiate event last season for Arkansas. McLeod recently won the IAAF Indoor World Championship and became the newest member of the sub 13-second club last summer with a personal best of 12.97.
Another relative newcomer to the sub 13-second club, Ronnie Ash, will join McLeod. Ash finished the 2015 season ranked 10th in the world and two years ago set a personal best of 12.99 at the USA Championships.
Single-session tickets for the 2016 Drake Relays presented by Hy-Vee go on sale to the general public on March 24 at 9 a.m. All-session and multi-session tickets for the 2016 Drake Relays presented by Hy-Vee are currently available at www.DrakeRelays.org, www.DrakeTix.com or by calling the Drake Athletic Ticket Office at 515-271-3647.
