DES MOINES, Iowa – The 400-meter hurdles will again feature a star-studded field at the 2018 Drake Relay presented by Hy-Vee. The men's and women's races will include a total of 11 Olympians and five Olympic medalists, Blake Boldon, the Franklin P. Johnson Director of the Drake Relays announced.
Both the men's and women's races also feature the reigning Drake Relays champions with Georganne Moline and Michael Stigler returning to defend their 2017 titles.
The women's race will also feature the 2016 Olympic gold medalist and 2017 World Championships silver medalist Dalilah Muhammad as well as the 2016 Olympic bronze medalist, Ashley Spencer. 2016 Olympic semifinalists Sage Watson and Grace Claxton are also in the field to make their Blue Oval debuts.
Stigler returns to face many of the same competitors he bested at the 2017 Drake Relays including fan favorite and 2008 Olympic bronze medalist Bershawn Jackson and 2012 Olympic bronze medalist Javier Culson. Michael Tinsley, the 2012 Olympic silver medalist also returns to Drake Stadium and is joined by T.J. Holmes who is making his first trip to the Blue Oval as professional after taking fifth in the 2017 World Championship.
Both races will be staged Saturday, April 28, afternoon starting at 2:01 p.m. with the women's 400-meter hurdles, followed by the men's at 2:17 p.m.
The addition of the 400-meter hurdle fields brings the number of Olympians set to race on the Blue Oval at a staggering 31 to date with even more to be announced in the coming days.
All-session, multi-session and single-session tickets are currently on sale via the Drake Athletic Ticket Office and DrakeTix.com.
2018 Drake Relays presented by Hy-Vee Women's 400-Meter Hurdles
|
Name
|
Country
|
PR
|
Olympics
|
2017 Relays Finish
|
|
Grace Claxton
|
Puerto Rico
|
55.85
|
2016 - Semifinalist
|
|
|
Georganne Moline
|
USA
|
53.14
|
2012
|
Champion
|
|
Dalilah Muhammad
|
USA
|
52.64
|
2016 - Gold
|
|
|
Leah Nugent
|
Jamaica
|
54.45
|
2016 – 6th
|
3rd
|
|
Ashley Spencer
|
USA
|
53.11
|
2016 - Bronze
|
|
|
Cassandra Tate
|
USA
|
54.01
|
|
5th
|
|
Sage Watson
|
Canada
|
54.52
|
2016 - Semifinalist
|
|
2018 Drake Relays presented by Hy-Vee Men's 400-Meter Hurdles
|
Name
|
Country
|
PR
|
Olympics
|
2017 Relays Finish
|
|
Jaiver Culson
|
Puerto Rico
|
47.72
|
2016 – 8th
2012 – Bronze
|
3rd
|
|
Jeffery Gibson
|
Bahamas
|
48.17
|
2016
|
|
|
Bershawn Jackson
|
USA
|
47.30
|
2008 – Bronze
|
2nd
|
|
T.J. Holmes
|
USA
|
48.44
|
|
|
|
Michael Stigler
|
USA
|
48.26
|
|
Champion
|
|
Michael Tinsley
|
USA
|
47.70
|
2016
2012 - Silver
|
|
|
Annsert Whyte
|
Jamaica
|
48.70
|
2016 – 5th
|
5th
|
