COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Drake Relays presented by Xtream powered by Mediacom will once again welcome some of the nation's top Para Track and Field athletes to competition. Sixteen adaptive athletes, including several Paralympic medalists, are set to compete in various events throughout the weekend.

Headlining the group are Brittni Mason and Noah Malone, who each took home three medals at the 2020 Paralympic Games in Tokyo. Both Mason and Malone will race in the 100m and 200m Ambulatory Para competitions. Paralympic champions Gianfranco Iannotta and David Brown (with guide Je'Von Hutchinson) will also represent Team USA at the meet and will be joined by Paralympic bronze medalist Josh Cinnamo and Paralympian Jessica Heims, Erik Hightower, Taylor Talbot and Tanner Wright, all of whom competed in Tokyo for the United States.

"We are always excited to have Para athletes compete at the Drake Relays, to showcase some of the best adaptive track and field athletes in the country. U.S. Paralympics Track & Field greatly appreciates Blake Boldon and Drake Relays' commitment to the Paralympic movement. It is so meaningful to have their support as we continue to level the playing field for athletes with disabilities and show the world their talent."

"As we strive to bring the best athletes to Des Moines every April, the contingent from the U.S. Paralympics Track & Field is representative of that," said Blake Boldon, Franklin P. Johnson Director of the Drake Relays. "The accolades of these Para athletes is quite impressive and we're humbled to have them compete on the Blue Oval."

In addition to the impressive lineup of Para athletes, the very best of Iowa's high school wheelchair athletes will be competing on the Blue Oval. Last year marked the first time that the high school coed 400m wheelchair participated in America's Athletic Classic and we're excited to once again highlight these athletes. The 400m Wheelchair High School Coed race is set to start at 12:34 p.m. on Friday, April 29.

Following the conclusion of the 400m Wheelchair High School event, Paralympic events at Drake Relays presented by Xtream will kick off with the men's 400m Wheelchair, followed by the women's and men's 100 in the Friday evening session. Competition will continue Saturday with the women's and men's 400 and conclude that afternoon with the men's 200. For more information, visit DrakeRelays.org.

Accolades:

• Brittni Mason - 1x Paralympian, 3x medalist. In Tokyo, won gold in the 4x100m universal relay and silver in the women's 100m and 200m T46 races. Is a 2019 World Champion in the 100m T46. Also ran track and Eastern Michigan University.
• Noah Malone - 1x Paralympian, 3x medalist. In Tokyo, won gold in the 4x100m universal relay and silvers in the men's 100m and 400m T12 races. Is a 2019 World Champion in the 4x100m relay, and currently runs for Indiana State University as one of the only legally blind Division I sprinters in the nation.
• David Brown - Three-time Paralympian and 2016 Paralympic champion in the men's 100m T11 competition. Owner of five world championship medals, including two gold, and is the first totally blind athlete to run under 11 seconds in the 100m when he clocked 10.92 in 2014.
• Gianfranco Iannotta - Two-time Paralympian, two-time medalist. Won gold in the men's 100m T52 and bronze in the men's 400m T52 races, both at the Rio 2016 Games. Is also a four-time world championships medalist.
• Erik Hightower- 3x Paralympian and two-time world championships medalist. Helped Team USA's 4x100 universal relay team to gold at the 2019 world championships.
• Josh Cinnamo - 1x Paralympian, 1x medalist. Won bronze at the Tokyo 2020 Games in the men's shot put F46, and is the 2019 world champion in the same event. He has set multiple F46 shot put records since his debut in 2014.
• Jessica Heims - Two-time Paralympian. Recently graduated from the University of Northern Iowa, where she competed on the track and field team.
• Taylor Talbot - One-time Paralympian. In 2017 she was named a Paralympic All-American by the Oregon School Activities Association.
• Tanner Wright - One-time Paralympian. Ran track at Hardin-Simmons University.
• Catarina Guimaraes - Two-time U.S. Paralympics Track & Field High School All-American. Won two silver medals at the 2018 IWAS Junior Championships.
• Delaney Nolin - Competed in track and field at Occidental College, was nominated for the NCAA Woman of the Year Award in 2017

Single session general admission tickets are available through Friday, April 22 at draketix.com/relays.