DES MOINES, Iowa -- The Drake Relays presented by Xtream powered by Mediacom has always attracted track and field's top talent looking to test their mettle against the world's best athletes. In 2023, this reputation continues to pay dividends as China sends some of its most talented athletes and developing talent to the Drake Relays to gain valuable international experience.
The contingent of Chinese representatives at the 113th running of the Drake Relays includes some of the nation's best middle distance and distance runners, including ChunYu Wang, who was fifth in the women's 800 meters at the most recent Olympics.
"We're honored that as China continues to build and develop its athletics program on a global scale, they are electing to send athletes to the Drake Relays," said Blake Boldon, the Franklin P. Johnson Director of the Drake Relays. "It's incredible that the Drake Relays has such a tremendous worldwide reputation that countries looking to give their athletes a taste of elite international competition are sending teams to Des Moines."
The group of Chinese athletes will compete in the 800 and 1,500 meters against competitive fields to be announced shortly, as well as the 3,000-meter steeplechase and 5,000 meters.
Wang headlines the group after becoming the first Chinese woman to reach the Olympic finals of the 800 meters. Her fifth-place finish with a personal best of 1:57.00 was the best individual showing of any Chinese athlete in a track running event at the 2021 Olympics.
Wang is joined on the women's side by HongJiao Wu, GuiPing Zhang, XiuShen Ma and ShuangShuang Xu. Xu is a World Championship qualifier who also qualified for the 2021 Olympics in the steeplechase and is a four-time national champion and Asian Championships silver medalist.
Wu is also the current Asian Indoor Champion in the 800 meters and a two-time national champion, while Zhang is the current Chinese national champion in the event.
The Chinese men's representatives also include some of the nation's top talent in the distance events, with DongSheng Xie, DeZhu Liu, FuDong Wang, ShaoJie Wang and TianYu Chen set to travel to Des Moines.
That contingent includes national FuDong Wang also recently took fifth in the 3,000 meters at the Asian Indoor Championship, while Chen is one of the country's top long distance runners and marathoners.
The group is led by coach James Li, who retired from successful collegiate coaching, most recently at the University of Arizona. During his career, Li coached many Drake Relays standouts, including five-time Olympian Bernard Lagat, and in 2008 Li was named the head manager for the men of Team USA at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. Coach Li first began bringing athletes to the Drake Relays in 1991 after being named the head men's track and field coach at Minnesota State University at Mankato.
"I'm excited to return to the great state of Iowa and the Drake," said Li. "I thank Mr. Boldon and Drake University for providing opportunities to our athletes to this wonderful athletic tradition. The athletes are looking forward to seeing this part of the country, interacting with the people and the great competition."
The majority of the Chinese athletes will be competing in their respective events Friday and Saturday on the Blue Oval with the steeplechase and 5,000-meter runners competing Thursday evening.
