DES MOINES, Iowa – Drake Relays presented by Xtream powered by Mediacom announced today the addition of a new 4x400 meter Mixed Relay event for the 2025 edition of America's Athletic Classic, further expanding competitive opportunities for middle school athletes. This innovative coed race will feature two boys and two girls from each participating team, marking a historic inclusion in the Friday Night competition lineup.

The race will follow the same format as the Olympics and World Championships with each team required to run in the same sequence of boy, girl, boy, girl. Competition will be structured in two heats, each featuring eight teams. One heat will be exclusively for Des Moines Public Schools (DMPS), while the second will be composed of qualified teams throughout Central Iowa. To qualify, official results for each individual will be submitted then added together with the fastest schools from outside of Des Moines Public Schools qualifying for the Drake Relays.

"The establishment of the 4x400 meter mixed relay at the Paris Olympics proved to be a very exciting event as we watched top male and female track and field athletes compete side by side," said Ian Roberts, Superintendent of the Des Moines Public School district and Olympic 800 meter runner. "And now our boys and girls at DMPS middle schools have that same opportunity. It is a thrill for any athlete to compete on the blue oval at the Drake Relays. I am grateful to our partners at Drake University for creating this opportunity for our students to shine bright and dream big."

With a total of 16 teams competing, this addition ensures more young athletes have a chance to experience the thrill of competing at the Drake Relays. This initiative aligns with the Drake Relays' commitment to fostering youth participation and creating exciting opportunities for top athletes at all levels to showcase their talents on a grand stage.

"We are eager to bring the 4x400 Mixed Relay to Des Moines. The event has become a fan-favorite globally, adding an exciting new race to the Drake Relays program while also creating a platform for more local athletes to compete at a high level," said Blake Boldon, Franklin P. Johnson Director of the Drake Relays. "Young Iowans competing in an Olympic style race is a tradition more than a century old tradition at America's Athletic Classic. It is fitting to renew that tradition as the world prepares for the Los Angeles Games."

The Middle School 4x400 meter Mixed Relay will be contested on Friday, April 25, the same evening as the Middle School 4x100 meter relay and the High School 4x400 meter relay preliminary round.

All Session tickets and ticket packages for the 115th Drake Relays April 23-26 are available now at https://godrakebulldogs.evenue.net/events/DR.
 
Pre-sale for single session tickets begins on Thursday, March 27.