Lolo Jones of USA wins gold in the 60m Hurdles (© Getty Images)
Lolo Jones, Christian Cantwell and Bernard Lagat, who each produced thrilling victories at the World Indoor Championships in Doha last month, will be among the headliners at this weekend’s 101st running of the Drake Relays which begin today in Des Moines, Iowa.
Jones made history in the Qatari capital last month when she became the first woman to ever defend a World indoor 60m Hurdles title. And she did it with panache, bouncing back from near-disaster in the semis to break Gail Devers’ US record with her blazing 7.72 run. In Des Moines, she’ll be going for a fifth Drake 100m Hurdles victory and an assault on her own meet record of 12.74 set in 2008. Jones opened her outdoor season with a notable 12.71 win in Baton Rouge last weekend.
Her list of challengers is a strong one, including Canada’s Perdita Felicien, American Damu Cherry and Jamaica’s 2008 Olympian Vonette Dixon.
Lagat, who won his second World indoor 3000m title in Doha, will lead a strong field in the mile in his 2010 outdoor debut. Among Lagat’s challengers will be Americans Rob Myers and Jon Rankin and Pablo Solaris of Mexico who boast sub-3:55 career bests.
Cantwell, who followed up his first World title outdoors last year with a third World indoor triumph in March, will be gunning for his seventh career Drake victory. He set the meet record of 22.10m in 2006 and will also be making his first appearance of the outdoor season. As is the case in most domestic US meets, the field will be strong. Cantwell will face Rees Hoffa, the man he succeeded as World champion in Berlin last summer, and Dan Taylor, who won at Drake last year.
Cantwell, along with Felicien, will be inducted into the Relays’ Hall of Fame at a ceremony on Thursday (22).
In the women’s Shot Put, Nadine Kleinert will start as the favourite. The German, a three-time Olympian, took World Championships silver in the event last year before a home crowd in Berlin. She’ll face two-time US Olympian Kristin Heaston.
There will be some noteworthy action in the sprints as well.
In the men’s 200m, four-time World Championships medallist Wallace Spearmon will be making his Drake Relays debut. With a 19.65 career best, Spearmon is the fifth fastest man in history. The meet record of 20.05 was set by former World record holder Michael Johnson in 1996 a few months prior to his historical double victory at the Atlanta Olympic Games. The solid field includes 2004 Olympic silver medallist Bernard Williams, Leroy Dixon, and Rodney Martin, a 2007 World gold medallist in the 4x100m Relay.
Renny Quow from Trinidad and Tobago, the bronze medallist in the 400m in Berlin last year, leads the field in his specialty. Quow, 22, a former World junior champion, was the second fastest in the world last year.
There’s an interesting head-to-head on tap in the men’s 400m Hurdles, led by rising star Javier Culson from Puerto Rico. The 25-year-old clocked 48.09 to take silver at the World Championships last year, and will be making his 2010 debut in the event. He’ll face Jamaican Isa Phillips, the defending Drake champion who posted the fourth fastest time in the world last year, a 48.05 to take the Jamaican title.
Elsewhere, American Jesse Williams, who was fifth in Doha and sixth in Berlin last year, returns to defend his title in the men’s High Jump. Among his challengers is Frenchman Mickael Hanany, who won the 2008 NCAA title and finished fifth at the World Championships last summer. The women’s event will feature two-time U.S. Olympian Chaunte’ Lowe, the 2005 World silver medallist, who will also return to defend her title. More recently, Lowe took bronze at the World Indoor Championships last month.
In the men’s Pole Vault, two-time Olympian Derek Miles, who was fourth in Doha last month, will be seeking his third straight Relays' crown.
In all, more than 7200 athletes from 58 countries are expected to compete.
Bob Ramsak for the IAAF
Jones made history in the Qatari capital last month when she became the first woman to ever defend a World indoor 60m Hurdles title. And she did it with panache, bouncing back from near-disaster in the semis to break Gail Devers’ US record with her blazing 7.72 run. In Des Moines, she’ll be going for a fifth Drake 100m Hurdles victory and an assault on her own meet record of 12.74 set in 2008. Jones opened her outdoor season with a notable 12.71 win in Baton Rouge last weekend.
Her list of challengers is a strong one, including Canada’s Perdita Felicien, American Damu Cherry and Jamaica’s 2008 Olympian Vonette Dixon.
Lagat, who won his second World indoor 3000m title in Doha, will lead a strong field in the mile in his 2010 outdoor debut. Among Lagat’s challengers will be Americans Rob Myers and Jon Rankin and Pablo Solaris of Mexico who boast sub-3:55 career bests.
Cantwell, who followed up his first World title outdoors last year with a third World indoor triumph in March, will be gunning for his seventh career Drake victory. He set the meet record of 22.10m in 2006 and will also be making his first appearance of the outdoor season. As is the case in most domestic US meets, the field will be strong. Cantwell will face Rees Hoffa, the man he succeeded as World champion in Berlin last summer, and Dan Taylor, who won at Drake last year.
Cantwell, along with Felicien, will be inducted into the Relays’ Hall of Fame at a ceremony on Thursday (22).
In the women’s Shot Put, Nadine Kleinert will start as the favourite. The German, a three-time Olympian, took World Championships silver in the event last year before a home crowd in Berlin. She’ll face two-time US Olympian Kristin Heaston.
There will be some noteworthy action in the sprints as well.
In the men’s 200m, four-time World Championships medallist Wallace Spearmon will be making his Drake Relays debut. With a 19.65 career best, Spearmon is the fifth fastest man in history. The meet record of 20.05 was set by former World record holder Michael Johnson in 1996 a few months prior to his historical double victory at the Atlanta Olympic Games. The solid field includes 2004 Olympic silver medallist Bernard Williams, Leroy Dixon, and Rodney Martin, a 2007 World gold medallist in the 4x100m Relay.
Renny Quow from Trinidad and Tobago, the bronze medallist in the 400m in Berlin last year, leads the field in his specialty. Quow, 22, a former World junior champion, was the second fastest in the world last year.
There’s an interesting head-to-head on tap in the men’s 400m Hurdles, led by rising star Javier Culson from Puerto Rico. The 25-year-old clocked 48.09 to take silver at the World Championships last year, and will be making his 2010 debut in the event. He’ll face Jamaican Isa Phillips, the defending Drake champion who posted the fourth fastest time in the world last year, a 48.05 to take the Jamaican title.
Elsewhere, American Jesse Williams, who was fifth in Doha and sixth in Berlin last year, returns to defend his title in the men’s High Jump. Among his challengers is Frenchman Mickael Hanany, who won the 2008 NCAA title and finished fifth at the World Championships last summer. The women’s event will feature two-time U.S. Olympian Chaunte’ Lowe, the 2005 World silver medallist, who will also return to defend her title. More recently, Lowe took bronze at the World Indoor Championships last month.
In the men’s Pole Vault, two-time Olympian Derek Miles, who was fourth in Doha last month, will be seeking his third straight Relays' crown.
In all, more than 7200 athletes from 58 countries are expected to compete.
Bob Ramsak for the IAAF
