DES MOINES, IOWA, April 24-27 — With the countdown to the U.S. Olympic Trials well underway, it was only fitting that the 114th running of the Drake Relays showcased a lot of Citius, Altius and Fortius. The last of these was the byword for Payton Otterdahl in the Wednesday afternoon “Showcase” shot competition. On his second trip into the ring, the 28-year-old Budapest Worlds 5th-placer spun a mighty heave out to 74-1½ (22.59).
An improvement of more than a foot-and-a-half on Otterdahl’s previous best, 72-6½ (22.11) from last July, the blast carried the North Dakota State alum to No. 5 on the U.S. all-time list, No. 12 on the world ATL and No. 3 on the indoor compilation. Otterdahl also had a banner afternoon for consistency in relegating Jamaican Rajindra Campbell to 2nd (71-8¼/21.85). The shortest of his five fair throws flew 71-2 (21.69).
“I’m excited to see what is in store for the rest of the season!,” Otterdahl declared on Instagram. “Next up is this Saturday at Drake again for my outdoor opener.” His big jump up on the ATL carried him past a slew of World and Olympic champions: Reese Hoffa, Adam Nelson and Christian Cantwell.
Drake weekend is 6 weeks prior to the NCAA, 8 weeks before the first Trials weekend and fewer than 100 days until track starts in Paris. Time will fly over these next three months just as athletes do their own kind of flying on the track.
To that end, they want to get serious about “Citius” every week and it started on Drake’s blue oval as fast times made their spring appearance. The pro and collegiate hurdlers — as is the norm here — popped some top-notch times along with Kentucky’s men and women dominating various and sundry baton events.
Cindy Sember cruised to a legal 12.59 win in the 100m hurdles over Demisha Roswell (12.68) in a World Athletics Continental Tour event. But Sember ceded the crowd’s pre-race attention to 41-year-old Des Moines native and Olympian Lolo Jones, who got a rousing welcome and then grabbed 5th in a most credible 13.10. Jones had been inducted into the Relays athlete hall of fame a couple days earlier.
“I’m very, very happy with the win,” said Sember, after her fourth victory at Drake. “It’s still early in the season. I’ve been working on my strength in the weight room. I’ve been here so many times as a collegian and pro. It’s always great coming back.”
“This has been my home track at every stage of my life,” said Jones. “I still have 12.9 in my legs but the races [track vs. bobsled] are a whole different ballgame. My start is killing me.”
Nebraska’s Darius Luff zipped 13.25 for the men’s highs, besting Cameron Murray (13.34) and Dylan Byrd (13.38).
The one-lap CT hurdle race was a good one for a fast-finishing Deshae Wise, who overtook Lauren Hoffman for the win at the wire in 55.52, 0.2 up on Hoffman. On the men’s side, it was Aldrich Bailey (48.82) taking the measure of Trevor Bassitt (48.93).
Drake’s track must seem like home to Kentucky coach Lonnie Greene, a Relays coaches’ hall of fame inductee this week, who saw his team celebrate with six relay wins en route to the Relays Cup for both genders. The men won the 4 x 100 in a Relays record 38.66 and the 4×4 in 3:03.06. The women did likewise in 44.38 and 3:31.88 after earlier notching a sprint medley win and a world-leading 4 x 800 title.
Faster too was the men’s 1500, with John Reniewicki coming from behind for the 3:36.44 win over Vince Ciattei (3:36.57), who had defeated him in the Tuesday road mile. Notably, he broke Steve Scott’s 40-year-old meet record of 3:38.27.
“It means everything, breaking a record that old and historic,” said Reniewicki. “It makes it that much more fun. It felt good to get back at him (Ciattei).”
Anna Camp-Bennett took the CT 1500 (4:07.82), Annie Rodenfels the CT steeple in a wire-to-wire 9:31.03, and Canadian Aurora Rynda the CT 800 in 2:00.97, edging Bradley’s Julia Nielsen (2:00.99).
“I was happy I finished strong,” said Rynda, a three-time Big 10 800 champ for Michigan from 2021–23.
There was also some noteworthy “Altius” to be seen, most notably by vaulter KC Lightfoot, who followed up his indoor win in a local mall on Monday with the real thing in Drake Stadium, clearing 19-2 (5.84) on his third attempt. Nebraska junior Tyus Wilson was on his game and jumped a PR 7-5 for the high jump title and had three tries at a Relays record 7-6.
On Saturday Otterdahl also dominated the CT shot, with his fifth put of 72-7¾ (22.14) topping the field as all five of his legal throws bettered 70-0. Testament to the strength of the competitors was that four more also eclipsed 70-0, including Roger Steen (71-2), Campbell (70-9), Jordan Geist (70-5¼) and Chuk Enekwechi (70-3¾). NCAA indoor weight throw titlist Jalani Davis of Ole Miss won the women’s SP on her initial throw of 59-9¾ (18.23).
The hammer and javelin throws were also notable as CT events to open the Relays on Thursday evening, highlighting those events as they seldom are. They didn’t disappoint as Denzel Comenentia set a Relays record of 252-0 (76.80) in the hammer and Rachel Tanczos took the women’s win at 227-3 (69.26). The javelin winners were Denmark’s Arthur Petersen at 261-7 (79.73) and Rhema Otabor at 193-11 (59.12).
On the collegiate side of the hammer, Minnesota frosh Angelos Mantzouranis, just 19, showed his chops at Drake with a PR of 247-10 (75.55) for a Relays record and the third-best on this year’s NCAA performance chart.
DRAKE RELAYS MEN’S RESULTS
800: 1. Wes Ferguson (NbK) 1:46.08; 2. *Darius Kipyego (IaSt) 1:46.27; 3. Reece Sharman-Newell’ (GB) 1:46.79.
1500: 1. John Reniewicki (UArmMRB) 3:36.44; 2. Vince Ciattei (UArmDS) 3:36.57; 3. Abe Alvarado (UArmDS) 3:37.56; 4. Justin Kipkoech’ (Ken) 3:37.78.
110H(-0.7): 1. Darius Luff (Nb) 13.25; 2. Cameron Murray (unat) 13.34; 3. Dylan Beard (unat) 13.38; 4. Michael Dickson (unat) 13.55.
400H: 1. Aldrich Bailey (USAr) 48.82; 2. Trevor Bassitt (unat) 48.93; 3. Shakeem Hall-Smith’ (Bah) 49.52;
4. Drake Schneider (TS) 49.59.
Mall PV: 1. KC Lightfoot (Puma) 19-4¼ (5.90); 2. Zach Bradford (TmESSX) 18-6½ (5.65); 3. Matt Ludwig (unat) 18-2½ (5.55); 4. Cole Walsh (unat) 18-2½; 5. Clayton Fritsch (unat) 17-8½ (5.40).
PV: 1. Lightfoot 19-2 (5.84); 2. Walsh 18-6½ (5.65); 3. tie, Keaton Daniel (Ky) & Bradford 18-6½ (5.65); 5. Fritsch 18-2½ (5.55); 6. Luke Winder (RISE) 18-2½ (5.55); 7. Nate Richartz (unat) 17-8½ (5.40); 8. Ludwig 17-8½.
Indoor SP : 1. Payton Otterdahl (Iron) 74-1½ (22.59) (5, x A) (71-2½, 74-1½, 72-3½, f, 71-2, f) (21.70, 22.59, 22.03, f, 21.69, f);
2. Rajindra Campbell’ (Jam) 71-8¼ (21.85); 3. Chuk Enekwechi’ (Ngr) 70-8 (21.54); 4. Tripp Piperi (unat) 68-3¼ (20.81).
SP: 1. Otterdahl 72-7¾ (22.14); 2. Roger Steen (Vel) 71-2 (21.69); 3. Campbell’ 70-9 (21.56); 4. Jordan Geist (unat) 70-5¼ (21.47); 5. Enekwechi’ 70-3¾ (21.43).
HT: 1. Denzel Comenentia’ (Neth) 252-0 (76.80); 2. Kostas Zaltos’ (Gre) 242-2 (73.83); 3. Brock Eager (unat) 241-9 (73.68); 4. Jordan Geist (unat) 240-7 (73.34).
JT: 1. Arthur Petersen (Den) 261-7 (79.73); 2. Ethan Dabbs (unat) 254-2 (77.48); 3. Sindri Gudmundsson (unat) 248-1 (75.63).
University Men
800: 1. **Niko Schultz (Nb) 1:48.46.
St: 1. Alec Basten (unat) 8:45.51.
110H(2.5): 1. ***Alexander Chukwukelu (Ky) 13.54w; 2. *Andrew Martens (AugSD) 13.56w; 3. *Darius Brown (DeP) 13.66w.
4 x 100: 1. Kentucky 38.66; 2. South Dakota 39.82.
4 x 400: 1. Kentucky 3:03.06 (Lightner 44.76); 2. Nebraska 3:03.31 (Bryant 44.88).
4 x 800: 1. Iowa State 7:22.53.
SpMed: 1. Nebraska 3:17.26; 2. DePaul 3:17.34; 3. Kentucky 3:18.10.
DisMed: 1. Bradley 9:43.65.
4 x 110H: 1. Air Force 57.33; 2. Northern Iowa 58.20; 3. Minnesota State 58.30; 4. Oklahoma Baptist 58.86.
HJ: 1. *Tyus Wilson (Nb) 7-5 (2.26).
TJ: 1. James Carter (unat) 52-8w (16.05).
SP: 1. *Cam Jones (IaSt) 64-9¾ (19.75).
DT: I–1. ***Uladzislau Puchko’ (VaT-Blr) 203-1 (61.90); 2. Kevin Sakson’ (IaSt-Est) 195-8 (59.64). II–1. *Yakob Ekoue (WiEC) 197-4 (60.16); 2. **Texas Tanner (AF) 194-8 (59.33).
HT: 1. ***Angelos Mantzouranis’ (Mn-Gre) 247-10 (75.55); 2. Tanner 235-3 (71.71); 3. *Henry Zimmerman (Nb) 221-6 (67.52).
Dec: 1. Till Steinforth’ (Ger) 8053.
Invitational Women’s Events
800: 1. Aurora Rynda’ (Can) 2:00.97; 2. *Julia Nielsen’ (Brad-Swe) 2:00.99; 3. Kaela Edwards (adidas) 2:01.53.
1500: 1. Anna Camp-Bennett (adidas) 4:07.82; 2. Rachel McArthur (Bandit) 4:08.39; 3. **Silan Ayyildiz’ (Or-Tur) 4:09.34; 4. Stephanie Brokaw (unat) 4:09.96.
St: 1. Annie Rodenfels (BAA) 9:31.03; 2. Angelina Ellis (UArmMRDS) 9:35.62; 3. Aneta Konieczek’ (Pol) 9:38.52; 4. Logan Jolly (AsicsMam) 9:39.26.
5000: 1. Bethany Hasz (BAA) 15:34.19; 2. Amy Davis (Hans) 15:37.09; 3. Anne-Marie Blaney (Hans) 15:39.46.
100H(0.7): 1. Cindy Sember’ (GB) 12.59; 2. Demisha Roswell’ (Jam) 12.68; 3. Talie Bonds (unat) 12.68; 4. Christina Clemons (unat) 12.69; 5. Lolo Jones (unat) 13.10.
400H: 1. Deshae Wise (TS) 55.52; 2. Lauren Hoffman’ (Phi) 55.72; 3. Jessica Wright (TBBTC) 55.78.
Mall PV: 1. Bridget Williams (TmESSX) 15-4¼ (4.68); 2. Gabriela Leon (Puma) 15-¼ (4.58); 3. Emily Grove (TmESSX) 14-8¼ (4.48); 4. Rachel Baxter (unat) 14-2½ (4.33); 5. *Brynn King (RobW) 14-2½.
PV: 1. Grove 14-4 (4.37); 2. *Tori Thomas (Il) 14-4 (4.37); 3. Marleen Mulla (Est) 14-0 (4.27).
Indoor SP: 1. Jessica Ramsey (unat) 59-6¼ (18.14); 2. *Axelina Johansson’ (Nb-Swe) 59-4¾ (18.10); 3. Josie Schaefer (unat) 56-7¼ (17.25); 4. Jessica Woodard (Iron) 54-10¾ (16.73).
SP: 1. Jalani Davis (Ms) 59-9¾ (18.23); 2. *Johansson’ 58-11½ (17.97); 3. Ramsey 58-6¾ (17.85); 4. *Mine De Klerk’ (Nb-SA) 57-6½ (17.54).
HT: 1. Rachel Tanczos (Vel) 227-3 (69.26); 2. Stamatia Scarvelis’ (Gre) 222-2 (67.73); 3. Erin Reese (Vel) 221-2 (67.42); 4. Davis 219-6 (66.90).
JT: 1. Rhema Otabor’ (Bah) 193-11 (59.12); 2. Lianna Davidson’ (Aus) 187-5 (57.13); 3. Madison Wiltrout (unat) 180-0 (54.87).
University Women’s Results
400: 1. Nell Graham (NDSt) 52.61; 2. *Sara Reifenrath (SD) 52.86.
1500: 1. *Erin Reidy (Mn) 4:16.53.
St: 1. *Mattison Plummer (IlSt) 10:12.83; 2. *Emma Hoins (NnIa) 10:19.19.
100H(2.1): 1. Denisha Cartwright’ (Mank-Bah) 12.71w; 2. *Alexis Glasco (Ky) 12.96w.
400H: 1. *Hannah Antkoviak (OlN) 56.20; 2. Jacy Pulse (SD) 56.54; 3. Hassy Fashina-Bombata’ (IlSt-Can) 59.15.
4 x 100: 1. Kentucky 44.38; 2. Utah 44.91; 3. Central Arkansas 44.97.
4 x 200: 1. South Dakota 1:34.24.
4 x 400: 1. Kentucky 3:31.88; 2. South Dakota 3:33.15; 3. Utah 3:36.50; 4. Iowa State 3:37.11.
4 x 800: 1. Kentucky 8:27.94; 2. Notre Dame 8:32.16; 3. Utah 8:41.83; 4. DePaul 8:48.07; 5. Air Force 8:54.51.
4 x 1600: 1. Notre Dame 18:44.15; 2. Iowa State 19:06.26; 3. Air Force 19:45.76; 4. Minnesota 19:51.54.
SpMed: 1. Kentucky 3:46.54; 2. Nebraska 3:48.54; 3. DePaul 3:50.66; 4. South Dakota 3:51.54.
4 x 100H: 1. Illinois State 55.72; 2. Indiana State 57.35; 3. Nebraska 57.84; 4. North Dakota State 58.03.
HJ: 1. Charity Hufnagel (Ky) 6-¾ (1.85).
PV: 1. Paige Hickson (Mank) 14-0 (4.27).
LJ: 1. Arianna Passeri (Mary) 20-7 (6.27); 2. *Lishanna Ilves’ (Nb-Est) 20-6¼ (6.25).
TJ: 1. Arianna Fisher (unat) 43-2¼ (13.16); 2. ***Mercy Honesty’ (IaWn-Ngr) 42-1¼ (12.83).
SP: 1. **Amelia Flynt (Nb) 54-11¼ (16.74).
DT: I–1. *Shelby Frank (Mn) 191-5 (58.34); 2. Gabi Jacobs (unat) 190-1 (57.94); 3. Meyer 188-11 (57.58).
HT: I–1. Amber Simpson’ (Il-GB) 217-6 (66.29); 2. ***Kate Powers (Ky) 211-1 (64.34). II–1. ***Anthonett Nabwe (Mn) 214-0 (65.23).
JT: I–1. Mirta Kulisic’ (Nb-Cro) 169-3 (51.58); 2. *Eniko Sara’ (Nb-Can) 162-10 (49.65); 3. *Emanuela Casadei’ (Nb-Ita) 162-3 (49.45).
Hept: 1. Lexie Keller (unat) 5846; 3. Haley Rizek (TS) 5367.
