DES MOINES, IOWA, April 26–29 — Like Ryan Crouser on the men’s side, Chase Ealey pulled off a pair of Drake Relays shot wins three days apart, one indoors, the other out in the cold and wet.
In the Wednesday evening comp in the fieldhouse Ealey triumphed with Danniel Thomas-Dodd breathing down her neck. The world champ threw 64-1¼ (19.54) on both her fourth and sixth efforts to hold off the Jamaican, who threw 64-½ (19.52) on her final put.
Ealey, like Crouser, came back for another win on Saturday, popping a U.S.-list-leading throw of 62-8¾ (19.12) on her third attempt. Three other women also bettered 60-feet for the first time in Relays history.
Ealey was a freezy cat after Saturday’s competition. “I’ve been training in the UK and just wasn’t ready for the cold,” she said, “but you have to work with what you’ve got. I’m happy with the distance.”
Nikki Hiltz took a path to two Relays golds that was about as non-traditional as Ealey’s. Hiltz successfully executed a road-and-track double by winning the women’s Grand Blue Mile (also the USATF Road Championship) in 4:28 and then 4 days later in the rain taking the lead on a 60.63 final lap en route to a 4:09.02 1500 that beat Utah’s Simone Plourde (4:10.04).
“I knew it wasn’t going to be too fast when we didn’t go with the rabbit but I wanted some surge to go into first,” Hiltz said. “It’s nice to try different things this early in the season. A whole year in Flag with [coach] Mike Smith has gotten me stronger and I’m able to use my kick now. There are a ton of things [that have happened] and I’m really in a good place.”
Drake has become synonymous with always-good-to-often-great hurdles races of both varieties. Again, there were a few disappointments. Tia Jones held form, and the lead, on the wet track to win the 100H in a legal 12.44, a PR for the 22-year-old, the youngest runner in the field. Tonea Marshall was 2nd in 12.61 followed by redoubtable 34-year-old Nia Ali in 12.67 in her fifth Relays appearance. World champ and WR holder Tobi Amusan was 4th in 12.69.
Jones’s success belies her relative youth. “I didn’t go to college and a lot of the girls have more experience than I do and they forget about little old me,” she laughed. “The season is so long that the beginning of the season doesn’t matter.”
Anna Cockrell, 3rd-placer in the 400H last year behind Dalilah Muhammad, this time led wire to wire for a 55.52 win. Cockrell viewed her race at this stage of the season as one that will prepare her well for championships down the road.
“This wasn’t the easiest,” she said of the wet and windy conditions, “but I think it’s a great rehearsal. You can’t control the weather or your lane assignments. I felt really good about my race execution. I felt really solid over 7 and 8 and have some work to do on 9 and 10. I’ll give myself an A-minus.”
Other pro winners on the track included Susan Ejore in the 800, with her 2:03.84 off a strong kick holding off Emily Richards (2:04.04) and Madie Boreman at 9:36.86 in the steeple.
Brooke Andersen reached 258-2 (78.69), the No. 8 all-time U.S. performance, on her final hammer throw to emphasize her win over Maggie Ewen at 237-9 (72.47). Andersen’s three attempts were all good enough to claim the title. Seven women bettered 225ft (68.58).
DRAKE RELAYS WOMEN’S RESULTS
Invitational Events
800: 1. Susan Ejore’ (Ken) 2:03.84; 2. Emily Richards (unat) 2:04.04.
1500: 1. Nikki Hiltz (lulu) 4:09.02; 2. *Simone Plourde’ (Ut-Can) 4:10.04; 3. Helen Schlachtenhaufen (Nike) 4:11.76; 4. ***Addy Wiley (Hunt) 4:12.53; 5. Nozomi Tanaka’ (Jpn) 4:13.17; 6. Alexina Tuebel (TS) 4:13.24; 7. Hanna Hermansson’ (Swe) 4:14.23; 8. Alli Cash (Asics) 4:14.71; 9. Shannon Osika (Nike) 4:15.92.
St(4/28): 1. Madie Boreman (unat) 9:36.86 (AL);
2. Alicja Konieczek’ (Pol) 9:39.46; 3. Simone Ponte Ferraz’ (Bra) 9:42.84; 4. Carmen Graves (unat) 9:45.53; 5. Briell Erbacher’ (Aus) 9:46.29; 6. Alondra Negron’ (PR) 9:47.79; 7. Adva Cohen’ (Isr) 9:49.50; 8. Logan Jolly (Asics) 9:50.08.
100H(1.1): 1. Tia Jones (adidas) 12.44; 2. Tonea Marshall (Nike) 12.61; 3. Nia Ali (Nike) 12.67; 4. Tobi Amusan’ (Ngr) 12.69; 5. Devynne Charlton’ (Bah) 12.71; 6. Danielle Williams’ (Jam) 12.99; 7. Jade Barber (unat) 13.17.
400H: 1. Anna Cockrell (Nike) 55.52; 2. Andrenette Knight’ (Jam) 56.17; 3. Gianna Woodruff’ (Pan) 56.62; 4. Tia-Adana Belle’ (Bar) 57.03; 5. Kaila Barber (unat) 57.35; 6. Kimisha Chambers’ (Jam) 57.52; 7. Erin Dowd (unat) 58.10; 8. Bianca Stubler (TS) 58.16.
Indoor SP (4/26): 1. Chase Ealey (Nike) 64-1¼ (19.54) (58-10¾, 62-3, 61-3½, 64-1¼, f, 64-1¼) (17.95, 18.97, 18.68, 19.54, f, 19.54); 2. Danniel Thomas-Dodd’ (Jam) 64-½ (19.52); 3. Maggie Ewen (Nike) 63-9¾ (19.45); 4. Jessica Woodard (unat) 59-4¾ (18.10).
SP: 1. Ealey 62-8¾ (19.12) (out AL) (61-¼, 61-4, 62-8¾, 62-1¼, 61-5½, 61-4) (18.60, 18.69, 19.12, 18.93, 18.73, 18.69);
2. Ewen 61-6¾ (18.76); 3. **Axelina Johansson’ (Nb-Swe) 61-5 (18.72); 4. Thomas-Dodd’ 60-10¾ (18.56);
5. Woodard 56-7¼ (17.25); 6. Erna Gunnarsdottir’ (Rice-Ice) 54-1¼ (16.49).
HT: 1. Brooke Andersen (Nike) 258-2 (78.69) (x, 8 A) (f, 254-5, f, 248-3, f, 258-2) (f, 77.54, f, 75.67, f, 78.69);
2. Ewen 237-9 (72.47); 3. Janeah Stewart (NYAC) 234-11 (71.60); 4. Annette Echikunwoke (unat) 231-6 (70.57); 5. Stamatia Skarvelis’ (Gre) 228-3 (69.57); 6. Beatrice Llano’ (Nor) 225-9 (68.82); 7. Erin Reese (Vel) 225-6 (68.75); 8. Lisa Wilson (TS) 216-11 (66.12); 9. Tara Simpson-Sullivan’ (Rice-GB) 214-0 (65.22); 10. Maddy Nilles (Vel) 210-0 (64.01).
University Events
(4/27—St, 5K; 4/28—400H, 4×8, 4×16, SP, DT)
100(2.0): 1. Amira Young (Mn) 11.31.
St: 1. *Brooke Mullins’ (Drake-Aus) 10:13.94; 2. **Mattison Plummer (IlSt) 10:19.74; 3. Amanda Montplaisir (Mank) 10:19.85.
5000: 1. Xiuzhen Ma’ (Chn) 15:43.92; 2. *Lindsay Cunningham (Winona) 15:45.91.
100H(0.6): 1. Kaylyn Hall’ (IaSt-Can) 13.12.
400H: 1. *Jacy Pulse (SD) 56.79; 2. **Hannah Antkoviak (OlN) 56.97.
4 x 100: 1. Minnesota 44.60.
4 x 200: 1. Purdue 1:34.46; 2. South Dakota 1:35.92.
4 x 400: 1. Minnesota 3:37.48.
4 x 800: 1. Arkansas 8:41.74 (AL).
4 x 100H: 1. Iowa State 55.97; 2. Indiana State 58.01.
4 x 1600: 1. Iowa State 19:04.56; 2. Arkansas State 19:26.09; 3. Bradley 19:28.04; 4. Northwestern 19:39.46; 5. Air Force 19:46.58.
SpMed: 1. Minnesota State 3:53.52.
DisMed: 1. Iowa State 11:21.50.
PV: 1. Madi Wulfekotter (CMo) 14-1¾ (4.31).
SP: 1. *Kat Moody (Ia) 54-0 (16.46); 2. Taylor Latimer (Nb) 53-9¾ (16.40); 3. *Katie Fare (NnIa) 53-7 (16.33).
DT: I–1. **Taylor Kesner (IlSt) 177-6 (54.11); 2. *Princess Kara’ (InWes-Ngr) 170-4 (51.92).
II–1. Shelby Frank (unat) 186-4 (56.81); 2. *Kat Moody (Ia) 175-10 (53.60); 3. Emily March (IaSt) 171-0 (52.13).
HT: 1. Makenna Wilson (NnIa) 212-1 (64.64); 2. Amanda Howe (Ia) 209-0 (63.71); 3. Latimer 205-3 (62.56); 4. *Kaitlyn Burson (IaSt) 202-0 (61.59).
JT: I–1. *Laurel Barber (Ottawa) 160-1 (48.81); 2. **Olivia Baumberger (SiouxF) 158-9 (48.38).
II–1. Maggie Malone (unat) 192-1 (58.54); 2. *Mirta Kulisic’ (Nb-Cro) 176-6 (53.80); 3. ***Alexandra Seagris (NDSt) 156-7 (47.72).
Hept(4/26-27): 1. Shaina Burns (unat) 5932; 2. Alex Gochenour (unat) 5746; 3. Jordan Gray (MS) 5742; 4. ***Bryanna Craig (Pur) 5411.
