The 2012 World Indoor Champion, the 2012 London Olympic champion and the current World Record holder in the 110 meter hurdles, Aries Merritt, will be racing in Des Moines, Iowa the last weekend of April 2013 at the 104th Drake Relays!
Aries is just one of many top athletes who are competing in Des Moines in 2013. Hy-Vee Supermarkets has signed a long term deal with Drake Relays to up the ante in the venerable relay meet! At least sixteen London Olympic medalists will put it on the line for some serious paydays! Hy-Vee has invest ed $800,000 to $ 1 million a year in the Drake Relays. With paydays that reach $50,000 for first place in key events, Drake Relays may be the best pay day in North America!
Aries Merritt showing his sartorial as well as hurdling skills,
photo from Peter Baker Studios
Aries Merritt showing off his new Nike speed suit,
photo courtesy of Peter Baker Studios
Aries Merritt in deep thought,
“just how fast can I run the 110m hurdles?”,
photo by Peter Baker Studios
A. Merritt announced for Drake Relays, by Alfons Juck, EME News
DES MOINES (USA): Olympian and Des Moines native Lolo Jones is set to join the field for the 2013 Drake Relays presented by Hy-Vee, Drake Relays director Brian Brown announced. Jones is one of more than 50 elite athletes that Brown has recently added to an already stellar field that now features 25 Olympic medalists from the 2012 Olympics set to compete in a series of London Rematch at Drake Stadium, April 25-28. Jeremy Wariner will compete on the Blue Oval as part of a 400-meter London Rematch field that already features Luguelin Santos, the silver medalist from the London games. Jones’ inclusion in the women’s 100-meter hurdle field gives the event an added boost as it already features the 2012 silver and bronze medalists in Dawn Harper and Kellie Wells, respectively. Virginia Crawford, Queen Harrison, Danielle Carruthers, Tiffany Porter and Kristi Castlin join that trio. Highlighting additions to the men’s events is a new London Games Rematch in the shot put. The incredibly deep and talented field currently features American bronze medalist Reese Hoffa, 2012 World Indoor Champion and Olympic finalist Ryan Whiting and 2008 Olympic silver medalist Christian Cantwell competing for the 25 000 USD purse in the event. Brown also announced exciting additions to other fields for the London Rematches, including filling out the women’s 1500 m field with three 2012 Olympic finalists in Morgan Uceny, Jenny Simpson and Shannon Rowbury. Adding to the excitement in the deep field will also be high school phenom Mary Cain. New athletes in the men’s hurdles strengthen an already stout field as four new competitors in Ryan Wilson, Andrew Riley, Antwon Hicks and Jeff Porter in the 110-meter hurdles join gold medalist/world record holder Aries Merritt, silver medalist Jason Richardson, bronze medalist Hansle Parchment and Olympic finalist Ryan Braithwaite. Four of the top 30 ranked athletes from 2013 are also set to join the 400-meter hurdle London Rematch with Eric Alejandro, Justin Gaymon, Jamele Mason and Johnny Dutch set to race. They’ll fill out a field that features another complete London Rematch between silver medalist Michael Tinsley and bronze medalist Javier Culson. The event web site informs.
