DES MOINES, Iowa – The Drake women stormed to a come from behind second place finish in the university/college 4x100-meter shuttle hurdle relay Saturday to cap an outstanding weekend of competition at the 2013 Drake Relays.
In a race that saw the winner, Arts Academy, set both a Drake Relays and world best mark in 52.50, the Bulldogs were in third coming into the final leg. That's when senior Marissa Smith (Ajax, Ontario), the Drake record holder in the 100-meter hurdles, stormed ahead of the anchor from Indiana State and edged her for second.
Smith, the 2012 MVC 100-meter hurdles champion, has always had great success for Drake, but had never reached a Drake Relays final in her illustrious career.
“It's amazing to be ending on a high note,” Smith said. “I've always wanted to be on a final and I didn't think that would be in the shuttle hurdle, especially something we haven't practiced. I'm very happy with the ending, I feel content and fulfilled.”
The final time of 55.07 shattered the school record set in 2010 by four seconds. Senior Sarah Yeager (Ottumwa, Iowa) ran a strong first leg, turning former Des Moines Roosevelt standout and Drake Relays champion freshman Destani Welch (Des Moines, Iowa). Senior Briana Isom-Brummer (St. Louis, Mo.) ran the third leg.
“I felt like I was at home,” Welch said. “I did feel pressure because I wanted to do well but at the same time my mentality is 'I'm not in high school anymore but I still need to come in and bring it like any other time.”
Just over an hour after the shuttle hurdle triumph, Yeager and Isom-Brummer returned to the track to compete in the 400-meter hurdle finals. Yeager was 17th in 1:01.32 while Isom-Brummer crossed the line in 1:02.11 in 18th. Freshman Virginia Hill (Haymarket, Va.) was directly behind in 19th-place, running a time of 1:02.74.
The sprint medley relay team of senior Whitney Westrum (Waukee, Iowa), junior Danyelle Cole (Kansas City, Kan.), Hill, and freshman Taylor Scholl (Prior Lake, Minn.) ran to a time of 4:01.25 to finish 14th.
One the men's side freshman Rob McCann (Mississauga, Ontario) was the top finisher on the day for Drake, placing fifth in the 3,000-meter steeplechase in 9:05.80.
The sprint medley relay team of freshmen Kai Asberry (Carrollton, Texas) and Jim Saxton (La Crosse, Wis.), sophomore Steven Jordan (McFarland, Wis.) and junior Brett Wright (Longmont, Colo.) were 13th in 3:28.82.
Junior Travis Marsh (Ankeny, Iowa), 53.21, and Asberry, 53.51, were right next to each other in the men's 400-meter hurdles in 14th and 15th respectively. Freshman Julian Todd-Borden (Carlsbad, Calif.) was 20th in a time of 55.21.
Senior Isaac Twombly (Baldwin, Kan.) was 22nd in the hammer throw. His toss of 148-6 just bested teammate Andy Curtis' (Manchester, Iowa) 147-10, who finished in 23rd.
The Bulldogs will prep next weekend at the Messersmith Invitational in Cedar Falls, Iowa before returning home for the 2013 MVC Outdoor Championships at Drake Stadium May 10-12.
2013 Drake Relays
Drake Individual Results
Men's Results
400-Meter Hurdles
14. Travis Marsh, 53.21
15. Kai Asberry, 53.51
20. Julian Todd-Borden, 55.21
1600 Sprint Medley Relay
13. Drake 'A' – Asberry, Jordan, Wright, Saxton – 3:28.82
3,000-Meter Steeplechase
5. Rob McCann, 9:05.80
Hammer
22. Isaac Twombly, 148-6
23. Andy Curtis, 147-10
Women's Results
400-Meter Hurdles
17. Sarah Yeager, 1:01.32
18. Briana Isom-Brummer, 1:02.11
19. Virginia Hill, 1:02.74
4x100 Meter Shuttle Hurdle Relay
2. Drake 'A' - Yeager, Welch, Isom-Brummer, Smith – 55.07
Sprint Medley Relay
14. Drake 'A' – Westrum, Cole, Hill, Scholl – 4:01.25
