2009 DRAKE RELAYS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE    

APRIL 21, 2009

DES MOINES, IOWA - The 100th running of the Drake Relays will feature four athletes and a relay team which have posted the top world leading outdoor marks in their respective events this spring.

2008 U.S. Olympian Chauntee Howard and Texas junior Destinee Hooker both share the 2009 world outdoor lead in the women's high jump at 6-2.75. Hooker, who owns the Drake Stadium record of 6-4, went 6-2.75 to win the Texas Relays, while Howard achieved her feat at the Tiger Classic in Auburn, Ala., April 4.

2008 U.S. Olympian Andra Manson has posted the top outdoor men's high jump in the world at 7-8.5 en route to winning the Texas Relays April 4.

Six-time Drake Relays champion Christian Cantwell owns the best outdoor shot put throw in the world at 70-7.75 set just last Friday in Goree.

The men's university 4x400 relay, which is the last event of this year's Drake Relays, could be one for the record books.

Baylor has clocked the fastest time in the world this year at 3:02.68.

The last time the Bears stepped on the blue oval at Drake, they set a Drake Stadium record of 3:00.22 en route to winning the 2009 NCAA outdoor title.

Junior Trey Harts, a member of that Baylor relay team, is the collegiate outdoor leader this spring at 20.29 which also ranks as third fastest in the world.

The Drake Relays men's invitational 110 hurdles features four of the top eight leading times in the world. Eric Mitchum has the second-fastest time in the world at 13.31 en route to winning the Florida Relays April 3. Dexter Faulk has the fifth-fastest time at 13.37, followed by Ryan Wilson 13.45 at No. 6 and Jerome Miller 13.49 at No. 8.

Drake Relays record holder Alan Webb has the third fastest outdoor mile in the world this spring at 3:58.90 set last Saturday at the Kansas Relays.