Several local track & field participants are on the brink of qualifying for the Drake Relays. Each event has a “Blue Standard” automatic qualifying mark and a field size of the best marks in Iowa among all classes. Coaches have until 6:00 a.m. Friday to enter marks in Bound to be considered for qualification, meaning Thursday’s meets will be the final opportunity to qualify. As of Wednesday:
Boys events:
South Hardin’s Chizkiyah Richmond has the 14th-fastest time in the 400-meter dash at 49.85. The top 16 qualify.
The top 96 4×100 teams qualify. The Dike-New Hartford and Grundy Center boys each have a fastest time of 44.45, which is tied for the 95th-fastest time. At 44.81, South Hardin has the 115th-fastest time, meaning each member would need to shave 0.1 seconds to enter the current top 96.
The Grundy Center boys 4×400 is sitting rather comfortably in 16th place in a field of 24 with a time of 3:25.09.
Girls events:
Hampton-Dumont-CAL’s Charlee Morton has automatically qualified in the shot put and discus. Her best shot put throw of 45-00.00 is currently the second-best, and her discus throw of 140-03.00 is the seventh-best in Iowa.
Grundy Center’s Allison Koch has a top high jump of 5-04.00, which is part of a 13-way tie for 12th-best. The top 24 marks qualify.
Iowa Falls-Alden’s Isabelle Janssen has the 20th-fastest 100m hurdles time of 15.41, 0.31 seconds faster than the 32nd place cutoff.
In the 96-team 4×100 field, South Hardin is in 93rd place at 52.41 and Dike-New Hartford is in 95th place at 52.46.
The unofficial performance list will be reviewed by Drake staff and coaches Friday. The final start lists will be posted by 12:00 p.m. Saturday. The 115th Drake Relays will be April 23 through 26.
