(Des Moines, IA) — The 2026 Drake Relays will start with a pole vaulting competition at Jordan Creek Town Center in West Des Moines on Monday at 6 pm. The Executive Director of the Drake Relays Blake Boldon told KSOM/KS 95 that it will be one of the best pole vaults in the entire world
Boldon says there will also be a men’s battle with Casey Lightfoot — the American record holder — versus Olympic silver medalist Chris Nilsen. Boldon says this is not an exhibition — this is a certified event
The event is free and open to anyone.
Complete Interview with Drake Relays Executive Director Blake Boldon
More Drake Relays news
The elite schedule for the 2026 Drake Relays is now complete, highlighted by a deep and competitive field in the World Athletics Continental Tour women’s 3,000-meter steeplechase.
“The steeplechase has always been one of the most demanding events in track and field, and this year’s lineup truly reflects both the endurance and determination required to succeed,” said Drake Relays Director Blake Boldon. “We’ve assembled a group of athletes who combine tremendous stamina with competitive grit, and fans can expect a hard-fought race where strength, strategy, and resilience will be on full display from the first barrier to the final water jump.”
Several athletes in the steeplechase field will also compete in other events during Relays week. India’s Ankita, the fourth-fastest steeplechaser in her country’s history with a personal best of 9:31.99, returns after placing sixth last year and will also run in the women’s mile at Drake Stadium. Angelina Ellis and Gracie Hyde are scheduled to compete earlier in the week at the USATF 1 Mile Road Championships on Tuesday, April 21. Ellis was a finalist in the 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials, while Hyde reached the finals at the 2025 U.S. Championships.
Returning competitors also include Colett Rampf and Rachel Anderson. Rampf placed eighth at last year’s Drake Relays and later qualified for the U.S. Championships final, while Anderson finished 10th in Des Moines and went on to place inside the top 20 at the 2025 U.S. Cross Country Championships.
The international presence is strong as well, led by Israel’s Adva Cohen, a 2021 Olympic qualifier and two-time Drake Relays champion during her time at Iowa Central Community College. Brazil’s Simone Ferraz, another Tokyo Olympian and the second-fastest steeplechaser in her nation’s history, also joins the field.
Rounding out the lineup are rising collegiate standouts Emily Paupore, a 2025 NCAA Championship finalist and Mid-American Conference champion at Central Michigan, and Ava O’Connor, the reigning NCAA Division II national champion representing Adams State and Ireland.
With a mix of seasoned veterans, international talent, and emerging stars, the women’s steeplechase is shaping up to be one of the premier distance events of the 2026 Drake Relays.
Tickets to the 2026 Drake Relays are available for purchase here.
Drake Relays Women’s 3000m Steeplechase Lineup
Rachel Anderson
Ms. Ankita
Adva Cohen
Angelina Ellis
Simone Ferraz
Gracie Hyde
Ava O’Connor
Emily Paupore
Collet Rampf
