Reigning World Champions Set for Drake Relays Shot Put
World Champions Ryan Crouser and Chase Ealey headline the elite men’s and women’s shot put at the 2023 Drake Relays.
DES MOINES, Iowa — Both the current men’s World Champion and women’s World Champion headline the upcoming shot put competition at the Drake Relays presented by Xtream powered by Mediacom. The fields for the standout event feature seven throwers in the top 10 of the World Athletics rankings to thrill the Drake Stadium crowd with the raw power, finesse and showmanship Relays fans have come to love.
“These two shot put competitions, combined with Wednesday’s indoor world record attempt, reinforces the Drake Relays’ reputation as one of the premier shot put showcases in the world,” said Blake Boldon, the Franklin P. Johnson Director of the Drake Relays. “The southwest corner of Drake Stadium will be the only place in the world that weekend where you can see both the current men’s and women’s World Champions. These athletes always put on an incredible performance for our fans, and we’re excited to treat our fans to what is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to cheer on the sport’s best.”
The in-stadium men’s shot put at 2:50 p.m. on Saturday, April 29 comes on the heels of a world record attempt Wednesday evening in historic Drake Fieldhouse featuring two-time Olympic champion, two-time World Champion and world record holder Ryan Crouser. The Drake Relays regular returns to Drake Stadium in search of an unprecedented fifth-straight Drake Relays title in the event, which is one of the only things left to accomplish in his storied career that has seen him throw 22 meters (72-2) or further nearly 200 times in his career. However, the likes of Payton Otterdahl, Josh Awotunde and Tripp Piperi are lined up in an attempt to end Crouser’s stranglehold on the podium’s top spot.
The women’s shot put will start at 1:15 p.m. on Saturday, April 29 with a lineup that includes current World Champion Chase Ealey, who burst onto the scene in 2019 in Des Moines at the USA Championships and owns the second-longest throw ever by an American woman at 20.51m (67-3.5) behind only Michelle Carter’s American record.. Three-time World Championship finalist Maggie Ewen and Jessica Woodard will also vie for the Relays title along with a contingent of international talent, including Jamaica’s Danniel Thomas-Dodd, a two-time Olympian.
Otterdahl revisits the Drake Relays after finishing third in last…
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