DES MOINES, Iowa – The Purdue track & field team won three championships, including two with times that rank No. 4 in the world, at the Drake Relays on Friday, April 28, in Des Moines, Iowa.
Junior Cierra Williams won the 400-meter and both the men's and women's 4x200 relays claimed titles on the third day of competition at Drake Stadium. Williams also was part of her team's 4x200 win. The three victories are the Boilermakers' first at the nationally-renowned meet since 2019, while the men's win is the team's first in a relay since 2018. Purdue swept the 4x200 relays for the second time in program history, along with 2018, as both of Friday's 4x200 times are fourth-fastest in the world this year.
On a day that began warm and sunny and ended cool and overcast with scattered drizzle, Purdue totaled 11 top-five finishes, with seven placing in the top three, in 14 events on Friday. That includes the three wins along with a first- and fifth-place showing in the 4x100 relays prelims to advance to tomorrow's finals.
Today's performances come after junior Payne Turney ran the eighth-fastest 1,500m time in school history on Thursday and freshman Bryanna Craig opened the heptathlon on Wednesday at the Drake Relays.
Purdue's opening event on the track in the evening session was the 400m, where Williams won in 53.57. Williams was victorious by 0.27 seconds as she ran her first career race at the Drake Relays.
Less than two hours later, Williams and the Boilermakers won the women's 4x200 with a time of 1:34.46. The team of senior Saran Kouyeth, fifth-year Camille Christopher, junior Naomi Campbell and Williams won by nearly 1.50 seconds and were more than three seconds ahead of the third-place finishers.
Several minutes later, the men completed the 4x200 sweep and crossed the finish line in 1:22.90. Freshmen Eric Young II and Connor Czajkowski, junior Jahn Riley and fifth-year Justin Becker won by almost two seconds.
Williams is the first Boilermaker to win the 400m at the Drake Relays, men's or women's. The 4x200 relay wins are the women's fourth, along with 2016, 2017 and 2018, and the men's third, joining the 2013 and 2018 squads.
Both the men's and women's 4x100 relays ran in the prelims on Friday and advanced to Saturday's final. The women notched the fastest qualifying time of 44.46, while the men finished fifth in 40.41.
With a personal-record jump, sophomore Praise Aniamaka was the runner-up in the triple jump invitational. A mark of 15.23m on his fifth jump and a third-attempt jump of 15.19m both eclipsed his previous collegiate-best of 15.17m.
Meanwhile, freshman Zoe Lamb tied for second in the open pole vault. She cleared 3.67m to earn her first collegiate runner-up finish, outdoors or indoors.
The day on the track began for the Boilermakers in third place in the 4x1600. The team of juniors Caleb Williams and Alex Frey, sophomore Nathan Walker and freshman Kiefer Bell earned a time of 16:31.95.
Fifth-year Jessica Bray, sophomore Rieko Wilford and freshman Seth Allen all posted fourth-place finishes on Friday. Bray earned a season-best mark with her clearance of 3.97m in the pole vault invitational. Wilford had a mark of 12.48m in the triple jump invitational as she opened the day in field events for Purdue. Allen had a personal-best throw in the open discus, thanks to a mark of 52.52m on his fifth attempt that moved him up one spot.
The Drake relays conclude on Saturday, April 29, with Purdue's first event, the long jump at 11 a.m. ET / 10 a.m. CT. The team's meet concludes with the 4x400 at 5:05 p.m. ET / 4:05 p.m. CT.
Fans can follow along with live results and the meet schedule from Des Moines. USATF.TV will have a live stream, with a subscription required, and CBS Sports Network will air select events on Saturday. Additional meet information is at GoDrakeBulldogs.com, and direct links to follow along are available on the schedule page at PurdueSports.com/TrackField. Additional updates, including schedule updates should weather be an impact, can be found by following and connecting with the team on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
Forty-two Boilermakers, 22 men and 20 women, are competing at Drake Stadium this weekend. Along with Purdue and the host-Bulldogs, the Drake Relays field includes Big Ten foes Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska and Northwestern.
For more on the Purdue track & field and cross country program, visit PurdueSports.com/TrackField and follow and connect with the Boilermakers on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
Junior Cierra Williams won the 400-meter and both the men's and women's 4x200 relays claimed titles on the third day of competition at Drake Stadium. Williams also was part of her team's 4x200 win. The three victories are the Boilermakers' first at the nationally-renowned meet since 2019, while the men's win is the team's first in a relay since 2018. Purdue swept the 4x200 relays for the second time in program history, along with 2018, as both of Friday's 4x200 times are fourth-fastest in the world this year.
On a day that began warm and sunny and ended cool and overcast with scattered drizzle, Purdue totaled 11 top-five finishes, with seven placing in the top three, in 14 events on Friday. That includes the three wins along with a first- and fifth-place showing in the 4x100 relays prelims to advance to tomorrow's finals.
Today's performances come after junior Payne Turney ran the eighth-fastest 1,500m time in school history on Thursday and freshman Bryanna Craig opened the heptathlon on Wednesday at the Drake Relays.
Purdue's opening event on the track in the evening session was the 400m, where Williams won in 53.57. Williams was victorious by 0.27 seconds as she ran her first career race at the Drake Relays.
Drake Relays Champion!! 🥇
— Purdue Track & Field / Cross Country (@PurdueTrackXC) April 28, 2023
Cierra Williams wins the 400m! She earns Purdue's first Drake Relays title in an individual women's event since 2018.#BoilerUp 🚂 pic.twitter.com/mqGNuqnJ7E
Less than two hours later, Williams and the Boilermakers won the women's 4x200 with a time of 1:34.46. The team of senior Saran Kouyeth, fifth-year Camille Christopher, junior Naomi Campbell and Williams won by nearly 1.50 seconds and were more than three seconds ahead of the third-place finishers.
Several minutes later, the men completed the 4x200 sweep and crossed the finish line in 1:22.90. Freshmen Eric Young II and Connor Czajkowski, junior Jahn Riley and fifth-year Justin Becker won by almost two seconds.
Williams is the first Boilermaker to win the 400m at the Drake Relays, men's or women's. The 4x200 relay wins are the women's fourth, along with 2016, 2017 and 2018, and the men's third, joining the 2013 and 2018 squads.
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Both the men's and women's 4x100 relays ran in the prelims on Friday and advanced to Saturday's final. The women notched the fastest qualifying time of 44.46, while the men finished fifth in 40.41.
With a personal-record jump, sophomore Praise Aniamaka was the runner-up in the triple jump invitational. A mark of 15.23m on his fifth jump and a third-attempt jump of 15.19m both eclipsed his previous collegiate-best of 15.17m.
Meanwhile, freshman Zoe Lamb tied for second in the open pole vault. She cleared 3.67m to earn her first collegiate runner-up finish, outdoors or indoors.
The day on the track began for the Boilermakers in third place in the 4x1600. The team of juniors Caleb Williams and Alex Frey, sophomore Nathan Walker and freshman Kiefer Bell earned a time of 16:31.95.
Fifth-year Jessica Bray, sophomore Rieko Wilford and freshman Seth Allen all posted fourth-place finishes on Friday. Bray earned a season-best mark with her clearance of 3.97m in the pole vault invitational. Wilford had a mark of 12.48m in the triple jump invitational as she opened the day in field events for Purdue. Allen had a personal-best throw in the open discus, thanks to a mark of 52.52m on his fifth attempt that moved him up one spot.
The Drake relays conclude on Saturday, April 29, with Purdue's first event, the long jump at 11 a.m. ET / 10 a.m. CT. The team's meet concludes with the 4x400 at 5:05 p.m. ET / 4:05 p.m. CT.
Fans can follow along with live results and the meet schedule from Des Moines. USATF.TV will have a live stream, with a subscription required, and CBS Sports Network will air select events on Saturday. Additional meet information is at GoDrakeBulldogs.com, and direct links to follow along are available on the schedule page at PurdueSports.com/TrackField. Additional updates, including schedule updates should weather be an impact, can be found by following and connecting with the team on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
Forty-two Boilermakers, 22 men and 20 women, are competing at Drake Stadium this weekend. Along with Purdue and the host-Bulldogs, the Drake Relays field includes Big Ten foes Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska and Northwestern.
For more on the Purdue track & field and cross country program, visit PurdueSports.com/TrackField and follow and connect with the Boilermakers on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.