The first record of the 99th Drake Relays was set in downtown Des Moines. Two thousand-four Olympian Chauntee Howard won the women’s high jump competition that was moved inside Capitol Square because of morning rain in the area. Her winning jump was six-feet, four and three quarters inches.
Howard says she didn’t even know it was a record and calls it a a "little more sugar on top of the cake."The competition drew a large noon hour crowd and it included several bus loads of elementary students. Howard says all the kids makes it one of her favorite meets.
Just eight months ago Howard gave birth to a daughter and says she was not concerned about taking an entire year off right before an Olympic year. Howard says family has always been a priority.
Howard’s husband and daughter were both in attendance and she says traveling to meets is a lot different with a child. Howard says she used to get one bag to herself, but now she gets a corner of a suitcase and the rest is taken up with baby stuff. Howard was ranked number one in the U.S. in 2005 and 2006.