U.S. champion Diana Pickler opened the Drake Relays with a record setting performance as she won the heptathalon with 6,040 points. Pickler feels it is a good score for early in the season. Pickler says she knows she is fit, but is just a little rusty and needs to do some fine tuning.
Pickler says she has lofty goals for her career and has her sights set on the 2012 Olympics. She says there is a lot to accomplish in her career and after switching coaches in May, her training is a lot different.
Obsie Birru gave Grand View its first Drake Relays title since 1989 as she took the lead with four laps to go enroute to a victory in the women’s 10,000 meter run. Birru says being from Des Moines and going to Drake since middle school, she is “very happy.”
The former Johnston high school standout says she looks forward to the Drake Relays more than nationals as the meet is in her own back yard.
Dike-New Hatrtford’s Hannah Willms cleared six-one to set a new record in the girls high school high jump. It is also to top jump in the country this year. Willms says it was her goal, but she didn’t think it would happen.
Willms top the mark she set at Drake last year. She talks about why she performs so well at Drake. She says the competition is the key as it pushes you to do better.
Dowling Catholic’s Katie Flood won her fourth straight three thousand meter run title and set a new record in the process. Her winning time was nine minutes, 43.39 seconds. Flood says she wasn’t thinking about when she was running, as she said she just wanted to run how she felt and she “felt pretty good.
Flood says she did not feel any pressure to win a fourth straight, as she says it’s just fun to come out and compete.
By John Martenson