Organizers of the Drake Relays athletics meeting will offer more than $500,000 in prize money in 2013 for a series of re-matches from the London Olympics.
In announcing a five-year deal with new sponsor Hy-Vee — a Des Moines-based supermarket operator — on Wednesday, meet officials said they’ll offer a $50,000 purse for invitational track races and $25,000 for field events.
“It wasn’t a move to keep up,” meet director Brian Brown said. “It was a move to elevate what we do.”
Organizers said they have lured re-matches among the top three finishers of the men’s 110m hurdles and the men’s 400m hurdles in London.
The men’s 110m hurdles field is slated to include Olympic gold medallist Aries Merritt of the United States, silver medallist Jason Richardson of the United States and Jamaica’s bronze medallist Hansle Parchment.
London gold medallist Felix Sanchez of the Dominican Republic heads the men’s 400m hurdles field which also includes silver medallist Michael Tinsley and bronze medallist Javier Culson.
The men’s pole vault field includes London gold medallist Renaud Lavillenie of France and silver medallist Bjorn Otto of Germany.
Reigning Olympic gold medallist Jenn Suhr heads the women’s pole vault field.
Overall, 16 medallists from the 2012 Summer Games have committed to compete in the meeting, which will be held April 24-27 at Drake Stadium on the campus of Drake University.
Drake Relays to stage London Games rematches
