The Drake Relays will continue a 90-year tradition as the event gets into full swing this weekend.

Several ISU athletes will participate in what men’s coach Steve Lynn called “one of the top meets in the nation” because it draws huge crowds, lots of media and top-notch athletes.

Women’s coach Dick Lee said the Relays are as “close to a European style meet” as one will find in the U.S.

Lee explained that the meet will sell out everyday.

The fans that go cheer for all the competitors, no matter what team, fans reward good performances. This is similar to track meets in Europe, Lee said.

Lee continued saying the crowd holds a special place for “the mid-Iowa teams.” They like to cheer for Iowa State along with Drake and the University of Iowa.

The Cyclone men have given the crowd plenty to cheer about, since 1981 the Cyclones have won 53 titles, Baylor has won the second most, 36.

“One of the highlights [of the meet] is if you get a chance to do a victory lap,” Lynn said.

Lynn continued saying that winning isn’t easy. “You can have a great meet and not win anything there,” Lynn said. “To be in the top three [in an event] you have to be at least an All-American performer.”

Lynn said that no Cyclone in any event would be the favorite.

But he also said several athletes are doing well enough recently to have a good chance.

Distance runner Daniel Kinyua has drawn much praise from Lynn. Last weekend in Arkansas Kinyua finished second in the 1,500 meter run in 3:41.05.

The time was good enough to qualify him automatically for the national NCAA meet, and currently he is ranked as the third fastest runner in the country.

Kinyua will not be the favorite at Drake, however. The other four of the top five in the nation will be there.

The top two runners in the 1,500 are both from Stanford.

Kinyua’s time was also the fastest by an ISU runner during the regular season.

It isn’t the record because Steve Green ran a 3:39.19 time at the Commonwealth Games, which takes place in the summer.

Cyclone high jumper Joey Brunkhorst is also riding high following solid performances the past few weeks.

Two weeks ago he recorded the second highest jump in Cyclone history outdoors, with a leap of 7″-3.

At Arkansas Brunkhorst continued to impress Lynn as he cleared 7″ again, establishing himself as one of the best high jumpers in the nation. He is currently ranked eighth.

Cyclone throwers Zech Schiebout and Jamie Beyer will have a chance to shine.

Schiebout has been improving almost every week in the discus on his way to becoming one of the top throwers in the Big 12.

Beyer has been slowed by injury this year, but has All-American status and is looking to have a break out meet in the shot put.

Coach Lee said he has the women ready to run, and that there are some good chances for athletes to place high.

Lee said that he wants his runners to focus more on how well they compete.

He wants runners to “step out on the track and race. Don’t worry about times.”

He said it is hard to run great times at Drake because the athletes are usually running into a strong head wind.

Good times haven’t been a problem for sprinter Ola Adetiba.

Lee said she is enjoying a “tremendous junior season.”

So far this year Adetiba has set new school records in the 60 and 200-meter dash indoors. She broke another record, the outdoor 200, in the first outdoor meet of the season this year.

Last week in Arkansas she bettered her outdoor 200 time, when she finished second in 23.58, her previous best was 23.77.

Adetiba also won the 100-meter dash, breaking the tape in 11.47 seconds.

Lee said he wants her to focus on placing high against the tough competition she will face at the Relays. He explained that good times come against good competition.

Lee said that he thought several of the relay teams will have a shot at winning.

He expected that the 4×100 team of Christina Peterson, Aurelia Trywianska, Sheba Clarke and Adetiba to place high.

Trywianska will also be competing in the 100-meter hurdles, where Lee thinks she will do well. Last week at Arkansas Trywianska tripped and fell on the track. She will be looking to avoid such disaster at Drake.

Lee also likes the chances of the distance medley team consisting of Jessica Huff, Barbara Szlendakova, Anna Hauskins and Laurie Meythaler.

He said they could place very high if they all run well.

Szlendakova has competed in the decathlon already at Drake, which got underway on Wednesday and Thursday, to avoid tying up the track all weekend. After Wednesday Szlendakova was leading the event.

The rest of the track and field events will begin today and conclude tomorrow.