Men's 4x1600-Meter Relay Claims Victory at Drake

April 27, 2018

DES MOINES, Iowa -- One relay title and three improvements to the Academy's all-time record book highlighted the second day of competition for members of the Air Force track team, as it continued action at the 109th Drake Relays today (April 27) in Des Moines, Iowa.

Junior Josh Wojciechowski, sophomorePatrick Sullivan, freshman Scott Johnson and junior Jacob Bilvado captured the program's first-ever Drake Relays title in the 4x1600-meter event, as they combined for a time of 16:49.97 -- the second-fastest time in Academy history. Backed by a strong anchor leg from Bilvado, the Falcons won the relay by more than two seconds.

It is Air Force's 15th overall title at the Drake Relays (seven relays, three individual races, five field events).

The 4x800-meter relay also impacted the men's standings this evening at Drake, as junior Preston Roche, senior Zac Petrie, junior Gordon Kowalkowski and senior Conner Wilburn combined for the program's third-fastest time (7:34.88) during a fourth-place performance.

On the women's side, freshman Mahala Norris, junior Jaci Smith, senior Giulianna Vessa and classmate Carina Gillespie combined for the second-fastest 4x1600-meter relay in Academy history, as they posted a time of 19:35.18 to finish fourth. With today's time, Vessa and Gillespie have competed on the three-fastest 4x1600-meter relays in Academy history.

Air Force also competed in one preliminary relay today on the Blue Oval, as the 4x400-meter relay squad of junior Sedacy Walden, classmate David Collins, freshman Zachary Dicken and senior Chip White posted an advancing time of 3:14.86 to qualify into tomorrow's finals.

The Falcons conclude action at the Drake Relays tomorrow (April 28) with the men's and women's distance medley relays, the men's 4x400-meter relay and the men's 400-meter hurdles.

Footer

The appearance of hyperlinks does not constitute endorsement by the u.s air force of non-u.s. government sites or the information, products, or services contained therein. Although the u.s. air force may or may not use these sites as additional distribution channels for department of defense information, it does not exercise editorial control over all of the information that you may find at these locations. Such links are provided consistent with the stated purpose of this website.