One of the Midwest’s best athletic traditions is back this weekend. The 113th Drake Relays got underway Wednesday at Drake University in Des Moines, and area high school track & field athletes will be competing throughout the next few days.

A few local athletes have already competed. Columbus Wildcat junior Triston Miller finished in a tie for ninth out of 29 competitors in the high jump, clearing six-and-a-half feet. Miller will also take part in the 110-meter hurdles later this weekend and will run with senior Jeff Hoback, junior Kaden Amigon and sophomore Riley Kaalberg in the four-by-100-meter relay.

Washington Demon senior Brayden Hartman was eighth out of 26 throwers in the shot put, hitting 53 feet eight inches with his best toss. Washington’s 4-by-100 relay team of seniors Ethan Patterson, Austin Rebling, Aidan Ulin and Cameron Vongpanya will be hitting the blue oval, and Demon senior Elijah Morris is slated to show why he’s the defending Class 3A champion when he runs the 400.

The Lone Tree Lions will be taking part in the girls’ 4-by-100, with freshman Ava Christofferson, senior Riley Krueger and sophomores Vivian Zaruba and Rylee Shield running. The Winfield-Mount Union Wolves will be represented by juniors Cam Buffington and Gabriel Hemsworth in the long jump and the 400 hurdles, respectively. Events will be run all day today and tomorrow at Drake Stadium.