The official start list of high school athletes qualifying for this week’s Drake Relays has been released. Megan Durbin, a Greene County High School junior, has qualified for the girls’ high jump. Durbin won the event at Drake in 2016 and also captured the Class 3A State Meet title last season.

She cleared the bar at 5′ 8″ to win at Drake last April. That height was, and remains, a career best by three inches. Durbin qualified this year at 5′ 4″, one inch lower than her best jump going into Drake last season. To say the Relays field has improved over the last 12 months may be an understatement as eight girls in this year’s field have already cleared 5′ 6″, while 5′ 5″ was the highest anyone had jumped going into Drake in 2016. Durbin’s qualifying jump of 5′ 4″ this year puts her in a nine-way tie for 14th place in the 24 jumper field.

The high school girls’ high jump takes place this Friday morning at 9:45 inside Drake Stadium in Des Moines. Durbin is the only Greene County athlete to qualify for the Drake Relays this season.