Though he was jet lagged, TrackTown USA President Vin Lananna stepped onto the track during the final day of the Oregon Relays to thank the fans for all their support over the years.
News had broken two days before that Eugene had been selected as the host for the 2021 World Championships after an under-the-radar meeting with the International Association of Athletics Federations in Beijing.
“World’s best fans, world’s greatest athletes, world’s best event — we are excited about it,” Lananna said.
The news breaking came as somewhat of a surprise after the city lost out against Doha, Qatar in a bid for the 2019 event.
“The last time when we had it out in the public forum, the result wasn’t that good,” Lananna said of why they didn’t make the process as open this time around.
The biggest thing that must now be addressed is the venue itself, which will have to undergo huge renovations to meet the seating requirement. Seating will have to be around 30-35,000 capacity for the meet. Hayward currently seats 10,500 people, with the ability to expand to 21,000.
Infrastructure, amenities for the crowd and accommodations for the international media will have to be addressed as well.
By the end of the renovations, the costs will be somewhere in the tens of millions, according to projections.
“I think we have a very capable group of people who should be able to figure this out,” Lananna said.
One important thing that will have to be kept in mind is the historic aspect of Hayward Field. The gravitas and atmosphere of the venue were some of the selling points of the bid, so losing that in the pursuit of seats would defeat the purpose.
“We have a very strong group of people that are very immersed in the history of this place and all have a very strong affiliation and affinity for Hayward Field,” Lananna said. “I’m sure we will capture it all.”
The good news for fans of throwing events is that Lananna declared the hammer throw will be moved to the infield.
Construction won’t begin until the plans are finalized, and it hasn’t been decided whether it will be done in stages or all at once. Some Oregon events at Hayward may have to be shifted around, though the plan is to keep the Prefontaine, NCAA Championships and Olympic Trials unaffected.
Changes are coming, but so is a world championship. And as Olympic sprinter Allyson Felix said in Monaco, “It’s about time.”
Follow Christopher Keizur on Twitter @chriskeizur