Eugene’s resurgence as Track Town, USA will continue through at least 2012. USA Track & Field chairman Craig Masback announced Dec. 12 that Hayward Field will be the host of the 2009 and 2011 U.S. Outdoor Championships and the 2012 Olympic Trials.
The 2009 U.S. Championships will select the national team that will compete at the World Championships in Berlin that year, the 2011 championships will select the team for the World Championships in Daegu, South Korea and the 2012 Olympic Trials will select the team for the Olympic Games in London.
The 2012 Olympic Trials will mark the fifth time they have been held in Eugene. The event was previously staged at Hayward Field in 1972, 1976 and 1980 and the 2008 Olympic Trials will also be in Eugene.
“The commitment of Eugene, its local organizers and the entire community to track and field is unprecedented,” Masback said in a press release. “Ticket packages for the 2008 Olympic Trials sold out months ago, and already you can feel a buzz in the air here about the event, from the banners at the airport to the construction going on at Hayward Field. There is no place quite like Track Town, USA, and we look forward to returning here as we move through the next Olympic Games cycle.”
“The magnitude of the U.S. Olympic Team Trials for track and field deserves a host that is passionate about the sport and that can provide the best competitive environment,” said Steve Roush, USOC chief of sport performance. “The U.S. Olympic Committee is confident that the city of Eugene is ready to demonstrate that next year and we look forward to a continued partnership with USA Track & Field and Eugene in making the 2012 U.S. Olympic Team Trials even better.”
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