It’ll be twilight. The air will be cool, the shadows will be long and the wind will be calm. In other words, it’ll be perfect running conditions.
The Oregon men’s track and field team hopes to take advantage of such good conditions this Saturday at the annual Oregon Twilight meet at Hayward Field.
Only a handful of Ducks will compete at Saturday’s meet, which will mark the last chance for Pacific-10 Conference and NCAA qualifying marks.
Senior distance runner Michael Kasahun, who has provisionally qualified for the NCAA Championships in the 5,000 meters, will be the highlighted entrant for Oregon. Kasahun will participate in the prestigious Bill McChesney Jr. Memorial Mile at 8 p.m. The McChesney Mile is known as one of the fastest miles on American soil and lived up to that reputation last season when five runners, including former Oregon star Steve Fein, broke the four-minute barrier.
“I look forward to running it,” Kasahun said. “I seem to run very well at Hayward Field.”
Kasahun has the team’s best time in the 1,500 meters (3:54.3) this year but has not run the mile. Kasahun’s time converts to 4:09.9 in the mile. Olympian Jason Pyrah will return to Eugene to defend his 2000 title.
McChesney Jr. was a running legend at Oregon from 1978 to 1981 and still holds school records in the 5,000 and 10,000 meters. McChesney died in a car accident in 1992.
Three Ducks who already have NCAA provisional marks will look for improved marks to solidify nationals berths.
Junior John Bello ranks 21st nationally in the shot but will likely need a three-foot personal best to secure a spot at the NCAA meet. Freshman Trevor Woods is in a similar situation in the pole vault. The Coos Bay native’s personal best is 17 feet, four an 1/2 inches, exactly the NCAA provisional mark.
Junior Jason Boness, the defending Pac-10 Champion, will look for an inch to 1/2 inch season best to solidify an NCAA berth in the high jump.
Oregon’s throwing corps will be well represented at the Twilight meet. In addition to Bello in the shot put and discus, senior Rian Ingram and sophomore James March will also compete in those events.
Sophomore Adam Kriz will look for an NCAA provisional mark in the hammer throw. Freshman Nick Bakke will compete for the fourth time this season in the javelin.
Footballers A.K. Keyes and Wesley Mallard will return to the track for the third time this season. They’re looking for Pac-10 qualifying marks in the 100-meters.
Competing in the 800-meters will be junior Sean Gross and senior Merritt McDole. Freshman Jake Garlick and junior Cody Howell round out the Duck entrants.
Concluding the meet will be the senior’s last lap, a jog around Hayward Field for Oregon’s departing seniors. The only male seniors are Kasahun, McDole, Lincoln Nehring and javelin thrower Ryan Kieth.
The Twilight meet is free to all students and begins at 5 p.m. with the men’s hammer throw.