I’ll be the first to admit I haven’t devoted nearly enough time to track and field coverage during my time with the Daily Emerald.
Sure, I’ve taken in a few press conferences over at the Bowerman Building — even got a few words in on the side with Vin Lananna once upon a time — but for the most part I’ve shied away from the sport.@@http://www.goducks.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=500&ATCLID=156985@@
Not for any particular reason, really. I’ve just never spent much time following either team, despite being two of the nation’s elite programs, as shown by the Oregon women picking up its third consecutive program of the year award last week.
Yet, in some of my recent freelance endeavors, I’ve found myself up at press row in Hayward Field’s West grandstands more often than not.
I was on hand for the OSAA state championship meet before dead week, then again for the Prefontaine Classic a couple weeks later. Both times proved to be enjoyable, if not downright entertaining.
Aloha High School’s Thomas Tyner, who I had only read about a day or two before the meet, took the 100-meter crown in 10.48, hands down the fastest prep sprinter I’d ever seen. Little did I know, the 6-foot, 200-pound Tyner was all of 16 years old and had yet to complete is sophomore year for the Warriors.@@http://www.duckstopshere.com/2011-articles/may/winning-the-state-might-start-with-this-guy.html@@
If you haven’t heard of him — Youtube it. I promise you won’t be let down. Future Oregon football recruit? I’d be foolish to think otherwise.
The Prefontaine Classic, however, was a whole different operation. Arguably the most efficiently ran sporting event I’ve ever seen, the Pre Classic whet my appetite for professional track and field more so than I ever expected.
Whether it was Ukraine’s Olha Saladukha celebrating her 28th birthday by setting three consecutive meet and field records in the women’s triple jump on a sore ankle or the demolishing of the national prep record in the two-mile by Oregon recruit Lukas Verzbicas, the meet was filled with inspired performances.@@http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olha_Saladukha@@@@http://runningtimes.com/Article.aspx?ArticleID=19585@@
Something to be said for Tracktown, USA, huh?
The athletes constantly praise the Hayward Field fans for being some of the best in the country, and why shouldn’t they be? Even from press row it’s hard to avoid a few goosebumps when 5,000 plus are clapping in unison for one long jump approach.
Even when I competed at Hayward in my one year of prep track and field or when I attended the 2008 Olympic Trials a few weeks later, the Tracktown mystique never faltered. And as the USA Track and Field Outdoor Championships kickoff Thursday morning, Eugene will again be the focus of the American track realm.
For the Oregon faithful, more than a handful of current and former Ducks will be competing. And for those of you who can’t turn away from raw athleticism — Tyson Gay, David Oliver, etc. — there will be more than plenty of that on display, too.
I’m not looking to persuade you into rushing down to buy your tickets (to be honest, I’m not even sure if they’re still on sale), but I would like to encourage you to at least flip on the channel — ESPN2, Universal or NBC — and take a look at what’s going on.
It’ll be a nice couple of days in Eugene (knock on wood), where the world’s elite athletes compete on one stage with a common goal of advancing to the World Championships. And when someone breaks a meet, field, world or American record, of which there will undoubtedly be plenty, they’ll smile, grab the red, white and blue, and thank the fans in attendance for making it all possible.
Maybe that tickles your fancy, maybe it doesn’t. I, for one, am excited for the opportunity to take in the four-day event, and hopefully you’ll do some of the same.
Take it from another casual fan — you won’t regret it.