Oregon track and field will return to Hayward Field for its third home meet of the outdoor season at the Oregon Relays this weekend.@@http://www.goducks.com/SportSelect.dbml?&DB_OEM_ID=500&SPID=243&SPSID=4364@@ The field will feature a number of top national competitors, including various professional runners as well as collegiate athletes from Boise State, Oregon State and Portland State, among others.
The meet will likely serve as an outdoor debut for two of Oregon’s primary scorers: All-Americans distance runners Jordan Hasay and Luke Puskedra.@@http://www.goducks.com/SportSelect.dbml?&DB_OEM_ID=500&SPID=243&SPSID=4365@@
Hasay will likely make her first appearance of the season in a loaded field in the 1,500 meters on Friday. She’ll go head-to-head with OTC Elite’s Sally Kipyego, Geena Gall, Julia Lucas and Bridget Franek, along with several Oregon teammates. In 2011, Kipyego set the meet record in the event (4:06.23).@@https://www.nmnathletics.com//pdf8/840394.pdf?ATCLID=205416093&SPSID=4367&SPID=243&DB_LANG=C&DB_OEM_ID=500@@
Puskedra, on the other hand, will take the oval in Friday’s nightcap event, the 5,000 meters. The senior will use the event as a tune-up for his first real action in the 10,000 meters, his preferred distance. He plans on running his first 10K at the Payton Jordan Invitational in Stanford, Calif., on April 29.
The team’s other key contributor — University senior Brianne Theisen, a two-time NCAA champ in the heptathlon — will delay her outdoor debut in the event until the Pac-12 Championships at Hayward Field on May 12-13.
While Hasay highlights a talent-laden field in the women’s 1,500 on Friday, the men’s side also features a roster chock-full of amateur and professional talent in the event. Duck All-Americans Elijah Greer, Trevor Dunbar and Boru Guyota will toe the line with OTC Elite’s Chris Thompson, Ian Dobson, Kevin Chelimo and Tyler Mulder.@@https://www.nmnathletics.com//pdf8/840394.pdf?ATCLID=205416093&SPSID=4367&SPID=243&DB_LANG=C&DB_OEM_ID=500@@
On Saturday, the women’s hammer throw will feature one of the nation’s top performers, Boise State’s Mele Vaisima, up against teammate Alyssa Osai and pro Caressa Sims, as well as former Duck Brittany Hinchcliffe and Oregon freshman Daphne Chambers.@@https://www.nmnathletics.com//pdf8/840394.pdf?ATCLID=205416093&SPSID=4367&SPID=243&DB_LANG=C&DB_OEM_ID=500@@
The women’s 800 meters will pit NCAA Champion Anne Kesselring against teammates Becca Friday, Laura Roesler, Claudia Francis and Megan Patrignelli, as well as Sara Vaughn of Nike and Laura Carlyle of Oregon State.@@https://www.nmnathletics.com//pdf8/840394.pdf?ATCLID=205416093&SPSID=4367&SPID=243&DB_LANG=C&DB_OEM_ID=500@@
Also on Saturday, freshman Johnathan Cabral will run in men’s 110-meter hurdles, an event he won at the Pepsi Team Invitational on April 7, the team’s last home meet. Sophomore Mike Berry and senior Bryan Harper should lead Oregon in the men’s 400 meters or the men’s 4×400-meter relay. Dior Mathis, who serves as a cornerback/receiver for the Oregon football team, could see the track in both the men’s 100 meters and 4×100-meter relay.@@https://www.nmnathletics.com//pdf8/840394.pdf?ATCLID=205416093&SPSID=4367&SPID=243&DB_LANG=C&DB_OEM_ID=500@@
The first field event takes place on Friday at 3 p.m., with the featured events starting at 6:20 p.m. On Saturday, the college and professionals will begin competition at 11 a.m.@@http://www.goducks.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=500&ATCLID=205416093@@