There was a revolution at Hayward Field last weekend.
An American track and field revolution.
Over four days last week, hundreds of athletes — all with aspirations to make the American team for the World Championships in Canada later this summer — competed at the U.S.A. Championships. In this normally dull post-Olympic year, the Eugene crowd saw a most exciting four days of track.
“We’ve got a revolution on our hands, mark my words,” said Gabe Jennings, Stanford’s enigmatic star, after he lost a breathtaking 1,500-meter race Saturday. “This is just a preview of blowout races to come.”
The revolution started Thursday, when Maurice Green ran the fastest time in the world this year in the 100-meter dash — and then quit. Green protested a decision by U.S.A. Track and Field to force athletes to compete in the U.S.A. Championships, even if the athletes already had exemptions for the World Championships.
Some athletes protested Green’s protest.
“People don’t realize that if we show our faces, that’s a benefit for us,” said Gail Devers, who won the 100-meter hurdles. “We don’t have a lot of meets in this state. We need to come out here for our fans.”
“Our nationals are the biggest meet in America all year,” said Marion Jones after she won the 200 by a typical large margin. “We should all want to compete here.”

But Green’s controversial decision to sit out the semi-finals and finals of the 100 didn’t affect his running. He ran the preliminary race in 9.9 seconds, tying the meet record and smashing the Hayward Field record.
Saturday saw two hotly contested 1,500-meter races. In the men’s version, Jennings squared off with this year’s NCAA Champion, Bryan Berryhill, and high-school phenom Alan Webb. All three of the elite runners lost out to Andy Downin, Seneca Lassiter and Paul McMullen, the top three finishers who made the American World Championships team.
The men’s 1,500 was one of a handful of races from the meet that were televised nationally. ESPN broke into Sportscenter to broadcast Saturday’s race, while CBS broadcasted for an hour Sunday, and ESPN wrapped up with a highlight show Sunday afternoon.
The women’s 1,500 featured an epic battle between Eugene favorite Suzy Favor Hamilton and seasoned veteran Regina Jacobs. Favor Hamilton led through 1,300 meters, but Jacobs used a fast final 200 to close the gap and pull ahead at the finish line.
“It was a very conservative pace,” Jacobs said. “I knew it was going to come down to the last kick. I’ve watched enough tapes, so I knew I was going to have a chance at the end.”

Jacobs almost pulled off a rare triple at the meet. The Oakland, Calif., native added a title in the 800 and almost won the 5,000 as well. Only a stunning, blowout-from-the-start performance by Olympian Marla Runyan in the 5,000 could prevent Jacobs from achieving the treble.
“My goal was to be as far ahead as possible heading into the last lap,” Runyan said. “I knew I was going to need every meter I could get.”
Jacobs wasn’t the only athlete to pull off multiple wins at the meet. Seilala Sua won the shot put and discus events, marking her rise to prominence as the nation’s top thrower.
On the men’s side Friday, Savante Stringfellow added a long jumping national title to his NCAA Championship from three weeks ago. The outspoken jumper, who calls himself “Superman,” also won last year’s NCAA title.
Also on Friday, veteran distance runner Bob Kennedy won a close 5,000-meter race in a victory that “meant a lot,” according to Kennedy. The 30-year-old was returning from an injury last year that caused him to finish sixth at the Olympic Trials.
Many more athletes made big impressions at the U.S.A. Championships. Breaux Greer won the javelin competition with a meet-record throw of 279-7. Stacy Dragilia pole vaulted a mighty 15-1 3/4, breaking the Hayward Field record.
There were almost too many stories to count from the weekend’s meet. The single fact remains that Jennings’ words rang true.
The 2001 revolution started in Eugene.