Attendance has been down at Hayward Field this season and the weather hasn’t complied with the Oregon athletes, but the Prefontaine Classic Grand Prix is going to change that.
The fans are coming back, and the clouds are going away, and the 28th version of one of the country’s most fabled meets is ready to get underway.
“Ticket sales are going really well,” meet director Tom Jordan said. “But we really want to see the crowds come back for the (Oregon) meets because we want track to be healthy here.”
The event, which starts at 1 p.m. Sunday, is going to allow Track Town, U.S.A., to get national exposure in an era that has not been kind to the Eugene area. ESPN2 will air a delayed broadcast at 8 p.m. the same day, while Eurosport will also carry the meet.
Marion Jones headlines a group of athletes that Jordan has called some of “the best fields we’ve ever had.” The six-time Prefontaine winner will be joined by Hicham El Guerrouj — termed the “King of the Mile” — as well as legendary pole vaulter Stacy Dragila, star hurdler Gail Devers and U.S. mile champion Mike Miller.
But it will also feature some local flavor as well.
Oregon star discus thrower Mary Etter was announced Thursday as the latest addition to the field. The junior, ranked ninth nationally in the discus, will be competing in the NCAA Championships in Baton Rouge, La., on May 31.
However, despite the less than a week difference between the two meets, Etter doesn’t believe it will ruin her chances to compete at full strength.
“It’s going to be nice because a lot of people in the nation are going to have to wait two weeks before throwing in nationals,” she said. “It’s going to be nice being in a world-class meet and then going to nationals.”
The Prefontaine runs two hours long, and will feature some of the world’s best. With so many star-studded events taking place, weather immediately becomes a concern.
However, Jordan is confident that the weather — which has been forecasted to be in the mid-60s with potential for rain — will be favorable when the some of the world’s best take to the Hayward track.
“One of the things I’m hoping for is that this crummy weather keeps down the allergies,” Jordan said. “It doesn’t need to be warm. Just partly-cloudy and dry.”