Andrew Wheating - TrackTown USA | Host for the 2012 Olympic Trials

Posts tagged Andrew Wheating

Monday Matters | Follow Your Favorite Athletes

The U.S. Olympic Trials – Track and Field take a lot of work and preparation for many individuals. As a Local Organizing Committee, we have been working hard for years to make TrackTown12 the Best Meet Ever. The athletes have also been putting in a lot of time, sweat and effort to get themselves ready. For some athletes that means working hard to get a qualifying mark and for those who already have it, it is making sure they are ready, come June 21-July 1, to perform at their best. We want TrackTown12.com to be the website you come to get all your Olympic Trials information, including information about your favorite athletes who will be Eugene this summer.

One way to do this is to check out Oregon Track Club Elite Steeplechaser, Bridget Franek’s weekly blog, ‘Preparing for the Best’ , where she has some some Q&A with athletes who will be coming to Eugene for the Trials.

Recently added to our website is a section giving you the links to your favorite athletes blog, website and social media accounts. Here you can find athletes such as Tyson Gay, Sanya Richards-Ross, Lopez Lomong, Lauren Fleshman, Reese Hoffa, Aretha Thurmond and many more. Head to Athlete Websites for the whole list and sort by event, name, location or club/sponsor.

For a different kind of preparation, be sure to check out the Andrew Wheating and Russell Brown collaboration Behind the Stands to see what two local TrackTown USA athletes do with their spare time.

TrackTown Tuesday

Come out to our next TrackTown Tuesday tomorrow from 7pm-8pm at the Oregon Electric Station. Sponsored by Deschutes Brewery, Dutch Bros. Coffee, Mercedes Benz/Eugene, Dari Mart stores and Lochmead Dairy. “TrackTown Tuesday” is free and open to the public. Come hear from Ashton Eaton and six-time NCAA champion Brianne Theisen, as will 2008 Olympian Andrew Wheating and the Ducks’ Dakotah Keys and Trevor Dunbar. Click here for More Information.

By Nathan on April 30, 2012
This entry is filed under Monday Matters and tagged Andrew Wheating, Aretha Thurmond, Ashton Eaton, Brianne Theisen, Bridget Franek, Lauren Fleshman, Lopez Lomong, Reese Hoffa, Russell Brown, Sanya Richards-Ross, TrackTown12, Tyson Gay, U.S. Olympic Trials-Track and Field.

Monday Matters | TrackTown USA’s Youth are all weather fans

On the second day of spring this year (March 21), the Oregon Preview arrived at Hayward Field with a little rain, snow, sun and wind — all of which are fairly typical for a spring day in Eugene. But when it came to getting an opportunity to run around with University of Oregon and Oregon Track Club Elite athletes, the kids of TrackTown USA didn’t seem care what the weather was like. They showed up regardless of the conditions, excited to get instruction from some of their heroes. The 2012 free youth clinic gave the 5-12 year-old crowd a chance to hurdle, long jump and throw the turbo javelin. Afterward, the kids and their families stayed around to watch the athletes compete in the first outdoor meet of 2012.

That won’t be the only opportunity for our youth to be engaged with TrackTown USA. Coming back to the U.S. Olympic Trials this summer will be the Youth Starting Block in the TrackTown12 Festival. We recently caught up with Starting Block organizer and City of Eugene Senior Recreation Program Supervisor Kim McManus to fill us in with what we can expect from the Starting Block and other youth activities during TrackTown12.

First off, how did the Free Youth Clinic go this year?

McManus: We had about 100 youth attend the clinic and it was an amazing day! Early that morning, we were not sure if the snow would keep folks away. But, this is TrackTown and the kids came. As it turned out, the clouds parted for the clinic and we didn’t see any of the rain, snow or hail that we saw later that day.

How are the preparations for the Starting Block at TrackTown12 coming along?

McManus: We are EXCITED! Thanks to our partnership with Nike and TrackTown12, the Starting Block will be better than ever. We are providing hands-on experiences for youth that will include racing, hurdles, high jump, vertical jump & more. We will of course have our popular Track Fan booth where we can make buttons to support our athletes.

Is there anything new to the Starting Block this time around?

McManus: New this year is a mini-Starting Block for our 5-and-under crowd. It will be a great way for parents to let them move around safely and have some fun.

How else can the youth get involved with TrackTown12?

McManus: Youth Leadership Camp. We have selected 100 high school youth to attend our Youth Leadership Camp. These youth will work with the Meet Operations crews and hear leadership presentations from professional athletes, coaches and Nike staff. We selected youth from around Oregon – from a variety of city populations, a few from around the nation and one student from China.

Oregon Track Club’s annual All-Comer’s meet returns to the Trials this June, but will be a bit different as well. We will provide the youth events starting at 1:00 p.m. on June 26; ages 12 and up will begin at 5:00. We are hopeful to have some adaptive exhibitions as well. It will be an exciting day for the community to get their chance to shine at Hayward Field.

Winter Workouts

If you are wondering how athletes in TrackTown were able to workout last week when Hayward Field was covered with snow, allow OTC Elite’s Russell Brown (Twitter) and Andrew Wheating (Twitter) to show you. Also check their other videos at Behind the Stands

Snowday from Behind The Stands on Vimeo.

By Nathan on March 26, 2012
This entry is filed under Monday Matters and tagged Andrew Wheating, Oregon Track Club, Russell Brown, U.S. Olympic Trials-Track and Field.

TrackTown Thursday – 10 Things to Be Thankful For in TrackTown USA

As we embark on the final seven months until the U.S. Olympic Trials begin here in Eugene — and with the Thanksgiving holiday upon us — we thought it was a perfect day to dedicate the TrackTown Thursday blog to what we’re most thankful for here in TrackTown:

1. The Trails – From Pre’s Trail to the Ridgeline and beyond (the city limits that is), there are just too many great running trails in TrackTown to count – which is why we’ll let this link give you all the great details.

2. Hayward Field – It is hallowed ground in the sport of track and field. Just one meet at Hayward has converted many a non-believer into a die-hard track and field fan. Here’s a little glimpse at some recent “good times” at Hayward.

3. The University of Oregon Track and Field Team – What can we say, in TrackTown USA, we love our Ducks!

4. Record-Breakers – From the legendary Prefontaine, to those who came before him, and those who have come since — at events like the annual Prefontaine Classic — record-breakers tend to be as prolific as the rain here in TrackTown USA.

5. The Oregon Track Club – Attend a week-night run, compete in one of the OTC’s summertime All-Comers meets, run the Butte to Butte, or volunteer to work at a Hayward Field meet, and you’ll see just how valuable the OTC is to TrackTown USA.

6. OTC Elite – This group of elite athletes deserves its own number. Eight of them competed at the 2011 World Championships in Daegu. Five were finalists, two were silver medalists (Sally Kipyego and Ashton Eaton), and one (the high-flying Jesse Williams) brought home gold.

7. The Starting Block – This is a fun and popular interactive Kids Zone at Hayward Field, which gives kids of all ages an opportunity to high jump, long jump, shot put, etc. Building track athletes (or fans), one kid at a time.

8. Future Events – Speaking of kids, in July of 2014, the world’s best junior athletes (under 20) will arrive in TrackTown for the IAAF World Junior Championships, bringing an IAAF event to the U.S. for the first time since 1992.

9. Team USA Athletes – Without them, and all the hard work they put into becoming the best in the world, Hayward Field would be a ghost town every June. Get to know Andrew Wheating, Angelo Taylor, Ashton Eaton and Allyson Felix in our TrackTown Spotlight video series.

10. The Olympic Trials – The biggest team trials in the world will take place at Hayward Field, June 22-July 1. It sold out in 2008 and it’s on its way to doing so in 2012! And what better holiday gift to buy that track fan in your life than a pair of tickets to the Trials.

Happy Thanksgiving from TrackTown USA! We hope to see you here in June!

By Becky on November 23, 2011
This entry is filed under 2012 Olympic Trials, Athlete Profiles, Butte to Butte, future of track & field, IAAF World Championships, News, Prefontaine Classic, Team USA, TrackTown Spotlight, TrackTown Thursday and tagged Allyson Felix, Andrew Wheating, Angelo Taylor, Ashton Eaton, IAAF, Jesse Williams, Olympic Trials, Oregon Track Club, Prefontaine Classic, Sally Kipyego, Team USA, TrackTown USA, TrackTown12.

Monday Matters July 11, 2011

Fast Americans

Congratulations to OTC Elite’s Tyler Mulder who won the men’s 800 in 1:45.10 Saturday in Madrid – the second-best time of his career! He beat Yuriy Borzakovskiy of Russia in his first race after finishing just off the podium at the U.S. Nationals in June.

In the other big race over last weekend, all four Americans in a star studded men’s 1500 meter race ran under 3:35 to meet the “A” standard for Worlds. The Team USA members — Matthew Centrowitz, Andrew Wheating and Leo Manzano — each chasing the standard after winning slots on the team at the 2011 U.S. Nationals meet at Hayward Field, traveled to Paris together (along with OTC Elite’s Russell Brown.) They competed at the IAAF Diamond League meet along with celebrities such as David Oliver, Usain Bolt and Caster Semenya.

But before the meet, the American speedsters spent a few days getting acclimated to Europe-time, and Andrew Wheating wrote a note about their activities: “So Russell, Centro, and I started our journey with a 5:45am flight, which is not an easy task. Russell used his status with United to nab himself a first class ticket from Portland to DC, “I’m pretty sure they had an oven up front to cook our steaks in” Russell would recall to us later.” Wheating writes about Settlers of Catan, the Masseur Cell Tower (aka the Eiffel Tower) and athletes bolting past on the track prior to the meet. His whole note is worth a read! And, having now read his entertaining style, we’ll be asking Andrew to do a bit of guest blogging for TrackTown USA in the coming months.

If you missed it, you can watch the race here, via Universal Sports:

By Rita on July 11, 2011
This entry is filed under Athlete Profiles, Monday Matters and tagged Andrew Wheating, Leo Manzano, Matthew Centrowitz, Tyler Mulder.

Monday Matters June 27, 2011

2011 U.S. National Track & Field Championships

On the Monday after the U.S. National Track & Field Championships there are so many stories to tell that it’s like a kid in a candy store: how to choose?

Instead of choosing, here are some photos and links (below) to the many places where the stories have been told well, by others.

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

Sunday

And now – a shout out to all the amazing athletes whose performances exceeded expectations, to all the volunteers who spent hours of their time making sure that nothing – nothing — got in the way of the athlete’s ability to perform and the spectators’ enjoyment of those performances. A special round of appreciative applause to Michael Rielly, the “behind the scenes” organizer for every track and field event held at Hayward Field since his arrival in Eugene. This was the last meet where Michael’s calm grace will direct things from behind the curtain (he’s off to London to help organize the 2012 Olympic Games.) If you’re a fan of track and field at Hayward Field, Michael’s leadership and hard work has enhanced that experience more than you’ll ever know. Thanks Michael – TrackTown USA wishes you well!

On to the other stories of the 2011 U.S. National Track & Field Championships:

The Register Guard always does a fabulous job of covering track and field in TrackTown USA, and its coverage of the Championship meet was superb. Ron Bellamy, the RG Sports Editor, will be stepping down from that post shortly, and was honored at the meet on Friday. His passion and leadership will be missed.

RunnerSpace hosted lots of live coverage and now has videos archived.

Ken Goe at the Oregonian blogs daily about the sport and his stories aren’t to be missed.

USATF updated their newsfeed daily and got some great quotes from the athletes after they finished competing.

Track & Field News — the bible for the sport — had great coverage as well.

and the University of Oregon’s blog “Walker’s Pace” has all the Duck related stories.

By Rita on June 27, 2011
This entry is filed under Athlete Profiles, Monday Matters, U.S. National Championships and tagged Allyson Felix, Andrew Wheating, Ashton Eaton, Lolo Jones, Nick Symmonds.

TrackTown Thursday News

NCAA West Regional meet at Hayward Field

Historic Hayward Field will be full of youth and speed and strength this weekend as the NCAA West Preliminary Round begins. The Oregon Ducks play host and, although there is no team competition this weekend, as Vin Lananna told the Register Guard, ““There is a team concept associated with the meet,” Lananna said. “If we’re going to have a shot at doing something as a team at NCAAs, it has to start right here. You can’t score (at NCAAs) unless you qualify.”

Prefontaine Classic Provides Possibilities for TrackTown against the World in the Men’s 800

“That headline might be a little dramatic. But certainly no race will have stronger Eugene-based representation than the men’s 800 meters in the 37^th annual Prefontaine Classic at historic Hayward Field on June 4^th.

Two-time Pre Classic winner Nick Symmonds, the Willamette University grad running for Oregon Track Club Elite, brings his No. 6 world ranking to the race, along with a personal best of 1:43.76 set last year. He will be joined by clubmate Tyler Mulder, who made a major breakthrough last Saturday with his second lifetime best of 2011, 1:44.83.

And the biggest Eugene wildcard of them all, Andrew Wheating, ranked No. 10 in the world at the 800 by Track & Field News magazine, will run either this 800 race or the Bowerman Mile, according to his coach Vin Lananna.” That’s the word from Pre Classic meet director Tom Jordan.

Ken Goe also writes about this OTC Elite showdown at Pre.

Maximizing Performance at Major Championships

An OTC Elite Event in conjunction with USATF

Monday Matters May 23, 2011

It was an amazing weekend in TrackTown and on tracks and fields all over the world.

Here at Hayward Field, the Oregon State high school meet was full of fabulous performances by the future of track and field. Future Ducks stole the show with Jack Galpin’s standout performance in the 200 and 400 meters, Thomas Tyner’s win in the 100 and a winning 5′-10″ high jump by Chancey Summers of Estacada.

Oxy High Performance Meet

Down at the Oxy High Performance Meet just east of Los Angeles, OTC Elite Tyler Mulder captured the IAAF “A” standard and broke 1:45 for the first time in his career, taking second with a time of 1:44.83 in the fastest men’s 800-meter race run in America this year. Mulder had been the focus of Ron Bellamy’s column on Thursday – perhaps giving him even more motivation for speed.

Men’s 1500 A Section Webcast Replay

Also at the Oxy, OTC Elite’s Andrew Wheating won the 1500 meters. Running in the final race of the night, Wheating kicked past Nike’s Kyle Miller on the home stretch to win his first open race of the season in 3:36.46. Only two seconds behind Wheating was OTC’s three-time US 800-meter champion Nick Symmonds, who clocked a lifetime-best in the 1,500 of 3:38.18. He placed eighth in the fast field, but was elated to see a previous best of 3:40.33 (which was set over two years ago) bettered. Runner’s Space and FloTrack carried the meet live via webcam.

Betty Heidler breaks the World Hammer Throw record

In Halle, Germany, Heidler threw the hammer 79.42 meters, eclipsing the previous mark of 78.30m set by reigning World champion Anita Wlodarczyk of Poland. According to IAAF News, “Heidler, who claimed the European title last year, produced a sensational series. Her opening round 77.19m throw improved her own national record by seven centimetres, and she followed up with another near 77-metre effort, reaching 76.98. Her World record effort came in the third round, before ending the competition with throws of 75.34m, 75.62m and 76.00m.”

What a weekend — and the outdoor season is really just beginning!

By Rita on May 23, 2011
This entry is filed under Athlete Profiles, Monday Matters, News and tagged Andrew Wheating, Betty Heidler, Hammer Throw, Oxy High Performance Meet, Tyler Mulder, World Record.

Monday Matters — April 11, 2011

If you’ve been flying in or out of Eugene recently, did you notice the new billboard?

Andrew Wheating is preparing to electrify the Hayward Field crowd once again as he gets ready to compete at US Nationals June 23 – 26. Will there be another thrilling finish in the 800 meters?

Ashton Eaton is the Indoor World Record holder in the heptathlon – can he match that kind of a performance when he competes against the best decathletes in the country before his home field crowd in June?

And then there’s David Oliver. Will he match his last Hayward Field performance? Will he better his American record in the 110 hurdles?

These are all big performance athletes, training for the chance to perform at their peak in Track Town USA in June. Will you be there to see how big it can be?

By Rita on April 11, 2011
This entry is filed under Athlete Profiles, Monday Matters and tagged 2011 USA Outdoor Track & Field Championships, Andrew Wheating, Ashton Eaton, David Oliver, Track Town USA, USATF.