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Monday Matters | Big week on tap for TrackTown

The beginning of April means a couple things here in TrackTown USA, the Willamette River is still high and the rain will continue to come down.  However, today for this first Monday in April, the sun in shining and it’s a warm 65 degrees as we are gear up for an action-packed week.

TrackTown Tuesday

The third “‘TrackTown Tuesday” event of 2012 kicks off the week at the downtown Eugene Hilton tomorrow night from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Eugene Hilton. Refreshments and appetizers will be provided beginning at 6:30 p.m.  Scheduled to speak are Oregon Track Club Elite’s Jesse Williams and Russell Brown and University of Oregon athletes Johnathan Cabral and Becca Friday.

Sponsored by Deschutes Brewery, Dutch Bros. Coffee, Dari Mart stores and Lochmead Dairy, “TrackTown Tuesday” is free and open to the public. Those who come will get to hear the athletes speak on their hopes for the outdoor season, and will have the opportunity to ask them questions.

Come on out and bring a friend.

Single day tickets on sale Friday

For those unable to attend all eight days of the U.S. Olympic Trials, and have been waiting for individual day tickets to go on sale, good news, the on-sale day is just about here. Friday, April 6 at 9am PT is the first chance for the public to buy single-day tickets.  Buy tickets online or you can call the ticket office at 1-800-932-3668.

Don’t know what day you would like to attend? Take a look at the schedule and click around each day to see what events will take place each day.  Everyday will provide great track and field action, so if you’re looking at the schedule and you realize you’d like to attend everyday, all-session passes are still available!

There is nothing like the experience you will get from being inside Historic Hayward Field, so get your tickets before they are gone.

Pepsi Invitational

On tap this Saturday is the Pepsi Invitational featuring the men’s and women’s teams of Oregon, Texas A&M, UCLA and Washington at Hayward Field.  It will be a fun day of track and field and the competition will be something you won’t want to miss. Texas A&M’s men and women have won the last three outdoor championships — with the women’s title coming over the Ducks each of those three years.  Events will begin at 10:15 am.

We will have more details and a full schedule of the Pepsi Invite as this week unfolds.

TrackTown April Fools

Lastly, our friends at Track Focus created a video worth watching about Russian long jumper Darya Klishina and her decision to end her jumping career and train for competitive long distance running in TrackTown USA.  Enjoy!

By Nathan on April 2, 2012
This entry is filed under Monday Matters and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , .

Monday Matters | The Indoor Season doesn’t end quietly

Courtesy: GoDucks.com

The 2012 indoor season came to a close this past weekend but it did not go out quietly.  Whether it in Nampa, Idaho or Istanbul, Turkey athletes put together some incredible performances that will be remembered for years to come. Coming back to TrackTown USA is one world champion, one world record, two NCAA individual champions, and one NCAA team title.

Oregon Track Club Elite’s Ashton Eaton put two stellar days together while at the IAAF World Indoor Championships in Istanbul to capture the Heptathlon title and break his own world record.  Helped by personal bests in the long jump and shot put, Eaton now owns the top three performances ever in the event (6645 in 2012, 6568 in 2011, and 6499 in 2010).  Watch Universal Sports highlights of his performance.

Fellow OTC athlete, Jesse Williams cleared the second best height of the high jump competition — 3.31 meters / 7-feet, 7-inches — but due to misses finished in sixth place.  Team USA collectively came away from meet with a team record of 10 gold medals, three silvers and five bronzes — for a team record of 18 total medals at an indoor championship.

Click for the Recap from USATF | Full Results

More Highlight Videos from World Indoors

A little closer to home, the 2012 NCAA Division I Indoor Championships ended in familiar fashion with the University of Oregon Women bringing home their third consecutive title. Victories came from Brianne Theisen and English Gardner, while the rest put together a solid all-around team performance.  This was Theisen’s third national title in the pentathlon. She won with 4,536 points, just 19 off her NCAA and Canadian record in that event.

Gardner gave Oregon a quick, but decisive spark in the 60m dash.  Her time of 7.12 seconds was a school and stadium record, beat her personal best by .05 seconds, and would’ve placed fourth in Istanbul. Not bad for a sophomore.

Oregon finished with 49 points, followed by Kansas with 30 points,  LSU with 27 and Texas with 25.

On the men’s side, Mike Berry broke the school record in the 400 meters, finishing fourth overall in a school-record 45.93. The sophomore from Seattle, Wash., broke Sammie Parker’s school record of 45.95 set in 2005. The men’s team title was won by Florida, followed by Arkansas, Arizona and Arizona St.

Along with the Oregon Women, the Florida men were able to capture their third consecutive title. | Full Meet Results

You can watch Day 1 and 2 in their entirety  of the NCAA Indoor Championships streaming on ESPN3.com

Let the Outdoor Season Begin

Those two memorable meets concluded the 2012 indoor season and without much ado (or time) at all, the outdoor season will begin … this Sunday in fact, when TrackTown USA hosts the Oregon Preview at Hayward Field. And tomorrow the countdown to TrackTown12 strikes 100 days to go. It is quickly approaching so be sure to get your All-Session Tickets Now.

Single Day Tickets go on sale April 6.

By Nathan on March 12, 2012
This entry is filed under Monday Matters and tagged , , , , , .

Monday Matters | The Athlete Experience hits the Road

As mentioned in last Thursday’s Blog, “Getting Closer to TrackTown12 – 120 days to go“, the athlete experience is a very important aspect to the 2012 U.S. Olympic Trials – Track and Field.  It is when our country’s national team is selected to compete against the world at the Olympics, and even if there weren’t any fans or a festival, the athletes would still be vying for a spot on Team USA.  That is why the TrackTown12 LOC, USATF and the USOC treat the athlete experience with great detail.  From the moment the athlete enters the meet until they are departing from Eugene, we want to make sure they have as few worries as possible (outside of making it to London).

In order to ease their Trials’ preparation process, reps from TrackTown12 traveled to Albuquerque, New Mexico for the 2012 USA Indoor Championships this past weekend to answer questions and take photos, which will be used for credentials.

Many athletes came with questions regarding tickets, the schedule, housing and Hammer Time. They were also pleasantly surprised to get their photos out of the way, though some elected to return later, after they’d cleaned up and done their hair. In all, close to 300 athletes, coaches and agents got their credential photos out of the way and will not have to worry about that come their arrival into TrackTown USA.

There also happened to be some awesome performances on the track during the two days of competition inside the Albuquerque Convention Center.  Saturday’s highlights included a third straight indoor title by Oregon Track Club Elite’s Jesse Williams.  Although it took a couple third-attempt clearances, Williams was able to in solidify his ticket to the World Indoor Championships in Istanbul, Turkey with a mark of 2.29 meters (7-5). Watch his 2.29m jump here.

OTC Elite’s Ashton Eaton also competed Saturday in the qualifying rounds of the 60-meter hurdles and on Sunday in the long jump. Though he qualified to move on in the hurdles after the first round, Eaton selected to only long jump on Sunday, which proved to be a good choice. On his third jump, Eaton soared to a lifetime best and winning mark of 8.06 meters (26-5 1/2), beating out Will Claye (8.02m, 26-3 3/4).

 

Watch more videos on Flotrack

 

Click to watch other highlights.

Bernard Lagat was able to use his kick to win the men’s 3000m – 7:4.54.

Sanya Richards-Ross broke a meet record in the women’s 400m – 50.71.

Leo Manzano kicked past Matthew Centrowitz and Galen Rupp to claim the men’s 1500m – 3:48.05.

Jennifer Simpson won the women’s 1500m after holding off Brenda Martinez. – 4:15.04.

Chaunte Lowe broke the American Indoor record in the women’s high jump. – 2.02m.

By Nathan on February 27, 2012
This entry is filed under 2012 Olympic Trials, Monday Matters and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , .

Getting Closer to TrackTown12 – 120 days to go

Everyone who attended the Olympic Trials in 2008 seemed to have a different ‘favorite moment’, whether it was the Oregon sweep in the 800, the showdown in the last few laps of the 10K, or the falling records in the sprints.  Or maybe it was participating in the All-Comers Meet, or watching the fireworks on the Fourth of July.

You can be rest assured that the athletes and races this coming summer will bring all the same excitement and passion, but “The Best Meet Ever?” While it may seem like a bold claim, it was precisely the one set forth by the TrackTown12 Local Organizing Committee at a planning event on Wednesday, February 22 in Eugene.

Representatives from the US Olympic Committee as well as USA Track & Field were in attendance to provide insight, suggestions, and encouragement. Oregon Track Club Elite athletes Cyrus Hostetler, Lauren Fleshman, and Bridget Franek were also there to give their valuable perspectives as competitors. While this particular meeting was focused on the athlete and media experiences at the Trials, the excitement it sparked could be carried over to spectators and proved that there are some great plans in store for everyone involved!

So while we are preparing for the biggest track event on U.S. soil this year, we would like to know…..”What are YOU most excited about  as you prepare for the Olympic Trials?

In the next few weeks we will be interviewing all kinds of people involved in every aspect of the meet to find out what they are looking forward to most: athletes from out of town, college athletes, community runners, coaches, officials, and fans.  With so much in store, we are pretty certain everyone will be getting excited for completely different aspects of TrackTown12!

To preview the possibilities, we will also be talking to the committee leader in charge of each area of TrackTown12 for the most up-to-date developments in preparation and even some insider information.

In the upcoming months, follow the stories and let people tell you about their favorite parts of the upcoming meet. What will YOUR new ‘favorite moment’ of 2012 be? We can’t wait to find out!

This coming week is the USA Indoor National Championships in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Be sure to catch all the action including Oregon Athletes Aston Eaton, Galen Rupp, Matthew Centrowitz, Russell Brown, Lopez Lomong, Jesse Williams, Lindsey Allen, Jackie Areson, and many others!

By bridget on February 23, 2012
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Monday Matters | Records Fall all across the country

In an exciting weekend of  indoor track and field, not one but THREE American Records were freshly set!  In Fayetteville, Arkansas, the USATF Classic brought together a number of great athletes, and among them was Oregonian Galen Rupp. Running in the men’s two-mile, Rupp broke Bernard Lagat’s previous record of 8:10.07, with a time of 8:09.72. Stephan Pifer, also of the Oregon Track Club, placed fourth in the same race.  In the men’s mile, OTC’s Russell Brown also took fourth place, crossing the line in 3:54.08 as the top American.  Jill Camarena- Williams broke her own American Record in the women’s shot put with a throw of 19.89m/65-3.75. Peruse the full results here!

While in its 105th year, the historic Millrose Games saw a change in venue from Madison Square Garden to the Armory. The event still attracted the same caliber of athletes and produced many spectacular results.  In the men’s 5k, the American Record (Bernard Lagat- 13:07.13), Collegiate Record (Lawi Lalang- 13:08.28), AND the High School Record (Edward Cheserek- 13:57.04) were all reset!  Highlights from TrackTown athletes included former Oregon Runner Matthew Centrowitz cruising to a win the infamous Wanamaker Mile in 3:53.92 and OTC member Jesse Williams bringing back yet another victory in the high jump (2.32m/7-07.25). Of course, many other races were worth looking more into as well- 2012 Millrose Games results!

Back out west at the University of Washington, the annual Husky Invitational served up a new set of stadium records, world-leading times, and other great performances.  Sally Kipyego won the 5k on Friday night in 15:15.41 and returned to the track Saturday to claim the mile victory as well in 4:28.41, which was a facility record, a meet record and a world-leading time. OTC teammates Chris Thompson and Kevin Chelimo helped push each other and placed one-two in the mens 5k, running  13.29.94 and 13: 30.25. Geena Gall won the 800 meters in 2:03.12, while OTC Portland athlete, Lopez Lomong won in the men’s race (1:47.87).

The University of Oregon (click here for more UO highlights from the meet) women’s mile record was broken at the same meet by Anne Kesselring in a time of 4:32.61.  Many other Oregon resident athletes were in attendance, including Ashton Eaton, who competed in the shot-put, high jump, and pole vault.  To see the complete results and fun interviews, check out FloTrack.org.

Friday night provided some sprinting action down at the  Don Kirby Elite Indoor in Albuquerque, NM by U of O’s sprint group.  Sophomore English Gardner turned in a NCAA leading 60m dash performance of 7.17 seconds and later won the 200m with a personal best 23.34.  Other victories came from Phyllis Francis (400m, 53.07) and both the Men’s and Women’s 4x400m relays. The men ran a season-best 3:09.38 with a lineup of Bryan Harper, Arthur Delaney, Jack Galpin and Mike Berry, while the women also ran a season-best 3:37.05 with Francis, Chizoba Okodogbe, Amber Purvis and Laura Roesler.  Complete Results of the Don Kirby Elite Indoor.

Things will continue to get exciting as we approach indoor college conference meets in the upcoming weeks and the last few opportunities for individuals to qualify for 2012 Indoor NCAA’s.  Make sure your favorite college athlete will make the cut by checking out the 2012 Indoor descending order lists and see where your team stacks up in the National rankings.  The USA National Indoor Championships are also coming up soon on February 25 and 26th and will be the next in the VISA Championship Series for professionals.  STAY TUNED!!!!!

By bridget on February 13, 2012
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Monday Matters: Personal Records and Outstanding Openers

Indoor tracks might still be smoking after a weekend of personal records and big 2012 openers!  Oregon athletes were scattered across the country this weekend and many returned to the state with great results to launch them into the Olympic year!

Oregon coach Vin Lananna’s quote from the Texas A&M Challenge Meet in College Station summed up the two-day meet for the Ducks: “Almost everyone who traveled hit a PR or did what they set out to accomplish this weekend.”

Highlights on the women’s side included a 1-2 punch in the mile with Jordan Hasay and Becca Friday, a top time in the 60 hurdles by Amber Purvis, and a Canadian National and NCAA record in the pentathlon by Brianne Theisen. Go to GoDucks.com for full recap and results.

OTC Elite decathlete Ashton Eaton joined that successful contingent of Oregon athletes in Texas, winning both the Olympic Development 60-meter hurdles (in a personal-best time of 7.73 seconds) as well as the long jump in another PB of 26 feet, 4 1/2 inches.

Photo taken by Jason Szenes for The New York Times

 

Farther east, the 2012 Visa Championship Series began in Madison Square Garden at the US Open.  Local athlete Jesse Williams opened his campaign seven centimeters higher than he did last year to capture the high jump title (with a mark of 7-6). While keeping a good perspective on the year ahead, he used this meet to work some kinks out of a slightly new jumping technique.

“I guarantee you, in the next couple, I’m going to go a lot higher,” he said in the New York Times. Click here for a more complete recap.

A little closer to home, many Oregon professionals traveled to Seattle for the UW Invitational.   Lining up alongside many Portland and Portland State collegians for the 5K on Friday night, OTC Elite/Portland runner Lisa Uhl crossed the line first in a time of 15:29.85.  The next day, Uhl’s teammates Andrew Bumbalough and Matt Tegenkamp went 1-2 in the men’s mile, while Eugene-based Geena Gall kicked for a women’s win at the  same distance.

Former OTC athlete Mark Wieczorek won the men’s 800 in a time of 1:48.51 while 2011 world silver medalist at the 10K Sally Kipeygo breezed to a win and a venue record in the 3k in 8:47.91.  For complete results visit UW Invitational Results.

What a great start to the year! It’s already getting us excited about the U.S. Olympic Trials.

By bridget on January 30, 2012
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TrackTown Thursday | The US Open, Texas A&M Mondo Challenge on tap for this weekend

A big weekend in track and field is upon us as we get further along in the 2012 Olympic year.  Indoor meets are spread all across the country with events in New York, Boston, Pennsylvania, Arkansas,  Texas and Washington. We are expecting some great results and will be following the meets this weekend closely, especially those competitions that have close ties to TrackTown USA.

New on the winter schedule this year is the USATF US Open held in New York City inside the Madison Square Garden.  The MSG has long been one of the premiere venues for sports and entertainment, and the return of track and field for an indoor meet there will be sure live up to that.  The US Open also kicks off USATF 2012 Visa Championship Series.  The meet begins at 6:58pm this Saturday, January 28th and will broadcast the following evening on ESPN2 from 7:00-9:00.

Oregon Track Club Elite athlete and Eugene resident, Jesse Williams, will begin his 2012 indoor season in the MSG as the reigning World Champion in the high jump.

“I’m excited to compete again. I want to back up last year’s season with a good result in my first competition,” Williams said. “It’s always a little nerve-wracking because it’s the first meet, but I’ll be ready.”

Other stars  competing include Bernard Lagat, David Oliver, Veronica Campbell-Brown, Asafa Powell, Nesta Carter, Christian Cantwell, Adam Nelson, Dawn Harper, Kellie Wells, Tiffany Ofili Porter, and Lolo Jones.  Former Duck pole vaulter, Becky Holliday is also set to compete.

For a list of all the athletes that have confirmed that they will be at the US Open and the events they are competing in click here | 2012 US Open Athletes

Get minute to minute updates by following the USATF Twitter @USATrack_Field and join the Twitter conversation with #USOpenMSG

Other Local athletes will head to College Station, Texas for the Texas A&M Mondo Challenge inside the Gilliam Indoor Track Stadium. The two-day meet begins Friday, January 17th with a short evening session and continues with a full day of action on Saturday.   A large contingent of the University of Oregon’s Track and Field teams will be on hand, as well as, former Duck and the indoor men’s heptathlon world record holder, Ashton Eaton. Eaton is scheduled to compete in the Olympic Development Long Jump on Friday evening and the Olympic Development 400-meter and 60m hurdles.

Returning for the Ducks will be NCAA pentathlon record holder, Brianne Theisen (Read Today’s Register-Guard Article on Theisen by Curtis Anderson). For more Duck coverage heading into this meet, check out the release at GoDucks.com.

Texas A&M Mondo Challege: Accepted Entries | Results

Finally, a little closer to TrackTown USA, the University of Washington Invitational will be taking place Friday and Saturday.  The Oregon State Women’s Distance Program, Portland State and the University of Portland are among the numerous teams that will be competing in Seattle. Check out FloTrack’s Coverage of the UW Invitational.

Check back Monday for a recap of all the weekends events.

By Nathan on January 26, 2012
This entry is filed under TrackTown Thursday and tagged , , , , , , , , , , .

Jesse Williams & Jordan Kent featured in the TrackTown ThrowDown

On Sunday, January 8th, TrackTown USA made an appearance indoors, but not for a Track and Field meet. We were at Matthew Knight Arena for the University of Oregon Men’s Basketball game versus the Cal Bears for a special event featuring some local track and field heroes. What started as an event to showcase World Champion High Jumper, Jesse Williams’ jumping ability, turned into a dunk contest featuring Williams and the local three-sport hero, Jordan Kent.

The two explosive athletes got the court to themselves during halftime of the game and showed that basketball players aren’t the only ones who can play above the rim. They each entertained the crowd with two dunks and some other crowd pleasing activities, but it was Kent who ended up placing the medal around Williams neck.

Here is video of the high flying TrackTown ThrowDown!

Click Here to watch more videos.

Click Here to get your tickets to TrackTown12 U.S. Olympic Trials -Track & Field.

By Nathan on January 11, 2012
This entry is filed under 2012 Olympic Trials and tagged , , , , , .

TrackTown Thursday | 12 Days of TrackTown

On the 12th Day of TrackTown, My True Love Gave to Me:

12 Olympic Medals – (Well actually 13) By 10 former Oregon Track and Field Athletes. Watch the video of Joaquim Cruz’s gold medal 800-meter race in the 1984 Olympics.

11 NCAA Championships – Hosted at Hayward Field (’62, ’64, ’72, ’78, ’84, ’88, ’91, ’96, 2001, 2010 & scheduled to host in 2013).

10 Dec Events – 2012 will be the 100th year of the modern decathlon. The two-day contest will also kick-off the Olympic Trials.

9 Days of Running…………and Jumping……….and Throwing at TrackTown12. Starting with Hammer time on June 21st and ending July 1 with the Men’s 200m Final.

8 Lanes on the Track.

7 -9 and 1/4 – Oregon Track Club Elite Athlete Jesse Williams’ Personal Best and Hayward Field Record. Set at the 2011 USA Championships in TrackTown.

6 Outdoor Titles -  The UO Men have five and the UO Women have one.  Also, the men have one indoor and six cross country titles,  while the women have two of each.

5 OLYMPIC RINGS – And the number of Olympic Trials hosted in TrackTown (1972, 1976, 1980, 2008, 2012).

 

 

 

 

Sub 4 Minute Miles – The Pre Classic has seen more Sub 4 minute Miles than any other American invitational track meet. Click Here to see the full list.

3 Coach Bills (Hayward, Bowerman, Dellinger).

 

2 Bowerman Winners (Galen Rupp ’09 & Ashton Eaton ’10).

And a Historic Hayward Field.

 

Happy Holidays from TrackTown USA. See you in 2012!


By Nathan on December 22, 2011
This entry is filed under 2012 Olympic Trials, Athlete Profiles, NCAA Championships, News, Team USA, TrackTown Thursday, U.S. National Championships and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , .

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 , , , , , , , , , , , , .

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