The Heroes are here and there is still time to see them. This past weekend, Run Oregon was down in Eugene covering #TrackTown16 and the Olympic Track and Field Trials. If you were following us on Instagram or Facebook, you probably saw a variety of photos and videos of these amazing athletes. Here are some of our highlights:
- Race Walkers hitting the streets of Salem for the 20k with Maria Michta-Coffey and Miranda Melville qualifying in the shadows of the State Capitol. Men’s winner, John Nunn said “This is the best crowd we’ve ever had for race walking”
- Tyson Gay and Justin Gatlin cruising into the semi’s of the 100m
- Galen Rupp winning the 10,000m for the 8th straight time
- Molly Huddle securing a Rio spot in the 10,000m leading wire to wire
- Brittney Reese long bounding the longest leap in the world since 2004 (7.31m/23-11.75). It was also the Olympic Trials all-time record, the second-best U.S. all-time mark, and ranks ninth all-time in the world.
- Aston Eaton leading halfway through the Decathlon and current second place holder Jeremy Taiwo tying the American record in the decathlon high jump and breaking the Olympic Trials record with his jump of 2.21m.
Tickets for the rest of the days are still available, though are selling out quick. Both days saw over 20,000 spectators, so the energy is amazing. Single day tickets will be $43-$88.
There is a lot of great information for spectators here – from a back pocket guide to the fan festival. There are refillable water stations everywhere and great places to eat – from food trucks to restaurants and athletic event food. Ninkasi has a few beer gardens with 5 beers on tap, and King’s Estate Winery is also on hand. There is plenty of room to lay out on the turf practice field just west of the stadium. Nike has giant bubbles set up and is selling some great event shirts (be prepared for $30+ prices however). Bring the kids as well, as they can compete and get a passport stamped as they participate in everything from sprints to high jump to shot put. It’s a pretty awesome set-up.
Follow TrackTown USA on Facebook to stay up to date on the latest info and use #TrackTownUSA on all your social media platforms!
