TrackTown, USA: Day 4 of the hostage crisis. It gets to seem like this mid-way through a long event. Groundhog Day over and over again? Rinse and repeat? Today we were able to take it easy all morning. Slept until 7:30a, and did a bit of housekeeping. Needlepointing occured. The weather is once again spectacular.
We met Terry & Bruce outside the stadium before the games began. The three roomies kept gathering more and more friends and they were telling tales, so I bolted to the hospitality tent to get a late lunch before the races started. I had a lovely meal with the (grown) children of our friends and met the new child of another friend. We all re-joined back in our seats, again with Carlos, Maurice, and Phil for their last night at the trials. A two day break starts tomorrow (followed by four more days of track & field), and Carols and his friends are flying back to their real lives after four fun days at Historic Hayward Field. (Insert sad face here.) We will miss them so much.
Our old friend, Rob, who is one of the stadium announcers (mostly for races) had his wife, Angie, and his daughter, Alex (6), in the stadium tonight. Rob and Angie live around the corner from my brother in Colorado. Random, right? Alex had her face painted in the stadium tonight. Unicorn, with sparkles!
Key events this evening were finals included the women's high jump, 5000m, and 800m. - plus the last day of the heptathlon. Also three men's final events - the long jump, 1500m, and 400m.
The high jump was on the other side of the field from our seats, so we ended up catching much of it on the big screens. Two college girls went one-two and Vashti Cunningham (ex-NFL quarterback Randall Cunningham's daughter) took the bronze. Another college student, Parker Valby, lead the entire 5000m race, until three super-stars overtook her with two laps to go. Valby did run a personal best tonight, so you really can't ask for more. The women's 800m was a total crusher. Try to watch this race if you can. Heartbreaker. America's best 800m runner, Athing Mu, fell at the 200m mark, tried very hard to catch-up, but realized it was a lost cause and finished dead last. Athing was sobbing as she rushed to get off the track. So sad. Broke my heart. Toughest Team To Make. Anna Hall won the heptathlon. Hall is stunning and such a polished competitor and I feel this is her year to stand on the Olympic podium. I am so happy for her!
The men's long jump was exciting (especially as the pit is directly in front of our seats). Two college athletes went one-two, and third place, Jarrion Lawson, had a personal best. Not even one of the competitors in the men's long jump have the Olympic standard required to compete in Paris. So many fans were excited for the men's 1500m final because three past/present Ducks were in the race. Duck alum, Cole Hocker, won the four-lapper and is going to Paris. Hocker is bringing Yared Nuguse and Hobbs Kessler with him. Duck Elliot Cook (still in school) finished 8th, alum Cooper Teare was 10th. Hocker's win (3:30.59) was an Olympic Trials record, and a personal best for him.
The final event was the men's 400m final. Would the 16-year-old make the US Olympic team? The crowd at Hayward Field are absolutely behind Quincy Wilson. I love the passion. Every entrant in the race already had the Olympic standard (including Quincy Wilson). Every athlete (except young Quincy Wilson) had the experience. In the end, experience won out, with another Quincy - veteran Quincy Hall - winning the race. Michael Norman (Dave's favorite) and Chris Bailey were second and third. The young Quincy was 6th place, and still had huge cheers from the supportive crowd. We will see him again - many times - for sure.
A great night of the One True Sport. We are pretty-much exhausted, and are looking forward to a two-day break... except for tomorrow when we are taking our RV to Mercedes because our GPS still thinks we are in Indiana... and I am nearly 100% sure we are in Oregon.
Still, I made "dinner" again - another appetizer plate, which we consumed while watching the recording of today's track meet. We are so weird.
Until my next update, I remain, your resting correspondent.
Olympic Trials Information:
Meet schedule
Where to watch
Meet results
Campground Information: Premier RV Resorts - A bit confusing, as we have a frequent-flyer discount card, but we would be paying about $78 per night (we have several nights free on this visit with our punch card). The park is full-service, with every amenity (though the pool is teeny) and is very dog-friendly - with a dog wash. Small shop with limited groceries, RV supplies, Duck stuff, ice cream and ice. It is right on I-5 so quite noisy. The most conveniently located campsite for a visit to Eugene, but is isn't really very convenient. We stay here all the time. Like, really, all the time.