Running commentary

If the first few days of the U.S. Olympic Trials are any indication of the superb quality of the American track and field athletes, the remainder of the meet, which began July 1 and concludes July 10, should be equally dazzling.

I met with decathlete Ashton Eaton's high school coach and mentor Tate Metcalf and his wife, Aimee, on day one of the decathlon, Saturday, July 2. Word on the street and in the press hinted that Ashton Eaton was dealing with some minor injuries and his coach Harry Marra made it clear that Eaton had no intention of improving on his world record in Eugene. The goal was to get through the meet in one piece, with the real focus on the Rio Olympics in mid-August.

Eaton followed the plan well through the first five events. Metcalf said, "He is playing it smart simply wanting to make it to Rio unscathed."

Eaton was still the leader in total points after day one, which points to his level of talent. Not many athletes could perform "conservatively" and still be winning.

An added bonus for Metcalf was the late addition of Mitch Modin to the field of decathletes. Modin, a junior at the University of Oregon, also attended Mountain View High School, where Tate coached.

"A spot opened up and the meet organizers wanted to have a full field of 16 athletes, so Mitch accepted the invitation," Metcalf said.

Modin made the best of an unbelievable opportunity, finishing seventh overall thanks to consistent efforts in all 10 events, including three personal bests.

Eaton, of course, repeated as the champion, but it was not without some struggle. After dominating the field in the 110 hurdles, despite a sore hamstring, Eaton fouled his first attempt in the discus and had a poor mark on his second attempt. He pulled things together with his final throw and held off the challengers for the time being. The pole vault brought another challenge as Zach Ziemek, who finished third to also qualify for the Olympics, cleared 17 feet 2-3/4 inches in the pole vault to move closer to Eaton.

But in true "world's best" form, Eaton also cleared the height on his final attempt to underscore his position as the one to beat. His reaction after landing in the pit, pumping his fist in front of a wildly appreciative crowd, was his most demonstrative moment of the meet.

"He was controlled overall, but he certainly showed his world-class gamesmanship and sportsmanship throughout the meet," said Metcalf. "He could have jogged through the final event, the 1,500, but his respect for himself, the fans, and the other competitors wouldn't allow for that."

As for Modin, Metcalf couldn't have been happier. "He seized on the opportunity that was given to him. When an athlete is relaxed and does not have undue pressure they do their best. It was his hometown track. He was having fun."

I ran into some Sisters track fans Sunday, including Sue and Jim Beck, Sally Taylor, Chris Ambrose, and Dan Stewart, all of whom seemed to be soaking in the electric atmosphere and the elite level of completion.

Ambrose bought a book from John Carlos, famous for his sprint medal in the 1968 Olympics and even better known for raising his black-gloved fist of protest on the podium. Sue Beck, a diehard Oregon fan, rejoiced in former Duck English Gardner's decisive win in the women's 100.

"What a great day to be a Duck!" she said.

Taylor said, "Being witness to the announcer saying numerous times 'fastest or highest or longest in the world this year' was great, and seeing the decathletes revel together in the steeplechase water pit during their traditional group lap was really cool."

Those of us in attendance got to see two men sailing over 28 feet in the long jump, which has never happened in a track meet before. We watched the grace and beauty of both an 18-year-old girl and a 32-year-old mother of three high jumping over 6 feet 5 inches to become Olympians. We saw former gold medalists handing over the reins to new young stars and we rubbed elbows with track and field luminaries signing autographs. We got to relish the experience of a number of current and former Oregon athletes qualifying for Rio. We even heard one former star sing the national anthem.

The sport of track and field is fascinating and it does not take much to become a fan. As I sat trackside trying to capture a decent photo of Ashton Eaton, a woman behind me asked her friend, "Who is that guy?"

She was pointing at Eaton.

I turned and gave her a quick explanation. World record-holder, four-time national champion, gold medalist, from Bend, Oregon. I also explained about the point chart for the decathlon and how the 10 events are split over two days.

She had never been to a track meet of any kind, but given a bit of context, and surrounded by excited fans, she could soon be heard cheering every pole vault clearance and groaning with every miss, just like the rest of the crowd.

That's why you should go to Eugene. The schedule for July 7-10 is filled with action. If you don't make it for the trials, keep in mind Eugene hosts the Diamond League Prefontaine Classic every spring and will be the site for the NCAA Championships again next year.