Despite Cancelation Of Team Travel Event This Summer, Athletes Remain Intent On Making Most Of Competition At Hayward Field

By Doug Binder, DyeStat Editor

DyeStat Photos

Some of the top athletes coming to Eugene this week for Nike Outdoor Nationals are also double booked for the USATF U20 Championships. 

The U20 meet will overlap with the first two days of the Nike Outdoor Nationals schedule and provide additional competitive opportunities for some college freshmen who want one more event before the end of the season, and high school athletes who want two chances to check off goals. 

The USATF says it will not be sending a team to Colombia this summer for the Pan Am U20 Championships, citing logisitics and security concerns. Soon after, Athletics Canada came to the same decision. 

But the entries for Thursday's and Friday's U20 met remain strong. 

For a field event performer, why not sign up for 12 attempts instead of just six? For a sprinter, why not take two chances at a favorable wind reading, or insurance against a false start?

Those are just some of the reasons why high school athletes traveling to Eugene are entered in both meets. 

College athletes, too, some of whom competed at the NCAA Outdoor Championships last weekend, have stuck around to tack an extra week onto a season of growth. 

South Dakota freshman Anna Willis, for instance, tied for fourth in the NCAA women's pole vault but is returning to Hayward Field with a chance to win a USATF U20 title. She was ninth in the meet last year, after graduating from Classical Academy in Colorado Springs.

Josiah Wrice of South Carolina finished second in the SEC Outdoor Championships 400 meters and then barely missed qualifying for the NCAA Outdoor Championships. A win at the USATF U20 meet, could help salvage the season or ensure that it ends on a high note. Like wise for Xai Ricks of Georgia, who finshed seventh in the SEC finals of the 400 but was unable to get through the NCAA East region prelim. 

Jayden Keys of Georgia, who finished eighth in the NCAA long jump final, will return to that event and also the 110 hurdles.

Jalen Johnson of Clemson made it through to the NCAA Outdoor Championships in the 200 meters but then finished 19th. He leads the field in that event with a best of 20.36 this season.

High school sprint standouts Brayden Williams (100) and Maurice Gleaton Jr. (100/200) are also entered in U20s. 

Last year Gleaton finished second in the USATF U20 100 meters in 10.27 seconds and then two days later won the Nike Outdoor Nationals title in 10.25.

Oregon freshman Ben Smith, who redshirted the past year but competed in both events a year ago, will get a chance to compete on his home turf in the shot put and discus. He hasn't thrown in a meet since April 12. Last year, he won the USATF U20 title in the shot put and the Nike Outdoor Nationals title in the discus. 

Smith will face Jackson Cantwell, the Missouri state champion and Miami football recruit, who will throw the 12-pounder in the Nike meet in his pursuit of 80 feet, and the slightly heavier 6 kg (13.2 pounds) in the U20 meet. 

In the men's pole vault, Nebraska freshman Dyson Wicker will compete against top high school vaulters Khaliq Muhammad, the California state champion, Chase McGee, the Washington state champion, and Virginian Victor Olesen, the Nike Indoor Nationals champion. 

California state 300-meter hurdles champion Morgan Herbst is making the transition up to 400-meter hurdles and has already competed in two events prior to coming to Eugene for USATF U20s and Nike Outdoor Nationals. She ran 57.63 on June 7 at the USATF San Diego-Imperial Association Junior Olympic Championships, and then 57.89 a week later at the AAU Region 23 Qualifier. 

Twin sister Makenna Herbst, the California 800 meters champion, is the top seed in the U20 women's 800 with 2:03.30. She has a looming rematch with Oluwatosin Awoleye, who finished two spots ahead of her at the Brooks PR Invitational on June 8. 

Top high school hurdlers JaShaun Lloyd and Le'Ezra Brown will get some extra experience running over the 110-meter hurdles prior to meeting for the Nike Outdoor Nationals title. 

New Yorker Zariel Macchia, a BYU recruit who just finished her state meet last weekend, is returning to Eugene to compete in a variety of events. She is entered in the USATF U20 5,000 meters on Thursday morning and also the 1,500 on Friday afternoon.