5-15-23 Emerald Media Group - Duckseason

Duck Season

COMMUNITY CHAMPIONSHIPS COMMUNITY AND CHAMPIONSHIPS AND

The two tall tasks of coaching track and field at Oregon

Sophomore pole vaulter, J Kai Yamafuji, soars over the bar. Athletes representing a variety of universities compete in the annual Oregon Twilight meet at Hayward Stadium in Eugene, Ore., on May 5, 2023. (Jonathan Suni/Emerald)

OREGON STATE’S KAYLEE MITCHELL IMPROVES BEAVERS’ NCAA RANKING WITH PERFORMANCE AT OREGON TWILIGHT

BY MCKENZIE DAYS

After facing some indecision, Oregon State’s Kaylee Mitchell ran the 1500 meter on a whim and took first place in 4 minutes and 14.76 seconds on Friday night at Oregon Twilight.

“I wasn’t even supposed to race today,” Mitchell said. “But I’m planning on doing the sequel 1500 double at Pac-12. And the last time I ran a 15 was the night after 5K, so by the time we get to Pac-12 that will have been six weeks ago. I just wanted to get another rep in so I wasn’t focused on my time or anything just like practicing running a 1500 going into the prelims on Friday.”

Mitchell ran in the front of the pack for the majority of the race. Then, she “trusted her instincts” to pull away with 400 meters remaining instead of her usual 150-meter mark. Another factor in her decision to ultimately run was that, as a senior, she should try to savor her moments at the stadium as much as she can and remind herself that “races are fun.”

“I can tend to get pretty wrapped up in like, oh my gosh, I need to run this time, and I need to be perfect pacing for this,” Mitchell said. “I mean, give me this place and, and this, this, this, instead of just being like, I’m just excited to take my watch off, get on the track, and run and race and compete. So I’ve really just been trying to enjoy that because I mean, it’s my last outdoor season in the beaver uniform.”

Mitchell is excited about her win in Hayward Field, home of OSU’s rival, the Oregon Ducks track and field team.

“We’re pretty hyped,” she said. “ I don’t know if you’ve seen, but we’re currently ranked 15th as a team in the NCAA,

which has never happened before. So I think bringing that into PACs. We have a lot of momentum going into it.”

University of Portland’s Laura Pellicoro crossed second at the finish line for another year at 4:15.41. Last year she seemed to have the race in her grasp. She had made her move from third place to first at the 1,300-meter mark.

However, Lizzie Bird came streaking by Pellicoro’s right shoulder and overtook her in the final 20 meters to steal the win.

This year, Pellicoro fought the rest of the pack in the last 100, but Mitchell had already made her move and was leaps and bounds ahead of the pack.

Mitchell outran notable runners such as Oregon’s Klaudia Kazimierska, Maddy Elmore and Olympian Courtney Frerichs.

Kazimierska, the freshman from Poland, displayed her budding potential on Friday when she swept in behind Pellicoro and finished third overall at 4:16.13.

Kazimierska has already made her mark during her first season at Oregon. In her first appearance at the NCAA Indoor Championships, she became the No. 2 performer in Oregon history finishing in 4:32.03 performance at the Arkansas Qualifier.

Elmore, who finished No. 5 overall, was able to sustain a good pace as she prepared for the Pac-12 Championships. The Oregon track and field team heads to Mt. SAC to compete in the Pac-12 Championships, which will last from Friday, May. 12-Sunday, May 14.

Kaylee Mitchell takes first in 1500m moving past many notable Oregon runners on Friday night.

Two Ducks, Mia Moerck and Ella Nelson, lead the runners to the finish line. (Jonathan Suni/ Emerald)

(Jonathan

TRANSITIONING FROM AN ATHLETE AND FAN POINT OF VIEW TO A SOCIAL MEDIA ONE

What the Oregon Twilight was like from a social media perspective

BY EMMA LOGAN • TWITTER @EMMMALOGAN

In the past few years, my relationship with sports has changed drastically. As a high schooler, I competed yearround in numerous sports. I quickly flipped the page after graduating high school to the next chapter as a fan, when I began to see sports through a broader lens and expand my knowledge of all sports with a new perspective. And now, the current chapter — working in sports as a journalist and now with a social media presence — has been even more exciting.

I have recently started a new position as a social media intern for TrackTown USA. Over the next few months, I will assist the social media team during the summer event season by creating new content. This will include all events held at Hayward Field.

During the Eugene Marathon at the end of April, I spent a few hours standing on the track watching thousands of runners from all over the world complete 26.2 miles beginning and ending at historic Hayward Field. I witnessed every emotion imaginable and saw all different types of people finish a physically and emotionally challenging event. Some people were moved to tears from relief or because of pain. Other runners eagerly searched for their friends and family who had been cheering them on. Numerous finishers took pictures with their training buddies or of their medals.

My task was to interview runners and ask them the simple question “Why did you run the Eugene Marathon today?” Hearing their responses was the best part. Some people expressed their emotional connection to running or explained their personal drive to accomplish this type

of race. But many people kept it simple and described the importance of running 26.2 miles through TrackTown. Their responses included:

“I wanted to run on Hayward Field” and “No better place to finish a marathon than TrackTown USA.”

As a competitor, I have always been aware of the importance of running at Hayward Field. This track has hosted running legends, and many people consider it a privilege to experience the running community in Eugene. Even as a fan, I was able to witness magical moments on the track. The history held around the oval track has been shared all around the world. This special experience is shared between casual runners, collegiate athletes and elite world class athletes.

The following week at the Oregon Twilight meet, I witnessed collegiate athletes experience Hayward Field under the lights. This event features athletes from all levels of collegiate athletics, all coming together at a historic venue where they may never get the opportunity to compete again.

Some people had an answer right away, while others thoroughly considered different factors that went into their response. Most often, I approached teams sitting together and watched them pick on each other for their answer or nod in agreement. It was yet again another friendly reminder of the community aspect of this sport that brings us all together.

And do I dare say that it’s even more rewarding than competing or being a fan?

Oregon Running Club representative, Owen Serricchio, runs in between two other competitors.

Suni/ Emerald)

BY ELLIOTT DEINS TWITTER @ELLIOTTD_SPORTS

Raindrops were falling on a chilly Cinco de Mayo as the Oregon track and field team hosted its final meet of the regular season in front of thousands of empty seats at Hayward Field. The cushioned stands were mostly occupied by athletes and staff from competing schools cheering on their runners.

The Oregon Twilight is usually a final signing off before the Pac-12 Championships. A metaphorical victory lap where the graduating class is honored, getting to feel the magic one last time before the end of their collegiate career. The

60-foothigh jumbotron was on, and the athletes were there, but the 12,650 roaring track fanatics Hayward is capable of holding weren’t.

Major results and titles don’t happen overnight, and neither will recapturing the hearts and minds of TrackTown. The magic of old Hayward is that it was a tangible part of the town, a place where students and Eugenians could truly run in the footsteps of legends. Now, it’s gated off. The only time citizens can step foot on it is if they pay $150 and run the Eugene Marathon once a year. Community involvement and championships are the way to make track cool again. That responsibility falls on one person: Jerry Schumacher.

The role of head coach of the University of Oregon’s track and field team in 2022 doesn’t mean simply coaching and winning titles; that’s a given. The burden of resurrecting the winning ways that Ducks of the past like Dan Kelly, Ashton Eaton and Raevyn Rogers have established was immediately placed on Schumacher when he was hired last July.

The other, possibly more difficult, part of Schumacher’s job will be connecting with the community known as

TrackTown and getting enough butts in seats to justify the estimated $270 million spent on renovating Hayward Field into a mecca of sports seen today.

Besides a sweep of the Pac-12 last year, Oregon’s recent results haven’t been up to par. The program has had 22 combined indoor and outdoor national titles, and its last was from the 2021 mens’s team.

“I don’t know that anything is broken,” head coach Schumacher said at a press conference last August. “We want to continue to build off the rich tradition that Oregon has always had. This university, as far as track and field’s gone, has helped shape the sport itself for the last fifty years.”

Tori Sloan finishes first in the womens high jump competition with an impressive jump to gain the lead on the four athletes tied for second. (Jonathan Suni/Emerald)

Anika Thompson throws the Oregon “O” up in the air as she crosses the finish line in first place. (Jonathan Suni/Emerald)

It takes time for a new system and culture to sink into a program. In his 26 year career, 15 of which as the head coach of Bowerman Track Club, coaching 28 Olympians and winning USA Track and Field Coach of the Year in 2017, Schumacher has learned that staffing is critical.

“It begins with the staff and personnel that work with the athletes on a daily basis,” Schumacher said. “What they bring to the group and what they bring to the team. You can’t just have the right people on the bus, you have to have them sitting in the right seats.”

National Championship.

“We’re here to make them great athletes but most importantly great student athletes, helping them achieve whatever goals they have.” Flanagan said of the goals of the coaching staff: “We’re here to help create and build good people. Athletically, help them become the best possible athletes they can be.”

Brian Blutreich, who Schumacher has known for 25 years, was brought on to coach the throwers. “Big Blu,” as Schumacher affectionately refers to him, is the best throwing coach out there, according to Schumacher. When Blutreich moved from Arizona State to Oregon in August, two of his star pupils with proven results in major tournaments transferred as

community that used to care about track and field.

“There’s an existing community that I want to be able to reach out to,” Schumacher said. “Find ways to have them feel like they’re a part of everything we do here and part of our program, because that’s how Hayward Field was built.”

The World Championships showed the potential of what a refurbished and world class Hayward could be at full capacity. That is exactly what Schumacher wanted the event to do.

“It felt like we were finding our footing again in the sport here,” Schumacher said about the World Championships. “I’m hoping we can build off that energy. Some of that will be with the community and making sure that our fanbase is strong and that people want to come back and watch track and field.”

Things like the kid half lap with the Duck during Twilight or allowing the community to meet with athletes before the previews are great bonds, but difficult to solidify with only two home meets this season. The program will have to make up for it with a successful conference and national campaign.

A new head coach’s arrival is typically like a hand grenade, blowing everything up for a clean slate. Schumacher kept working pieces in place by bringing back sprinting, relay and hurdling coach Curtis Taylor. “It was kind of an easy decision,” Schumacher said after looking at Taylor’s history and records set in his nine seasons with Oregon.

For distance and cross country, Schumacher brought heavy artillery with him from the Bowerman Track Club, Shalane Flanagan. The 2008 Olympic silver medalist and 2017 New York City Marathon winner has breathed fresh air into the deflating distance team. Under Flanagan, the men’s and women’s cross country teams finished 13 and 10 places higher than they did at the 2021

well: Jorinde van Klinken and Shelby Moran.

Reigning NCAA discus champion and shot put runner up, van Klinken declared to Oregon for her final year of eligibility. She set a collegiate record, Dutch national record and school record in her first shot put appearance as a Duck in February, throwing 19.57 meters. Moran finished fifth in hammer toss at the NCAAs last year, but stands at No. 3 in Oregon history with a throw of 66.6 meters at the Oregon Twilight on May 5.

Winning results aren’t everything, but they certainly correlate with captivating a

It’s a symbiotic relationship: Improved results from Oregon athletes drive up attendance, igniting the magic of Hayward once again, and community support elevates the Ducks to achieve success on the track.

Shana Grebo competes in the women’s 400-meter race during the 2023 Oregon Twilight meet on May 5, securing a first-place victory. (Jonathan Suni/Emerald)

HOW THE OREGON SPRINTERS FARED AT THE 2023 OREGON TWILIGHT

Kwabena Lynn battles through injury to represent Oregon track and field in the 100 meter.

BY KEIJI PATTERSON • TWITTER @PATTERSON_KEIJI

Oregon track & field hosted its annual “Oregon Twilight” meet to conclude the regular season and send off its seniors in their final time at Hayward Field.

With the 2023 Pac-12 Championships coming up this Friday, the majority of the team rested during the Twilight meet.

Oregon senior Kwabena Lynn was the lone representative for the Ducks in the 100 meter dash. As he continues to recover from a back injury he suffered during a 200 meter race from the indoor season, his race during the Twilight was only his second outdoor event of the season.

“I think the first race was probably a much better time. The second race wasn’t great. The conditions weren’t great,” Lynn said. “I didn’t really execute the race model the way that I needed to, so the race didn’t go well. For only having two races there’s still a lot more season left.”

Lynn blazed down the 100 meter stretch with a time of 10.58 seconds at the Oregon State High Performance on April 28. He failed to top that at Twilight, but he still managed to run sub 11 seconds with his 10.72 second time to finish in fourth place on the day.

Due to upcoming postseason meets and his lingering injury, Lynn was a late scratch in the 200 meter event. He will next compete in the 100 meter at Pac-12s, while he’ll also wait in the wings as a 4x100 meter relay alternate.

“I got hurt at the beginning of the outdoor season…and I only ran one 200 [meter] in the entire season,” Lynn said. “During that 200 [meter] I got a serious injury that I’m still kind of dealing with.”

When asked about his injury and recovery process, Lynn responded with candid details.

“I basically fell at the end of the 200 [meter] in January and messed up my back pretty bad,” he said. “It was either a strain or some bones moved out of place and muscles were tensing up as a result. It’s been a lot of treatment and rehab that has helped me get back to being able to run with less pain each time.”

Lynn also discussed how fellow teammate Micah Williams has impacted him during practice.

“After a while I guess you get desensitized to seeing someone that fast…it’s interesting to say that’s your teammate and someone you train with,” he said. “It helps you build

confidence. At a meet there isn’t going to be anyone faster than him.”

Oregon’s sprinter Sydney Holiday ran the first race of her sophomore campaign, although she raced unattached from the program. Holiday has been on the road to recovery since she had a baby prior to the 2023 indoor and outdoor track seasons.

As she continues to progress towards competition shape, Holiday held her own in the 100 meter in last Friday’s meet as she clocked a 12.51. She placed third in the event as family, friends and teammates raucously rooted her on.

It is unclear whether or not Holiday will compete in postseason meets this year — or if she will put all her eggs in one basket for the 2024 season.

The only other sprinters to compete in this meet were Camden Wheeler, Shana Grebo and Jordyn Blake.

Wheeler, a sophomore, ran a scorching 400 meter time of 48.25, although he fell short of the crown and placed second.

Grebo and Blake specialize in the 400 meter dash as well, and boy did they not disappoint. Grebo and Blake torched the field with their times of 52.95 and 56.80, respectively. Grebo secured the victory, while Blake finished third, making for a Duck majority podium.

With the regular season in the rear view mirror, the Ducks will travel to Walnut, CA, May 12-14, to compete for their 15th straight conference championship in the men’s and second straight in the women.

Kwabena Lynn competes in the 100-meter race at Oregon Twilight at Hayward Field on May 5, 2023 (Couresty of Isaac Wasserman / Eric Evans Photo)

OPINION: THE UNITED STATES NEEDS TO TREAT TRACK AND FIELD THE SAME WAY EUROPE DOES

Europeans celebrate Track and Field, why doesn’t the U.S.?

BY NINA-GRACE MONTES

TWITTER @NINAGRACEMONTES

In the Munich Olympic Stadium in Germany, every fan rose to their feet.

During the past European Athletics Championships in August 2022, 55,000 fans were in attendance for the opening ceremony, which set the stage for 11 straight days of worldclass sports performances.

The event took over the entire stadium. Live DJs, graffiti walls, performance artists, jugglers, marching bands, acrobats and laser light shows followed the flag ceremony as they not only celebrated the start of the championships, but the 50th anniversary of the 1972 Munich Olympic games.

All across Europe, fans treat track and field like Americans treat football.

On the other side of the Atlantic Ocean, Americans treat track and field differently. For the first time, the World Athletic Championships came to the United States in 2022 when Eugene hosted the games last summer.

World Athletics’ choice to hold the competition in Eugene was an unusual move, as Oregon22 bypassed the normal bidding process because the organization wanted to have the event in the United States to grow the

sport. After the New York Times called Eugene “a crunchy university town,” sports fans seemed wary about going to the event as attendance did not reach the set goals.

“I feel like track and field could be huge in America,” Christian Coleman, former world champion in the 100 meter, said. “You have a lot of kids that run track here and would love the opportunity to see us run in different places.”

Even though attendance wasn’t what officials were planning it to be, American track athletes still gave amazing performances. Kara Winger, the most decorated javelin thrower in American history, won a silver medal and retired shortly after the games. Sydney McLaughlin broke her own world record and won the women’s 400-meter hurdle and Allyson Felix ran her last race in Eugene. After 10 days of competition, many world records were broken and history was made.

“The challenge is to form a really clear connect with what they are doing — particularly those recreational runners — and believing they are part of that track and field landscape,” World Athletics president

Sebastian Coe said.

Europe has found a way to stay excited about track and one of the biggest reasons is because of the schedule. Races happen continuously. As soon as the previous runners cross the line, the next group is ready to run. There are no big time gaps, no warmups; just racing.

Another major factor is that U.S.based sports media companies like ESPN and NBC don’t talk about track and field. Despite claiming to cover the sport, they don’t have anything that fans can interact with that analyzes the sport like they do with baseball, basketball and football. In Europe, track and field athletes are household names that get constant media attention so they always stay relevant. European and other countries seem to have built track and field into their sports fandom, and the United States has resistance for some reason. Even if U.S. track and field makes the changes to make competitions an experience, I think the bigger question that needs to be asked is it too late for U.S. fans to accept it?

Sydney McLaughlin waves to the Hayward Field crowd after breaking the 400-meter hurdles world record at the USATF Outdoor National Championships (Photo Courtesy of Kevin Neri).

DUCKS RETURN TO HAYWARD AFTER HOME HIATUS

Oregon tallies eight wins in the final meet of the regular season

BY ELLIOTT DEINES • TWITTER @ELLIOTTD_SPORTS

A lackluster crowd showed up for the rain soaked Oregon Twilight at Hayward Field last Friday. Blame it on the weather, post pandemic weirdness or a World Championships hangover, but there seems to be a bit of magic missing in Track Town, USA. Seniors and Officials were honored as the Ducks had their first home competition since the Oregon Previews 48 days ago.

men’s 1500 meter McChesney mile as a redshirted unattached runner. Cook was less than a second off his collegiate best, finishing in 3:39.52.

“We were a little slow for the majority of the race,” Cook said. “The race kind of changed in a sense than what I was mentally preparing for. Wasn’t too much of an issue, though. [Coach] Jerry [Schumacher] told me, ‘Don’t worry about the time. It’s more about winning the race. Time will come.’”

Sophomores Mason Strunk and Josephine Krohn got things started early for Oregon by placing second in the men’s hammer throw and women’s javelin with personal bests of 66.43 meters and 46.09 respectively.

Shelby Moran outthrew her next nearest competitor by 13.35 meters in the women’s hammer. The junior and Arizona State transfer improved her season’s best to 66.6 meters.

In her first race as a Duck in over a year, Shana Grebo was the Ducks’ first victor in the evening’s running events. The French international competitor seemed to have first place in the women’s 400 meter locked up while launching off the block, completing her lap in 52.95 seconds.

“I could barely sleep,” Grebo said. “I was super happy to just wear the gear again and have fun with my friends and teammates. I was really excited about this weekend. The time is not great, but I’ll take it as an original mark. I’m just waiting for a better race, better conditions and stuff.”

Oregon’s Elliott Cook won the

In the women’s 800 meter, Ella Nelson and Mia Moerck took first and second. The sophomore and senior finished less than half a second apart. Matthew Erickson utilized a strong kick to extend his lead on the homestretch of the men’s 800 meter. Pumping his arms and breathing through his teeth, the sophomore finished in 1:49.72.

Although fouling three times, Mine de

Klerk’s third throw of 51.96 meters was more than enough to place her atop the leaderboard in women’s discus. Continuing the season trend of dominant women throwers, the sophomore’s fifth attempt of 50.7 meters would have still been 2 meters farther than the nearest competition.

“I was feeling pretty good. My warm up throws weren’t that great so I was a little stressed out about it,” de Klerk said. The fouls didn’t bother her too much –– except for one that felt really good coming off her hand. She just reset, forgot about it and moved on to the next throw.

“Even though today didn’t go as well as I had hoped, maybe with a little bit more pressure and competition, I’ll finally get the big one I’ve been training and waiting for,” de Klerk said about the Pac-12 championships next week. Next weekend, Oregon will head to Walnut, California, for the Pac-12 Championships beginning Friday, May 12 until Sunday, May 14.

Jonah Tactay shows off his senior plaque during the break in the meet to recognize the seniors. (Jonathan Suni)

Senior long jumper, Lexi Ellis, laughs with her teammates as she is recognized for her incredible accomplishments during her time at the University of Oregon. (Jonathan Suni, Emerald)

Mia Moerck (left) and Ella Nelson (right) shake hands after a rough showing in the women’s 1500m race. (Jonathan Suni, Emerald)

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