Wednesday, June 29, 2016 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon
Running commentary
By Charlie kanzig
Correspondent
Olympic track and field
trials are in our backyard
starting Friday
I sat down with Tate
Metcalf, owner of Sisters
Athletic Club and former
coach of Ashton Eaton —
reigning Olympic champion
and world record-holder in
the decathlon — to get his
take on Eaton’s approach
to defending his title at the
Olympic trials, which run
July 1-10 at Hayward Field in
Eugene.
“First, he has to qualify,”
said Metcalf, laughing. “A
lot can go wrong over the
two days and 10 events of the
decathlon, and even the world
champion can have an event
or two go wrong, but Ashton
is certainly the favorite.”
Nothing went wrong four
years ago when Eaton, at age
24, not only shattered the
American record, but eclipsed
the world record with 9039
points at Hayward Field, the
same track on which he com-
peted as a high school and
college athlete. Four years
later, this is likely Eaton’s
swan song as a decathlete.
“I’ve talked to him quite a
bit in the last two weeks, and
he always wants to put on a
show, but he needs to just get
through the trials and focus
on peaking in Rio. He better
make that team now that I am
committed to going!”
Eaton’s life has changed
dramatically in the last four
years. He is the two-time
world outdoor champion and
the two-time indoor cham-
pion, which means he has
sponsorship obligations. He
married his college sweet-
heart, Brianne Theisen, who
is a world-class heptathlete
for Canada. The couple lives
in Washington and has their
training base in Eugene with
long-time coach Harry Marra,
who directs both of them.
As his former coach,
Metcalf now sees his role
simply as Eaton’s friend and
encourager.
“I wasn’t planning to
make the trip, but my wife
and I were watching TV and
a commercial came on pro-
moting the summer Olympics
and there was Ashton in the
starting blocks. Seeing him
like that brought tears to our
eyes, and I told Aimee right
then ‘I need to go to Rio’.”
Metcalf will be on hand in
Brazil, thanks to Eaton’s gen-
erosity of promising tickets
for him.
“I am glad I get to go.
Ashton, Brianne, and even
Coach Marra, told me that it
makes such a difference to be
able to hear familiar voices
and see familiar faces in the
crowd, when you are in such
a big venue and so far from
home. I know years from
now I will never regret the
expense of traveling and stay-
ing in Rio.”
Metcalf thinks even those
who don’t count themselves
as track fans should go for a
day of the trials.
He said, “Think of it
this way. The most popu-
lar events for Americans to
watch at the summer games
are swimming, gymnastics,
and track and field. People
did not swarm to Omaha
and won’t flock to San José
for the swimming and gym-
nastics. But thousands of
people will pack the stands in
Eugene because they want to
see some of the finest athletes
in the world compete. These
will be the same men and
women who will be in Rio,
viewed by millions world-
wide and we can see them up
close and personal with noth-
ing more than a two-hour
drive and a $50 ticket. The
magic of Hayward Field is
real. As far as track and field
goes, there is nothing like it
in the world.”
He sees coming to
Hayward Field as a way
to make the Olympics on
television that much more
interesting.
“You’ve got a connection
with them because it’s so up-
close and personal.”
He’s right. So here’s to
encouraging anyone with
a free day or two between
July 1-10 to get online, buy a
ticket, drive to Eugene, park
at Autzen Stadium and walk
or shuttle to Hayward Field.
Tickets start at about $40,
which I consider a bargain
considering the elite level
of competition you get to
witness.
If you can’t find a ticket or
have a large group, consider
taking in the free Fan Festival
that is staged just behind
Hayward Field. Food, games,
live-screen action and mer-
chandise are available. It’s a
perfect place to meet up with
friends and still experience
the electricity of the meet
going on next door.
Eaton will compete
Saturday, July 2 and Sunday,
July 3.
“If people can only go
for one day, I might recom-
mend going on day two of
the decathlon to see if Ashton
defends his title,” Tate
said.
Eaton is the only Central
Oregon connection to the
trials, but there are plenty
of runners who train in
Eugene and Portland who
will be among the headlin-
ers, including 10,000-meter
silver medalist Galen Rupp,
1,500-meter runner Matthew
Centrowitz, and 800-meter
runner Raevyn Rogers, stee-
ple-chaser Evan Jager, and
5,000-meter runner Shalane
Flanagan.
Being at the trials will be
the highlight of summer for
me, and I hope to see some
folks from Sisters in Eugene.
Schedule and ticket infor-
mation can be found at www.
gotracktownusa.com.
sisters eagle
Airport
hosts Fourth
of July event
Sisters Eagle Airport will
host its annual Fourth of July
festivities on Monday, July 4,
with a fly-in, hot rod show,
pancake breakfast, skydiving
and other activities.
Visitors will be able to
stroll among rows of air-
craft and custom cars on the
tarmac.
A 5K run/walk will ben-
efit the Sisters High School
swim team. Visit www.sisters
airport.com for a link to
register.
The Great Rubber Chicken
Drop features participants
buying squares on the runway
and planes dropping rubber
chickens on (or off) target.
Prizes to winners who end up
with a chicken in their square.
The fly-in event runs from
7 a.m. to noon at the airport,
located at the intersection of
Camp Polk Road and Barclay
Drive in Sisters.
Northwest Wines,
Friends & Cuisine
Exceptional Cuisine at the Metolius River
Hair &
Nails
Natural &
Artifi cial
541-549-6566
484 W. Washington Ave., Ste. B
9
B F.-S., : ..; D
Call 541-595-6420 for Reservations | www.kokaneecafe.com