A couple things …
— I was privileged to have a ringside seat for the athletic careers of Ashton Eaton and Brianne Theisen-Eaton from the time they entered the University of Oregon onward.
I saw them win NCAA Championships, Olympic medals, world championships, and saw Ashton Eaton break world records
I still firmly believe Eaton was the world’s best athlete regardless of sport right up until the moment last month when he announced his retirement.
I can’t see anybody else out there who has the raw speed to run the 100 meters in 10.21 seconds, the strength to throw a javelin more than 218 feet and the coordination and gymnastic ability to pole vault nearly 18 feet.
What made Eaton and Theisen-Eaton such a delight, though, had less to do with their talent and skill and more to do with how unaffected they were by their accomplishments.
They seemed to me to be the same unassuming people they were last summer in Rio de Janeiro they were first time I saw them compete for the Ducks.
http://www.oregonlive.com/trackandfield/index.ssf/2017/01/world_record-holder_ashton_eat_2.html
Eugene will get an opportunity to appreciate the accomplishments and legacy of ‘Team Eaton’ at tonight’s TrackTown Tuesday meeting in the Eugene Athletic Club.
The meeting begins with a 6 p.m. social hour. For more information, here is the official release about TrackTown Tuesday from TrackTown USA.
— UO sophomore hurdler Alaysha Johnson gets overshadowed, perhaps, by teammate Sasha Wallace, who has the indoor season’s college lead in the 60-meter hurdles.
But Johnson has a lot going for her, as I discovered while working on this story for The Oregonian/OregonLive.com.
http://www.oregonlive.com/trackandfield/index.ssf/2017/02/oregon_duck_alaysha_johnson_is.html#incart_river_index
Johnson is smart and articulate, and expects to have her master’s degree by the time she completes her college eligibility. Oh, and she was an Olympic Trials semifinalist in the 100 hurdles.
Curtis Taylor, her events coach, thinks Johnson could be one heck of a lawyer when her athletic career concludes.
“I think that would be a good fit for her,” Taylor said. “She is is honest and tough, but also compassionate. She is exactly what you need a lawyer to be.”
Ok, more links:
The Oregon Ducks hold their spots in college track’s indoor rankings.
Liability waiver for unpaid, volunteer track officials working at Hayward Field comes under fire.
Jackie Robinson could have been an Olympian. His older brother, Mack, was a silver medalist.
Arizona hurdler Sage Watson is one of the USTFCCCA’s athletes of the week.
The Indiana men and Minnesota women are ranked No. 1 in the final set of Track & Field News college indoor, dual-meet rankings.
Opportunity looms for Brandon McGorty, the Virginia prep star, at the Millrose Games.
Elite athletes prepare for Saturday’s Millrose Games.
A primer for the Millrose Games.
Waleed Suliman, a Sudanese high school distance runner who came to the U.S as a refugee, decries President Donald Trump’s immigration order.
Alan Abrahamson in 3 Wire Sports: IOC doesn’t have to like Donald Trump, but that shouldn’t prevent it from awarding the 2024 Olympics to Los Angeles.
IAAF upholds the Russian ban through the 2017 World Outdoor Championships, and freezes nationality switches.
Adam Kopet of DyeStat.com: Russians apparently will need to accept responsibility before being reinstated.
IAAF president Sebastian Coe says the Russians shouldn’t expect reinstatement before November.
Russian official says some Russian coaches don’t know how to work without doping.
IAAF official says there currently is a ‘wholesale market for African talent open to the highest bidder.’
These photos in Runner’s World illustrate what a mud bath the USATF Cross Country Championships were.
Usain Bolt pronounces Nitro Athletics a success and begins thinking about the next step.
Security concerns cause the U.S. to pull out of this year’s World Youth Championships in Kenya.
This is the final year of the World Youth Championships.
USATF/TrackTown USA president Vin Lananna gets props in the Monday Morning Run, written by Jesse Squire for the Daily Relay.
Scot Laura Muir takes aim at another record.
The FloTrack crazies review the weekend as only they can in the latest Run Junkie.
USATF’s recap of last weekend’s action.
The front page for LetsRun.com.
The links package from Track & Field News.
The links from Duck Sports Now.
The links from Beaver Sports Now.
— Ken Goe
kgoe@oregonian.com | @KenGoe
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