A few things …
— There are some big names and fan favorites missing from the stripped-down Oregon Track Club Elite roster, made public yesterday.
Gone are two-time U.S. Olympians Andrew Wheating and Jesse Williams. Former University of Oregon mid-distance stars Mac Fleet and Jordan McNamara are MIA. So are mid-distance runner Tyler Mulder, 2016 Jamaican Olympian Aisha Praught and 2016 Greek Olympian Alexi Pappas.
It’s not a surprise the roster doesn’t include world decathlon record-holder Ashton Eaton and reigning world indoor penathlon champion Brianne Theisen-Eaton.
They announced their retirement last month. The absence of Team Eaton and the departure of Williams, 33, the 2011 World Outdoor high jump champ, more sharply focuses OTC Elite as a mid-distance/distance training group.
There are 12 athletes on the roster, down from 20 in 2015.
Praught previously announced she and her husband, Will Leer, had moved to Boulder. She has joined Olympic bronze medalist Emma Coburn as part of a training group coached by Joe Bosshard.
At least some athletes no longer with the Eugene-based, Nike-sponsored training club probably lost sponsorship.
Wheating told the R-G’s Chris Hansen he left of his own volition. He said he still is working with OTC Elite coach Mark Rowland.
Wheating is 29, been slowed by injuries in recent years and didn’t make the 2016 U.S. Olympic team after being part of Team USA in Beijing and London.
https://www.oregonlive.com/trackandfield/index.ssf/2016/06/eight_years_after_his_breakout.html
http://www.oregonlive.com/trackandfield/index.ssf/2016/07/how_do_you_make_the_olympics_f.html
http://www.oregonlive.com/trackandfield/index.ssf/2016/07/andrew_wheating_at_the_olympic.html
The 12-member OTC Elite includes Charles Jock, Elijah Greer, Andrew Osagie, Ben Blankenship, Pat Casey, Hassan Mead, Francine Niyonsaba, Harun Abda, Nijel Amos, Sheila Reid, Tom Farrell and Sally Kipyego.
The men’s 800/1,500 event group — which includes Amos, the 2012 Olympic silver medalist — looks golden.
But in what might be a jarring development for the Hayward Field faithful, Greer is the only former Oregon Duck on the roster.
— The star-studded Prefontaine Classic men’s pole vault field is exected to include world record-holder Renaud Lavillenie of France, reigning Olympic gold medalist Thiago Braz da Silva of Brazil and Olympic bronze medalist Sam Kendrick of the U.S.
Here is the complete release from the Pre Classic about this year men’s pole vault.
The Pre Classic will take place May 26-27 at Hayward Field.
Lavillenie, incidentally, has an unspecified injury, and could miss the European Indoor Championships.
— Long-time Roseburg High School track and cross country coach Jim Robinson died last week at 77 from complications of multiple sclerosis and leukemia.
Robinson was head coach of the Roseburg track and/or cross country teams from 1966-86. His team won the large-school boys state championship in 1969. He was a shining example of courage and perseverance while continuing to coach after his M.S. diagnosis.
OK, more links:
FloTrack’s Meg Bellino says you should keep an eye on the men’s 5k at this weekend’s Husky Classic, which will include another chapter in the rivalry between Oregon’s Edward Cheserek and Washington’s Colby Gilbert. Ex-University of Portland star Woody Kincaid debuts as a member of the Bowerman Track Club in the 3,000.
http://www.oregonlive.com/trackandfield/index.ssf/2016/05/washingtons_colby_gilbert_has.html
The Oregon is the USTFCCCA’s women’s scholar cross country team of the year. The Ducks had a team GPA of 3.42.
Usain Bolt’s All Stars — and former Oregon star Jenna Prandini — win again in the Nitro Series in Melbourne, Australia.
Sabbatical recharges Lauren Fleshman for the challenges ahead.
The experts at LetsRun.com have this ‘Fan’s Guide’ to Saturday’s Millrose Games. They make some predictions too.
The Bowerman Track Club’s Ryan Hill feels he has a lot to prove in this year’s Millrose Games.
Once fierce rivals, Shannon Rowbury and Sifan Hassan are teammates on the Nike Oregon Project.
Rowbury faces a loaded field in the women’s Wanamaker Mile at Saturday’s Millrose Games. Unfortunately the field will not include arch-rival Jenny Simpson.
Oklahoma State’s Kaela Edwards takes aim at the collegiate record in the indoor mile at the Millrose Games.
Matt Centrowitz is expected to follow though on a pledge to son, Matthew, and get a tattoo this weeknd.
Erin Strout of Runner’s World has five things to watch in Millrose games, including the men’s two-mile and the women’s Wanamaker Mile.
Could prep pole vault star Armand Duplantis clear 19 feet at the Millrose Games?
Olympic high jump champ Derek Drouin says he will move to the decathlon.
Oregon State coach Kelly Sullivan will have some athletes open their 2017 seasons this weekend in Seattle.
Concordia’s nationally-ranked throwers hope to do some damage at the Husky Classic.
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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