The "City of Athletics" welcomes the World Championships for the first time

As a biennial track and field event, the World Athletics Championships has attracted nearly 2,000 elite athletes from around the world in almost every session since its inception. Being able to host the World Athletics Championships is not only an honor for a city, but also reflects the city's sports strength and cultural atmosphere!

On July 15, 2022, the 18th World Athletics Championships will officially kick off in the small town of Eugene, Oregon, USA. In the past, the United States team, as the number one in gold medals and medals at the World Championships, also ushered in the opportunity to play at home for the first time.

Eugene, the host city of this World Championships, is famous for its sports culture and has the reputation of the "Track and Field City" in the United States. July 2022 will usher in its most shining moment on the sports label, and it will also leave a wonderful mark in the history of this city!

"City of Track and Field"

Oregon is located in the northwest of the United States near the Pacific Ocean. Eugene is the third largest city in Oregon, but it is also a small city with a small population. The city's population is only a few hundred thousand, but the area still maintains a good natural environment and original style. For a long time, the main pillars of Eugene's economy have been livestock and timber. However, this place that seems closer to the cowboy style is actually the most famous "track and field city" in the United States.

Eugene is home to the famous University of Oregon, a century-old school founded in 1876. What makes the University of Oregon famous is not its century-old history, nor the fact that it has produced three Nobel Prize winners, but the school's sports atmosphere and sports tradition.

University of Oregon Team

At the University of Oregon, the school team is called the "Ducks track and field team". This team has 18 teams in various sports. Best known for its football team and track and field events. The Ducks track and field team has won 28 NCAA team championships and 60 NCAA individual championships in the past track and field competitions, which is enough to earn Eugene the reputation of "TrackTown".

Legendary Blessing

In the history of the University of Oregon and even Eugene, a famous track and field coach must be mentioned: Bill Bowerman, who was born in 1911. Died in 1999. During his coaching career, he has coached 31 Olympians, 12 American record-setters, 22 NCAA champions, and 16 runners who broke 4 minutes for the mile.

Of course, many honors are inseparable from outstanding athletes. Bowerman trained many world-class track and field athletes at the University of Oregon, the most legendary of which is Steve Prefontaine.

Steve Prefontaine, the legendary American middle-distance running star in the 1970s, died in a car accident in 1975 at the age of 24. Before entering the University of Oregon, Prefontaine was just a kid from a small town with nothing but a talent for running.

Under the training of legendary coach Bill Bowerman, Prefontaine became the most famous long-distance runner in American history. In his short 24-year life, he created and maintained the 2000 U.S. Seven national records from 10,000 meters to 10,000 meters, and numerous championships.

Unfortunately, on May 29, 1975, Prefontaine participated in his last game and won the gold medal. He unfortunately died in a car accident early the next morning. His short but glorious life inspired countless people, and people still remember him deeply today.

Runners from all over the world make three important visits when they come to Eugene: Hayward Track, Prefontaine Memorial Track, and Pre's Rock.

Pre's Rock is the place where Prefontaine died in a car accident, which is enough to highlight Prefontaine's significance and influence on the city.

To this day, the Prefontaine Classic is held every year at Oregon State University. This game was originally named the Bowerman Classic in honor of University of Oregon track and field coach Bill Bowerman.

However, because Steve Prefontaine died in a car accident in 1975, the Oregon Track Club changed its name to the Prefontaine Classic at Bowerman's instruction. , to commemorate this legendary track and field athlete. This famous event continues to this day and has produced four world records.

Another famous sports brand, Nike, is also something that must be mentioned. Nike's headquarters is located in another small town only 111 miles away from Eugene. It was founded by former University of Oregon track and field head coach Bill Bowerman and former University of Oregon track and field athlete Phil Knight, who also had a mentor-student relationship.

Prefontaine is also the first runner signed by Nike. So far, Nike still has a very close relationship with the University of Oregon. As for more detailed stories, I recommend everyone to read the book "Shoe Dog" written by Nike founder Phil Knight.

Hayward Track and Field

In addition to legendary coaches and athletes, the University of Oregon also has an even more legendary athletic field. The venue for the World Championships in Eugene is the Hayward Track and Field Stadium, which the University of Oregon is proud of.

This century-old track and field, established in 1919, was named after Bill Hayward, the former University of Oregon track and field head coach. He is Bill Bowerman's track and field coach, which shows that the University of Oregon's historical inheritance in the field of track and field is also impressive.

Hayward Track and Field was built in 1921 as a six-track cinder track that doubled as a football field. In 1967, rugby moved to Autzen Stadium, and this comprehensive venue began to become a dedicated track and field venue. In the fall of 1969, Hayward Track and Field underwent a major renovation, a new, state-of-the-art professional track was laid, and the number of tracks was increased to eight.

Hayward Track and Field is one of the few tracks in the United States that has been certified by the IAAF Level 1. Even the University of Oregon is confident that Hayward The German Athletics Stadium is the best track and field stadium in the world today. In order to prepare for the World Championships, the University of Oregon began a two-year overhaul of the venue in 2018.

Now, the renovated Hayward Track and Field can not only provide athletes with the best training and competition conditions, but also provide a comfortable viewing experience for spectators.

The front row seats are placed directly next to the track, which allows the audience to get as close as possible to the athletes on the field. At the same time, each seat is 60 cm wide. See here The game will give you a comfortable experience physically and mentally. The stadium can accommodate 13,000 people per day during normal times, but can accommodate up to 30,000 spectators during large events such as the World Championships.

In addition, at the Hayward Track and Field Stadium, the venue is encapsulated from all angles, showing the unique natural beauty of Oregon. There are particularly obvious wood elements from decoration to appearance, which not only fits the traditional cultural characteristics of Eugene, but also demonstrates Eugene's value concept of integrating the city and nature everywhere.

Beginning with the 1962 NCAA Championships, the prestigious Hayward Track and Field has witnessed countless great achievements in track and field.

In 1972, 21-year-old Steve Prefontaine improved his own American record by 6.8 seconds in the 5,000 meters in 13:22.8 in front of 23,000 spectators. .

This is the most classic game in the history of American track and field. Not only the results of the game, but also the noise created by the enthusiastic audience is the highest in history. This is Prefontaine's masterpiece, and it is also the masterpiece of Hayward Track and Field. The race even inspired a running craze in the United States in the 1970s.

After 1972, Hayward Track and Field hosted the U.S. Olympic Trials six times, in 1976, 1980, 2008, 2012, 2016 and 2021.

Today, Hayward Track and Field has become a solid cornerstone of the U.S. Track and Field Championships and a sacred place of American track and field glory. Here, iconic track and field legends such as Steve Prefontaine and Bill Bowerman still influence the footsteps of countless followers.

Chinese players also left many precious marks on this venue. In 2012, Liu Xiang ran a time of 12.87 seconds with a tailwind of 2.4 meters/second; in 2015, Su Bingtian broke the 10-second mark for the first time, setting a national record of 9.99 seconds for the men's 100 meters; Zhang Guowei jumped 2.38 meters. The result is only 1 centimeter away from the national high jump record of 2.39 meters.

In July 2022, the best stadium in the United States will provide a gorgeous stage for about 2,000 athletes from more than 200 countries and regions. This prestigious and legendary track and field venue is about to usher in the first World Track and Field Championships in American history. What kind of achievements will it create? Half a month later, the answer will be revealed.