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| A limited number of spectators were privy to one of the best Olympic Trials on record. |
By Harry Cummins
The recently concluded United States Olympic Track and Field Trials, contested in Eugene, Oregon amid the safety measures of a global pandemic, an unprecedented deadly heat wave in the Pacific Northwest and controversial doping suspensions, will go down in the record books as perhaps the greatest of all time.
With competition as heated as the soaring temperatures emanating from the sparkling new Hayward Field track, a 10-day assault on the record books produced the following:
2 World Records
2 World U20 Records
3 World U18 Records
5 American Records
4 American U20 Records
3 American U18 Records
22 Olympic Trials Meet Records
Our United States team heading to Tokyo this month is headlined by new world record holders Ryan Crouser (Shot) and Sydney McLaughlin (400H). It also features a 17 year-old sprinter who broke Usain Bolt's youth records (Erriyon Knighton) and a long jumper/high jumper from LSU (JuVaughn Harrison) who accomplished things not seen since the days of Jim Thorpe.
The Track and Field portion of the Games begins July 30 and continues thru August 8, 2021. The Tokyo Olympics, postponed for a year due to the pandemic, are set to begin on July 23. Spectators will now be barred from attending events in the nation's capital. This announcement comes just weeks after organizers announced crowds of up to 10,000 would be allowed at Olympic venues.
Must-see TV has now become 'the only way to see'.
hcummins@aol.com Follow Tokyo Games T & F here on Craw's Corner
