#USATF Championships: Women of Oregon Leaving Their Mark

After three days of competition at the US Track and Field Championships at Hayward Field, current and former members of the Oregon Ducks family have shown the speed and ability to enter international competition and qualify for the IAAF World Championships, including a few surprises including Raevyn Rogers who won the 800 meters. Rogers will represent the US in the Pan American Games later this summer.

Oregon Alum Phyllis Francis was the big story of the day, getting through the early heats the first few days of competition and finishing the 400 meter final in 50.67 seconds. Oregon will also be represented on the world stage with Junior Jenna Prandini who earned points in the three events(100m, 200m, Long Jump) she participated in earlier this month in the NCAA Track and Field Championships. She picked up twenty six points overall leading the Oregon Women to their first team title in thirty years.

Prandini is already in the relay pool for the World’s and had decided to focus on distance events, opting out of competition in the Long Jump. She did qualify in her heat running a 22.18 getting her into the Final in the 100 meters on Sunday. The Oregon Men also had a solid showing into the third day of competition at Hayward Field.

Oregon Alum Galen Rupp, who won the 10000 meters on Friday night also qualified for the 5000 meter final, which was suppsed to take place on Saturday evening, but was pushed back to Sunday morning because of the heat. Temperatures in and around Eugene on Saturday afternoon came close to the one-hundred degree mark.

Other notable men’s performances included Blake Haney, who became a U.S. Champion in the 1500 meters after finishing third in the NCAA Championships. Haney will join Rogers in Edmonton for the Pan American games. Matthew Centrowitz won the 1500 meters for the Men and Marcus Chambers finished sixth in the Men’s 400 meter final. He will have a chance to compete on the relay team in the World’s for Oregon.