One of my favorite events in the world outside high school sports and college football is about to unfold in what is the greatest track and field venue in the world. Hayward Field is the trackophiles true "Field of Dreams' not just nationally but worldwide. With action starting up this Friday, I thought it might be fun to give a shout out to a few athletes that will be fun to follow and cheer on over the next ten days. Many with local ties and some with stories on how they got to Eugene in the first place you can't help but pull for them.

ANDREW WHEATING-One of the best stories to come around in a while. Not even a high school runner but a soccer player who leaves Vermont and comes to University of Oregon. Running competitively for just a couple of years, finishes second in the NCAA 800 meters last month with a 1:45.32 which gives him the 5th best time of the field. This Duck has just scratched the surface of his potential and has track enthusiasts buzzing. He has 'declared for both the 800 and 1500 meter races. The 800 will be run this coming weekend and the 1500 is the last event that closes the trials on July 6th. So he will get a break and can attempt to make the team in the 1500 Meters if he doesn't get into the 800. (Top three finishers get to go if they meet the Olympic "A" Standard). By the time he's done at U of O he could be one of the all-time greats. He has a blistering kick and is a blast to watch coming down the home stretch where he's been mowing down runners.

NICK SYMMONDS-With the second best time in the 800 Meters, he's one of the favories to make the team. Formerly from Willamette University, he capped a stellar collegiate career with a successful leap in with the world class runners and is one of three entrants with a sub 1:45 time. A two-time US Outdoor 800 runner-up, it might be a blast to watch him and Wheating both emerge from the back of the pack like Dave Wottle did at Hayward back in 1972 to grab berths on the team. Hayward would go absolutely gonzo.

LOPEZ LOMANG-He's not a Oregon kid but one of the "Lost Boys of Sudan" with an amazing story. As a six year old he walked out of Sudan with his family but was seperated and gave them up for dead. Many of the kids he was with were killed by rebels or eaten by wild animals. He made his way to a refugee camp where he spent the next 10 years before coming to the United States. He attended Northern Arizona before pursuing a full-time carreer running. This past season while running in Europe he found out his birth parents were still alive and in another refugee camp on the Sudanese border. He will contend in both the 800 and 1500 races as well.

RACHEL YURKOVICH-From Oregon's 'cradle of javelin throwers' and recent NCAA Champion, Yurkovich is maybe one of the last great throwers from Newberg High School under Joe Boutin's tutelage. She enters the competition just shy of a 60 meter throw and the fifth best mark. Mallory Webb, also from Newberg is also entered.

ASHTON EATON- Eaton, from University of Oregon and Mountain View High School in Bend is looked upon as the next Dan O'Brien by some. He is good in the hurdles and running events and quickly getting the field events down with plenty of PR's coming off his NCAA Championship and could contend for a spot to Bejing though just entering with the seventh best mark. He keeps improving with every decathlon. With a home field advantage, it could be reminiscent of 1984 when the zany Hayward crowd kept kept pushing their beloved Ducks into PR's and in this case a trip to Bejing. Another ex-Oregon boy, Tom Pappas, who attended Lane Community before moving to Tennessee has a good shot as well. Bryan Clay should be favored in this event.

TOMMY SKIPPER-From Sandy High School and University of Oregon, the tremendously talented Skipper will chase ex-UW Husky Brad Walker in the pole vault. Skipper has faced a rash of bad luck but with the home crowd and a new pole and some time to regain his health, he could easily make the Olympic team as he enters with the 5th best mark. Watch Walker though who has been on a tear and has a shot at becoming the first US Vaulter over 20 feet this coming week with good weather.

GALEN RUPP-Al Salazar's protege has had a quiet year but is entered in both the 5K and 10K. The Central Catholic grad and Duck dropped out of the Pre with a tight calf muscle but chances are he has been aiming for this week and won't drop out. He has the talent to make the team on either race but just needs things to fall into place. I'd guess his best shot is the 10K.

The GOUCHERS-Training in Portland at the Nike Project with Salazar over the past year before changing things up, but Adam and Kara Goucher are the pre-eminent married couple on the racing circuit. Kara's nest shot may be the 5K and same for Adam. The men's 5K could be a crazy race depending on the pace. There are a slew of 13:30 runners who are all capable of running under 13:10 and watch for Bolota Asmerom who trains in Eugene to push the pace. Asmerom is originally from Eritrea and trained under Tony Sandoval. Klamath Falls Ian Dobson has a shot and does Beaverton's Josh Rohatinsky. Eugene's Lauren Fleshman will have the Hayward Field fans cheering her on as well and she stands a good chance to make the team.

Other Notes-By far, my favorite name on the roster is hammer thrower Bolidiczar Kocsor. Even sounds like a hammer thrower. Ducks Nicole Blood has a provisional time in the 1500 and is qualified in the 5K while ex-Tualatin High School standout Megahn Armstrong has a provsional time in the 5K. Ryan Bailey has provisional times in both the 100 and 200. The Portland Trib did a great piece on Ryan this past week. One of the grand old men still in the thick of making a team is Bernard Legat, a Kenyan by birth who gained citizenship in Auguest, 2007 and been quite succesful running in Europe. He was origianlly a WSU Cougar.