2017 Portland Track FestivalJun 7, 2017 by Johanna Gretschel
10 Races You Won't Want To Miss At The Portland Track Festival
10 Races You Won't Want To Miss At The Portland Track Festival
The 2017 Portland Track Festival is chock-full of Olympians and top collegiate performers looking for one more fast race day after peaking for the NCAA Championships.
By Johanna Gretschel and Taylor Dutch
The 2017 Portland Track Festival is chock-full of Olympians and top collegiate performers looking for one more fast race day after peaking for the NCAA Championships. Tune in to the live stream here, starting on Saturday, June 10, at 6 PM PT and continuing on Sunday, June 11, with the High Performance events beginning at 4 PM PT. View the entries here and the full meet schedule here.
IAAF World Championships Standard: 32:15.0
USATF Standard: 32:25.0
When: Saturday, 8:00 PM PT
Who: Shalane Flanagan, Emma Bates, Elaine Balouris
Why: Four-time Olympian Shalane Flanagan will be making her much-anticipated 2017 debut with a 10K. Flanagan was sidelined from competition after a fracture in her iliac crest kept her from racing the Boston Marathon in April. The Portland Track Festival will mark Flanagan's first race since finishing sixth in the marathon at the 2016 Olympic Games last August.
Prior to the injury, Flanagan executed an impressive 2016 Olympic showing. Her performance in Rio was her best finish in the Olympic marathon and her best Olympic finish since earning a silver medal in the 10K at the 2008 Games. Her sixth-place finish in Rio also led the best team-wide finish for Americans in the Olympic marathon. Behind Flanagan, Desi Linden and Amy Cragg finished seventh and ninth, respectively.
The Portland Track Festival will also mark Flanagan's first 10K on the track since finishing sixth at the 2015 World Championships in Beijing.
We caught up with Shalane Flanagan at the Boston Marathon:
IAAF World Championships Standard: 27:45.0
USATF Standard: 28:30.0
When: Saturday, 8:40 PM PT
Who: Galen Rupp, Fernando Cabada
Why: Two-time Olympic medalist Galen Rupp will be running his first track race since finishing second in the Boston Marathon in April. Portland Track Festival will also mark Rupp's first track race since finishing fifth in the 10K at the Olympic Games in Rio. Eight days later, Rupp ran the marathon and finished third.
The Nike Oregon Project standout began transitioning away from the track in 2016 and has completed three marathons so far -- a victory at the Olympic Trials, a third-place finish in Rio, and a runner-up finish in Boston.
Galen Rupp reflects on his runner-up finish at the Boston Marathon:
When: Sunday, 5:45 PM PT
Who: Charles Jock, Harun Abda, Cas Loxsom
Why: A men's 600m showdown will take place between Oregon Track Club and Brooks Beasts standouts. Charles Jock, a 2016 Olympian, will be competing after running an 800m season's best of 1:46.54 in the 800m at the Adrian Martinez Classic. His OTC teammate Harun Abda recently finished fifth at Adrian Martinez with a season's best of 1:46.64.
World-record holder Cas Loxsom is also entered after competing in the 800m at the Shanghai Diamond League meeting, where he ran 1:49. During the indoor season, Loxsom broke the world record in the 600m with a scorching 1:14.91 at Penn State. In the process, he bettered his own American record (1:15.33 set in 2015).
IAAF World Championships Standard: 8:32.0
USATF Standard: 8:40.0
When: Sunday, 5:50 PM PT
Who: Dan Huling, Stanley Kebenei, Anthony Rotich, Josh Thompson
Why: World championship finalist Dan Huling will be competing in his first steeplechase of the 2017 season. The performance will take place after running a season's best of 3:40 in the 1500m at Bryan Clay. In 2015, Huling had his best finish ever at an international championship, a fifth-place result in the steeplechase at the IAAF World Championships in Beijing.
Huling will be joined by world cross country team member Stanley Kebenei, former UTEP NCAA champion Anthony Rotich, and current Oklahoma State All-American Josh Thompson.
IAAF World Championships Standard: 9:42.0
USATF Standard: 9:50.0
When: Sunday, 6:15 PM PT
Who: Leah O'Connor
Why: Leah O'Connor has gone through her share of trials and tribulations since winning the 2014 NCAA title in the steeplechase. In 2015, she slipped and fell on the final water jump at USAs and finished fourth overall, just missing a top three World Championships qualification. In 2016, she ran the third-fastest time in American history (9:18.85), but a torn plantar fascia took its toll on her body in the late stages of the Olympic Trials final.
The Portland Track Festival will be O'Connor's first steeplechase since the Olympic Trials.
IAAF World Championships Standard: 2:01.0
USATF Standard: 2:02.0
When: Sunday, 6:45 PM PT [Section 1]
Who: Kate Grace, Jessica Smith, Claudia Saunders, Alexa Efraimson, Hanna Hermansson, Katie Mackey, Lauren Johnson, Grace Annear, Annie Leblanc, Natalja Piliusina, Baylee Mires, Rachel Pocratsky
Why: 2016 U.S. Olympic Trials champion Kate Grace will run a litmus test versus what looks like a very familiar field. Baylee Mires, Grace Annear, and Claudia Saunders were all in the top section at the Portland Twilight, which the 28-year-old Grace won in 2:01.25. This race will be Grace's second 800m of the outdoor season.
Watch Kate Grace make her 800m season debut in 2:01.25:
Mires and Saunders are aiming for the USA "A" standard, while Canadians Annear, Jessica Smith and Annie Leblanc, plus Hanna Hermansson of Sweden will hope to eclipse the IAAF "A" standard. Americans Katie Mackey, Alexa Efraimson, and Lauren Johnson as well as Lithiuania's Natalja Piliusina are mainly 1500m runners and will use this race as a tune-up.
Virginia Tech sophomore Rachel Procratsky will compete here after just missing the cut-off for the NCAA Championships. She clocked the 10th-best 800m time in the NCAA this year with her 2:02.67 for runner-up honors at the ACC Championships, but she placed just outside the top 12 in the East Prelim so she won't compete in Eugene, OR, this week. Shaving half a second from her PB and making the USAs field would be a nice consolation prize.
IAAF World Championships Standard: 4:07.50
USATF Standard: 4:09.50
When: Sunday, 7:25 PM PT [Section 1]
Who: Brenda Martinez, Linden Hall, Lauren Johnson, Sara Sutherland, Katie Mackey, Natalja Piliusina, Angie Petty, Rhianwedd Price, Frances Schmiede, Dani Jones, Jessica Hull, Annie Hill
Why: Brenda Martinez has said that 2016 is her last year focusing on the 800m before officially moving up to the 1500m. On Sunday night, she'll try to break the four-minute barrier for the first time in her career. The 29-year-old ran 4:00.94 at Monaco in 2013. She most recently ran 4:03.56 for sixth at the Prefontaine Classic; she was the top American ahead of Kate Grace, Olympic bronze medalist Jenny Simpson, and American-record holder Shannon Rowbury.
Only six women in U.S. history have broken four minutes for 1500m; Rowbury set her record of 3:56.29 in 2015.
Brenda Martinez said after the Prefontaine Classic that she's looking forward to breaking four minutes:
A few collegiate stars will also be in the mix: NCAA favorite Dani Jones of Colorado, who has run 4:12.68 this year; 2015 NCAA champion Rhianwedd Price of Mississippi State/Great Britain, and Jessica Hull of Oregon, an Australian who ran 4:13 this year and took third at Pac-12s but just missed the cut for NCAAs.
High school star Annie Hill of Montana is also entered. Remember, this is the meet where Christina Aragon ran her Olympic Trials qualifier of 4:09 last year. Hill has run at Portland the past two years and set her 1500m PB of 4:22.34 in 2015 as a sophomore.
IAAF World Championships Standard: 3:36.0
USATF Standard: 3:39.0
When: Sunday, 7:35 PM PT [Section 1]
Who: Ryan Hill, Eric Jenkins, Eric Avila, Leo Manzano, Daniel Winn, Izaic Yorks, Riley Masters, Charles Philibert-Thiboutout, Ben Saarel, Sam Prakel, Blake Haney, Will Geoghegan, Austin Tamagno
Why: The Nike Oregon Project's Eric Jenkins has shocked U.S. middle-distance runners with his prowess over the 1500m and mile this year. He won the prestigious Millrose Games Wanamaker Mile in February and ran under the USA "A" standard in winning the fastest section at Payton Jordan in 3:38.30. This race is most likely a tune-up for the 5K at USAs, but it will still be fun to see what he can do here.
Eric Jenkins has realized he's more of a 1500m/5k guy than a 5k/10k guy:
Leo Manzano, the 2012 Olympic silver medalist, is still running himself into shape. Last year was the first time since 2005 he missed making the U.S. team. So far, he's run just 4:00 and 3:41 this year.
A few NCAA stars will also return to the track just two days after the 1500m final in hopes of nabbing a USA qualifier: Ben Saarel of Colorado and Oregon trio Sam Prakel, Blake Haney and Austin Tamagno.
IAAF World Championships Standard: 15:22.0
USATF Standard: 15:25.0
When: Sunday, 8:30 PM PT
Who: Shannon Rowbury, Grace Ping, Sammy Silva, Elaina Balouris, Calli Thackery, Cally Macumber
Why: The Nike Oregon Project's Shannon Rowbury, who set the American record last August in 14:38.92 after a fourth-place finish in the Olympic 1500m final, does not yet have the world standard for the 5K. Her most recent result was a ninth-place finish of 4:04.61 in the Prefontaine 1500m.
Teen phenom Grace Ping is also entered here. She owns several age group world records, including the age 13 world 5K record of 16:26.83. Ping doesn't turn 14 until July 7, so she's racing herself for history in Portland.
IAAF World Championships Standard: 13:22.60
USATF Standard: 13:32.0
When: Sunday, 8:50 PM PT
Who: Suguru Osako, Diego Estrada, Garrett Heath, Luc Bruchet, Trevor Dunbar, Tommy Curtin, Morgan McDonald, Futsum Zienasellassie, Sydney Gidabuday, Jefferson Abbey
Why: Nike Oregon Project standout Suguru Osako will be contending after completing his first marathon. Osako finished third in the Boston Marathon with a debut time of 2:10:28 and became the first Japanese man in 30 years to secure a podium finish in Boston. Diego Estrada recently earned a ninth-place finish at the Bolder Boulder road race and has also been transitioning to the marathon in the last two years. Brooks Beast Garrett Heath is entered to contend as well. Heath has been a mainstay as a 1500m and 5K talent at nearly every national championship on the track.
Two college talents are also entered to compete: Morgan McDonald of Wisconsin, who just ran a 3:57 mile at the Festival of Miles, as well as Colorado State All-American Jefferson Abbey, who did not qualify for NCAAs this year but posted a 5K personal best of 13:37 earlier this season.
Wisconsin's Morgan McDonald won the Festival of Miles in 3:57 last weekend:
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The 2017 Portland Track Festival is chock-full of Olympians and top collegiate performers looking for one more fast race day after peaking for the NCAA Championships. Tune in to the live stream here, starting on Saturday, June 10, at 6 PM PT and continuing on Sunday, June 11, with the High Performance events beginning at 4 PM PT. View the entries here and the full meet schedule here.
Women's 10K High Performance
IAAF World Championships Standard: 32:15.0
USATF Standard: 32:25.0
When: Saturday, 8:00 PM PT
Who: Shalane Flanagan, Emma Bates, Elaine Balouris
Why: Four-time Olympian Shalane Flanagan will be making her much-anticipated 2017 debut with a 10K. Flanagan was sidelined from competition after a fracture in her iliac crest kept her from racing the Boston Marathon in April. The Portland Track Festival will mark Flanagan's first race since finishing sixth in the marathon at the 2016 Olympic Games last August.
Prior to the injury, Flanagan executed an impressive 2016 Olympic showing. Her performance in Rio was her best finish in the Olympic marathon and her best Olympic finish since earning a silver medal in the 10K at the 2008 Games. Her sixth-place finish in Rio also led the best team-wide finish for Americans in the Olympic marathon. Behind Flanagan, Desi Linden and Amy Cragg finished seventh and ninth, respectively.
The Portland Track Festival will also mark Flanagan's first 10K on the track since finishing sixth at the 2015 World Championships in Beijing.
We caught up with Shalane Flanagan at the Boston Marathon:
Men's 10K High Performance
IAAF World Championships Standard: 27:45.0
USATF Standard: 28:30.0
When: Saturday, 8:40 PM PT
Who: Galen Rupp, Fernando Cabada
Why: Two-time Olympic medalist Galen Rupp will be running his first track race since finishing second in the Boston Marathon in April. Portland Track Festival will also mark Rupp's first track race since finishing fifth in the 10K at the Olympic Games in Rio. Eight days later, Rupp ran the marathon and finished third.
The Nike Oregon Project standout began transitioning away from the track in 2016 and has completed three marathons so far -- a victory at the Olympic Trials, a third-place finish in Rio, and a runner-up finish in Boston.
Galen Rupp reflects on his runner-up finish at the Boston Marathon:
Men's 600m High Performance
When: Sunday, 5:45 PM PT
Who: Charles Jock, Harun Abda, Cas Loxsom
Why: A men's 600m showdown will take place between Oregon Track Club and Brooks Beasts standouts. Charles Jock, a 2016 Olympian, will be competing after running an 800m season's best of 1:46.54 in the 800m at the Adrian Martinez Classic. His OTC teammate Harun Abda recently finished fifth at Adrian Martinez with a season's best of 1:46.64.
World-record holder Cas Loxsom is also entered after competing in the 800m at the Shanghai Diamond League meeting, where he ran 1:49. During the indoor season, Loxsom broke the world record in the 600m with a scorching 1:14.91 at Penn State. In the process, he bettered his own American record (1:15.33 set in 2015).
Men's 3K Steeplechase High Performance
IAAF World Championships Standard: 8:32.0
USATF Standard: 8:40.0
When: Sunday, 5:50 PM PT
Who: Dan Huling, Stanley Kebenei, Anthony Rotich, Josh Thompson
Why: World championship finalist Dan Huling will be competing in his first steeplechase of the 2017 season. The performance will take place after running a season's best of 3:40 in the 1500m at Bryan Clay. In 2015, Huling had his best finish ever at an international championship, a fifth-place result in the steeplechase at the IAAF World Championships in Beijing.
Huling will be joined by world cross country team member Stanley Kebenei, former UTEP NCAA champion Anthony Rotich, and current Oklahoma State All-American Josh Thompson.
Women's 3K Steeplechase High Performance
IAAF World Championships Standard: 9:42.0
USATF Standard: 9:50.0
When: Sunday, 6:15 PM PT
Who: Leah O'Connor
Why: Leah O'Connor has gone through her share of trials and tribulations since winning the 2014 NCAA title in the steeplechase. In 2015, she slipped and fell on the final water jump at USAs and finished fourth overall, just missing a top three World Championships qualification. In 2016, she ran the third-fastest time in American history (9:18.85), but a torn plantar fascia took its toll on her body in the late stages of the Olympic Trials final.
The Portland Track Festival will be O'Connor's first steeplechase since the Olympic Trials.
Women's 800m High Performance
IAAF World Championships Standard: 2:01.0
USATF Standard: 2:02.0
When: Sunday, 6:45 PM PT [Section 1]
Who: Kate Grace, Jessica Smith, Claudia Saunders, Alexa Efraimson, Hanna Hermansson, Katie Mackey, Lauren Johnson, Grace Annear, Annie Leblanc, Natalja Piliusina, Baylee Mires, Rachel Pocratsky
Why: 2016 U.S. Olympic Trials champion Kate Grace will run a litmus test versus what looks like a very familiar field. Baylee Mires, Grace Annear, and Claudia Saunders were all in the top section at the Portland Twilight, which the 28-year-old Grace won in 2:01.25. This race will be Grace's second 800m of the outdoor season.
Watch Kate Grace make her 800m season debut in 2:01.25:
Mires and Saunders are aiming for the USA "A" standard, while Canadians Annear, Jessica Smith and Annie Leblanc, plus Hanna Hermansson of Sweden will hope to eclipse the IAAF "A" standard. Americans Katie Mackey, Alexa Efraimson, and Lauren Johnson as well as Lithiuania's Natalja Piliusina are mainly 1500m runners and will use this race as a tune-up.
Virginia Tech sophomore Rachel Procratsky will compete here after just missing the cut-off for the NCAA Championships. She clocked the 10th-best 800m time in the NCAA this year with her 2:02.67 for runner-up honors at the ACC Championships, but she placed just outside the top 12 in the East Prelim so she won't compete in Eugene, OR, this week. Shaving half a second from her PB and making the USAs field would be a nice consolation prize.
Women's 1500m High Performance
IAAF World Championships Standard: 4:07.50
USATF Standard: 4:09.50
When: Sunday, 7:25 PM PT [Section 1]
Who: Brenda Martinez, Linden Hall, Lauren Johnson, Sara Sutherland, Katie Mackey, Natalja Piliusina, Angie Petty, Rhianwedd Price, Frances Schmiede, Dani Jones, Jessica Hull, Annie Hill
Why: Brenda Martinez has said that 2016 is her last year focusing on the 800m before officially moving up to the 1500m. On Sunday night, she'll try to break the four-minute barrier for the first time in her career. The 29-year-old ran 4:00.94 at Monaco in 2013. She most recently ran 4:03.56 for sixth at the Prefontaine Classic; she was the top American ahead of Kate Grace, Olympic bronze medalist Jenny Simpson, and American-record holder Shannon Rowbury.
Only six women in U.S. history have broken four minutes for 1500m; Rowbury set her record of 3:56.29 in 2015.
Brenda Martinez said after the Prefontaine Classic that she's looking forward to breaking four minutes:
A few collegiate stars will also be in the mix: NCAA favorite Dani Jones of Colorado, who has run 4:12.68 this year; 2015 NCAA champion Rhianwedd Price of Mississippi State/Great Britain, and Jessica Hull of Oregon, an Australian who ran 4:13 this year and took third at Pac-12s but just missed the cut for NCAAs.
High school star Annie Hill of Montana is also entered. Remember, this is the meet where Christina Aragon ran her Olympic Trials qualifier of 4:09 last year. Hill has run at Portland the past two years and set her 1500m PB of 4:22.34 in 2015 as a sophomore.
Men's 1500m High Performance
IAAF World Championships Standard: 3:36.0
USATF Standard: 3:39.0
When: Sunday, 7:35 PM PT [Section 1]
Who: Ryan Hill, Eric Jenkins, Eric Avila, Leo Manzano, Daniel Winn, Izaic Yorks, Riley Masters, Charles Philibert-Thiboutout, Ben Saarel, Sam Prakel, Blake Haney, Will Geoghegan, Austin Tamagno
Why: The Nike Oregon Project's Eric Jenkins has shocked U.S. middle-distance runners with his prowess over the 1500m and mile this year. He won the prestigious Millrose Games Wanamaker Mile in February and ran under the USA "A" standard in winning the fastest section at Payton Jordan in 3:38.30. This race is most likely a tune-up for the 5K at USAs, but it will still be fun to see what he can do here.
Eric Jenkins has realized he's more of a 1500m/5k guy than a 5k/10k guy:
Leo Manzano, the 2012 Olympic silver medalist, is still running himself into shape. Last year was the first time since 2005 he missed making the U.S. team. So far, he's run just 4:00 and 3:41 this year.
A few NCAA stars will also return to the track just two days after the 1500m final in hopes of nabbing a USA qualifier: Ben Saarel of Colorado and Oregon trio Sam Prakel, Blake Haney and Austin Tamagno.
Women's 5K High Performance
IAAF World Championships Standard: 15:22.0
USATF Standard: 15:25.0
When: Sunday, 8:30 PM PT
Who: Shannon Rowbury, Grace Ping, Sammy Silva, Elaina Balouris, Calli Thackery, Cally Macumber
Why: The Nike Oregon Project's Shannon Rowbury, who set the American record last August in 14:38.92 after a fourth-place finish in the Olympic 1500m final, does not yet have the world standard for the 5K. Her most recent result was a ninth-place finish of 4:04.61 in the Prefontaine 1500m.
Teen phenom Grace Ping is also entered here. She owns several age group world records, including the age 13 world 5K record of 16:26.83. Ping doesn't turn 14 until July 7, so she's racing herself for history in Portland.
Men's 5K High Performance
IAAF World Championships Standard: 13:22.60
USATF Standard: 13:32.0
When: Sunday, 8:50 PM PT
Who: Suguru Osako, Diego Estrada, Garrett Heath, Luc Bruchet, Trevor Dunbar, Tommy Curtin, Morgan McDonald, Futsum Zienasellassie, Sydney Gidabuday, Jefferson Abbey
Why: Nike Oregon Project standout Suguru Osako will be contending after completing his first marathon. Osako finished third in the Boston Marathon with a debut time of 2:10:28 and became the first Japanese man in 30 years to secure a podium finish in Boston. Diego Estrada recently earned a ninth-place finish at the Bolder Boulder road race and has also been transitioning to the marathon in the last two years. Brooks Beast Garrett Heath is entered to contend as well. Heath has been a mainstay as a 1500m and 5K talent at nearly every national championship on the track.
Two college talents are also entered to compete: Morgan McDonald of Wisconsin, who just ran a 3:57 mile at the Festival of Miles, as well as Colorado State All-American Jefferson Abbey, who did not qualify for NCAAs this year but posted a 5K personal best of 13:37 earlier this season.
Wisconsin's Morgan McDonald won the Festival of Miles in 3:57 last weekend:
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