Root, root, root for the home team
EUGENE, Ore. -- In this Olympic Trials, so many athletes have Oregon ties, it could be the locals who are having the most fun.
You can't miss the University of Oregon Ducks jerseys and familiar faces.
In fact, some recent national reports have said the Oregon athletes here have a definite home field advantage.
Whether it's Hayward Field, Eugene's running paths or the ties to Steve Prefontaine, Eugene is a track haven.
Consider the men's 800-meter race on Monday.
It might have been the loudest Hayward Field's ever been -- and it produced a clean sweep by three Oregon runners: Nick Symmonds, Andrew Wheating and Christian Smith.
Kara Goucher, at left, who moved to Oregon to train for the Olympics, qualified in both the 5,000 and 10,000.
Tom Pappas, a former Lane Community College athlete, made the team in the decathlon.
Galen Rupp, who left the UO to train for the Olympics, will represent his country in Beijing in the 10,000.
And Loree Smith got her Olympic ticket in the hammer throw.
