Oregon Public Broadcasting

After two days of rest, athletes got back on the track at Hayward Field in Eugene Thursday.  As Andrew Theen reports,  nearly 70 athletes will firm up trips to Beijing as the Olympic Trials wrap up on Sunday.

Many of the finals are long distance races like the men's 10,000 meters.  Portland native Galen Rupp is a strong favorite to make the team there.

Dan O'Brien is a Klamath Falls native and a former Olympic gold medalist in the decathlon.  O'Brien says Hayward Field makes some of his least favorite events exciting.

Dan O'Brien: "I'm not a big fan of the distance running.  But when you run distance here at Oregon, you can't help but stand up and cheer."

Eugene fans have cheered for  three-time-Olympian Craig Virgin many times, including at the 1980 Olympic trials. The Illinois resident says visiting Eugene is like plunging into track's history.

Craig Virgin: "Part of it's the legacy of the University of Oregon, and Bill Bowerman and all the great milers and longer that the University of Oregon has had through the years."

Action wraps up on Sunday with the men's 1,500 meter final.