Oregon Public Broadcasting

Olympic hopefuls from the Northwest did well in a preview of the U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials Sunday.  Correspondent Tom Banse reports from the Prefontaine Classic track meet in Eugene.

Fans cheer at the Prefontaine Classic.

An ex-Washington Husky, an ex-Cougar, and some honorary Ducks let it be known they’ll be forces to reckon with at the Olympic Trials. 

No one more so than pole vaulter Brad Walker of Seattle.

Walker cleared 19 feet 9 3/4 inches, a new American record in the pole vault.

Brad Walker: “I’m confident, you know, but I’m never going to overlook the pressure and the competition at Trials.  So I still need to focus and make sure everything is in working order when I get there.”

Two other performances that spoke loudly came from distance runners Kara Goucher, a transplant to Portland, and Bernard Lagat, a WSU grad.

Bernard Lagat: “Coming here and winning it in expanded stadium, a lot of people, it’s really fun.  I can only imagine the energy that’s going to be here in the coming weeks. It’s going to be fantastic.”

In less than three weeks here at historic Hayward Field the U.S. Olympic trials begin.