PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – For the first time ever, the World Athletic Championships are taking place in the U.S. and Oregon is preparing for Eugene’s Hayward Field to host the event.
At a media availability Wednesday, Oregon Gov. Kate Brown said this is an honor for Eugene and said the event will be an opportunity to show the world the state’s small businesses, agricultural products and outdoor adventures. The World Athletics Championships is one of the largest sporting events in the world.
Brown hopes the event, which takes place July 15-24, will bring economic benefits across the state.
“I think as we are moving out of the pandemic into an endemic phase. It is an incredible opportunity to showcase the beauty and bounty of Oregon and an opportunity to lift up our tourism industry,” she said.
Oregon’s leisure and hospitality industry took a hit during the pandemic and Todd Davidson, CEO of Travel Oregon, expects this demand will create a demand that will help the sector rebound.
He also agrees with the governor that this event will likely provide a major boost in Oregon’s economy. He said research shows that nearly 60% of travelers to Oregon have purchased Oregon-made products even after returning home.
He said the event will likely be broadcast to 1 billion views around the world in 200 or more countries and could inspire people to visit the Beaver State in the future.
Davidson wants to ensure visitors feel welcome and have accessible transportation and lodging while they’re in Oregon for the World Athletics Championships. He said rooms for visitors will be reserved up and down the Interstate 5 corridor, as far south as Roseburg and as far north as Portland.
The dormitories surrounding Hayward Field on the University of Oregon campus will be turned into an athlete village. Athletes will be invited to stay in the residence halls, a short walk from the field.
Carlyn Schreck from the University of Oregon said staying in the dorms will allow athletes to get to know one another.
Davidson compared it to an Olympic Village and Niels De Vos, the chief executive director of Oregon22, LLC, the local organizing committee responsible for staging the World Athletics Championships, said the dorms will likely provide better amenities for athletes than they typically have in a city center hotel.
Currently, most of the state of Oregon is in a prolonged drought and wildfires are a concern for the summer months.
De Vos said if wildfires impact the air quality to a point where athletes cannot compete, the events schedule will be adjusted so competitions can take place at times when athletes’ health won’t be impacted.
“The timetable has flexibility if absolutely necessary,” he said. “We don’t envision that’s likely to be the case. But that is the ultimate sanction.”
Brown said during the U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials that took place in 2021, events were rescheduled due to extreme heat. She said something similar could occur at the World Athletics Championships if weather or air quality requires it.
University of Oregon researchers will be at the event studying wildfire smoke and air quality, Richie Hunter, vice president of communications for the University of Oregon, said. They’re studying how to better detect, predict, plan for and respond to smoke events.
A team of researchers will also study the impact of air particles on athletes’ health.
Journalism students from the University of Oregon will work with World Athletics productions to design the opening title sequence for the video introduction to the event. They’ll also produce media packages that will be broadcast around the world.
Hayward Field was recently renovated. Construction on the project concluded in 2020, in time for the U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials.
The city of Eugene has made other recent improvements ahead of the World Athletics Championships. The city’s 5th Street Market underwent a major expansion and now includes space for several more retailers, food vendors, and a new hotel.
Eugene Mayor Lucy Vinis said the new Eugene Riverfront Park will also be an attraction for visitors. She said the park will host a festival that will run concurrently to the track and field events.
At the media availability Wednesday, Brown responded to concerns about inflation and its impact on the state and the upcoming event. She said she’s watching the markets closely and hopes legislation that passed in the most recent session will help Oregon families manage their rising expenses. She then stressed again how much she anticipates this athletic event will provide an economic opportunity for the state.
Officials were also asked about the Russia and Ukraine conflict and the impact it would have on the competition. De Vos said the World Athletics Council announced athletes from Russia and Belarus are excluded from all World Athletics Series events for the foreseeable future.
Brown said Hayward field is the “heart and home of track and field” and Hunter said she’s looking forward to seeing “Hayward magic” at the event.
“When the impossible becomes impossible, where records are broken, and where the energy between fans and athletes merge into unbelievable experiences. We can’t wait to showcase this magic and the magic of the University of Oregon on the world stage,” Hunter said.