Pre Classic, part of a new international circuit, teams with a new prep meet for a busy weekend

By Ron Bellamy
The Register-Guard
Appeared in print: Tuesday, Jun 29, 2010

	Nike Track Nationals - NikeTrackNationals.com
	PreClassic.com - The official Prefontaine Classic website

A venerable track meet with a new angle and an entirely new track meet altogether share the stage at Hayward Field this week.

The Prefontaine Classic returns Saturday for its 36th rendition, this time as a member of the sport’s new Diamond League, a coalition of the world’s 14 major track and field meets.

Friday night will mark the debut of the Nike Track Nationals, which will bring 12 high school boys teams and 12 high school girls teams to Hayward Field for a team scoring competition.

With Nike also the major sponsor of the Pre Classic, there will be a definite blending of the two meets, with Pre Classic athletes expected to have a presence at the high school meet Friday night, and the prep athletes to have their own section at the Pre Classic on Saturday afternoon.

Not that the Pre Classic expects to need any help filling Hayward Field for its 15th straight sellout. Temporary seating for 500 more fans was added to the south end of the stadium last week, increasing the seating capacity to about 12,500, and meet director Tom Jordan said ticket sales have been strong.

Jordan said Diamond League affiliation means additional revenue to support the meet, through international television sales, the IAAF — the world’s governing body for the sport — and Nike. That’s produced events that are deeper in talent, Jordan said, and given him the funds to pay appearance fees to non-Nike athletes. (Nike athletes are required by contract to make themselves available for the Pre Classic.)

Jordan, who would not disclose the meet’s budget, said it has almost doubled from what it was a year ago, with the prize pool doubling as well, to $10,000 for a first-place....