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A Look Back Setting records on the track, field and in the stands, the 2000 U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials will be remembered as one of the most exciting meets ever held in the United States. Sellout crowds for eight consecutive days pushed the total attendance figure to a record-breaking 187,104, an average daily turnout of 23,338. The previous Trials attendance record was 151,222, set by Atlanta in 1996 – a figure Sacramento eclipsed before the final day of competition. The 2000 Trials featured one world record, five U.S. records and 10 meet records. Stacy Dragila cleared 15 feet, 2_ inches in the pole vault, breaking her own world record of 15-1_, set earlier in the season. Dragila set her world mark on the final day of competition, when a crowd of 24,072 packed Hornet Stadium. The largest crowd of the Trials also saw Gail Devers, the two-time Olympic champion in the 100-meter dash, break her own U.S. record in the 100 hurdles, clocking 12.33 seconds. Marion Jones won three events – the 100 and 200 meters and the long jump. Regina Jacobs won two, setting an American record in the 5,000. Their much-anticipated showdown in the men’s 200 flamed out when both suffered leg injuries in the final, but Maurice Greene (100) and Michael Johnson (400) won their specialties in convincing fashion. Adam Nelson won one of the greatest shot put competitions ever held. Nelson (72-7), C.J. Hunter (71-9) and Andy Bloom (70-10_ ) all recorded their best marks in the sixth and final round. The ground shook as the behemoths tackled each other in joy. In eight events, the winning marks in Sacramento were superior to the gold-medal marks made during the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia. But one of the most lasting memories of Sacramento will be the crowds. Repeatedly, athletes, coaches and media members said the atmosphere reminded them of a European meet – a high compliment. “This is the best atmosphere I’ve ever experienced at an Olympic Trials,” said Jackie Joyner-Kersee, the all-time great who came out of retirement to compete in the women’s long jump. “The Sacramento Sports Commission did a wonderful job with the meet. I hope this is a new beginning for track and field.” Sacramento intends to host the Olympic Trials again in 2004 and has submitted a bid to USA Track & Field. In the meantime, Sacramento will hold the 2001 Junior Olympics and the 2003 NCAA Division I Track and Field Championships.
Olympic Trials by the numbers 187,104: Total attendance of 2000 Olympic Trials (broke previous Olympic Trials attendance record of 151,522, set in Atlanta, 1996) 23,388: Average daily attendance $20 million: Economic impact of 2000 Trials on Sacramento region (according to Sacramento Convention & Visitors Bureau) 1,180: Athlete entries 2,200: Volunteers 88 degrees: Average daily high during eight days of competition 57 degrees: Average daily low 16: Luxury suites set up on south end of stadium 50: Number of Olympic gold medals won by honorees at Xerox Century of Champions Salute Dinner 22: Number of countries represented among media 1: World records set at 2000 Trials (Stacy Dragila, pole vault) 5: American records (Elizabeth Jackson, steeplechase; Regina Jacobs, 5,000 meters; Lynda Blutreich, javelin; Gail Devers, 100 hurdles; Dragila, pole vault). 10: Olympic Trials records (Jacobs; Blutreich; Devers; Dragila; Seilala Sua, discus; Sandra Glover, 400 hurdles; Michelle Rohl, women’s 20k walk; Tim Seaman, men’s 20k walk; Dawn Ellerbe, hammer; Adam Nelson, shot put). 19,186: Number of hotel room nights reported by Sacramento CVB during 2000 Trials
Quotes from athletes regarding the 2000 U.S. Olympic Trials Stacy Dragila, world record holder and Olympic champion in women’s pole vault “I was amazed at what they did and how they set up the whole area around it for kids to come in and experience things for free, and all the big-screen TVs and stuff … it’s awesome. Hopefully, we’ll get it back in 2004. I think they’ve done a great job. The Sacramento Sports Commission has really gone out of their way, and beyond, to do an awesome job here. To have sellout crowds and people just on top of you – it feels like I’m over in Europe competing in a big, world-class event.” Suzy Powell, two-time Olympian in women’s discus “This is, by far, the best crowd I’ve ever experienced. When people are cheering your warm-up throws when you are a female discus thrower, I almost went into shock right there. I almost didn’t take a second throw, but after such a big cheer, I had to do another one.” Michael Johnson, five-time Olympic gold medalist “These crowds have been unbelievable. I can’t say enough about the organization of the meet. I would certainly recommend Sacramento host the Trials again.” Jackie Joyner-Kersee, four-time Olympic gold medalist in heptathlon and long jump, competing in her sixth and final Olympic Trials “This is the best atmosphere I’ve ever experienced at an Olympic Trials. The Sacramento Sports Commission did a wonderful job with the meet. I hope this is a new beginning for track and field.” Al Oerter, four-time Olympic champion in the discus and honoree at the Xerox Century of Champions salute dinner “I hope Sacramento provides a springboard for our sport for a long, long time. It was great to see the enthusiasm returned to track and field in this country. Sacramento’s enthusiasm was palpable. It’s something I hadn’t experienced in a long, long time. Thank you, Sacramento.” Ralph Boston, Olympic champion in the long jump and Century of Champions honoree “The 2000 Olympic Trials were the best 10 days of my adult life.” Jon Drummond, two-time Olympian in the 100 meters “I’m sick of hearing that track is dead. Man, track isn’t dead. We have great athletes and great fans and fast track here. Together, we made something beautiful.” Regina Jacobs, winner of the 1,500 and 5,000 meters in Sacramento, competing in her sixth Olympic Trials “I was blown away when I saw the number of people and the enthusiasm. It’s incredible. It’s better than Europe. This is the best Trials I’ve ever been to. And I’ve been to a lot. Gabe Jennings, winner of the Olympic Trials 1,500 meters “This is awesome. This is what every track man dreams of.” Craig Masback, CEO of USA Track & Field “I think it’s safe to say that what Sacramento has done here has exceeded anyone’s wildest expectations. It’s impossible to state strongly enough how successful this is. The full stadium every night of itself is a remarkable achievement – in any sport. No sport in any national championships – track, Olympics – in any country in the world in history has achieved what Sacramento has achieved. I defy someone to provide contrary evidence to that. That in itself is a benchmark and an achievement. “Sacramento had two extraordinary things going for it. One, it has an incredibly tight-knit community. Every aspect of this community was behind the effort, including the bid, the bid process, the presentation. Everything about what this community did showed an incredible solidarity, and resources that would be accessed, foretelling what has actually occurred. “Second, they had an outstanding plan for ticket sales. It was very sophisticated, and they had a good sense of their target markets, and they executed an outstanding plan.” Lamine Diack, president of the International Amateur Athletic Federation (IAAF) “Everyone in the world now is watching these Trials. To see it on television on my way, in Nigeria, in Paris … I was surprised to see in the newspaper, USA Today, Marion Jones. We will be successful in the coming years if we have this kind of progress in our sport.” Vin Lananna, Stanford University track coach “I can’t imagine a site doing a better job than Sacramento did. Even Eugene. I really think Sacramento did a marvelous job.”
Monte Poole, Oakland Tribune For nine days, the state capital has come incredibly close to the impossible – pleasing everybody, all the time. Presentation has been splendid, organization commendable. The 23,000-seat stadium has been filled, the weather has been mostly good, the cops mostly efficient. The corporate sponsors walk around grinning as if they’ve found a sack full of gold. The city is crackling with energy and Hornet Stadium
has been positively electric. San Francisco Chronicle The Olympic Trials have undergone a rather stunning
facelift. When fans arrived at Hornet Stadium, they found all the
accoutrements of major sports events like the Super Bowl or the
World Series.
Apparently the good folk of Sacramento didn’t get the memo. You know, the one about track and field being dead. For the third consecutive day, more than 23,000 fans flocked to Hornet Stadium. What they learned is that you don’t need dunks or home runs or touchdown dances to have absolutely compelling sports drama. Lynn Zinser, Colorado Springs Gazette Halfway through the Olympic track and field trials, the surprise star of the meet hasn’t run a race, hasn’t jumped an inch, hasn’t won a medal. But the people of Sacramento have blown the doors off the competition. They pack Cal State-Sacramento’s track, 23,000 strong, every night. They not only understand everything that’s going on – no easy feat at a meet as big and complicated as this one – they’ve smothered it all with love. They stood and cheered the women’s steeplechase, which isn’t even an Olympic event, coaxing the top three finishers into a victory lap. They stayed late in the night to go ballistic over the end of the 10,000. They roared for the finish of the disabled 100 meters, and days later, they’re still talking about the woman who won, a double amputee who blitzed seven challengers. There is hope for track. Just ask Sacramento. Ron Bellamy, Eugene Register-Guard What did I like here? I liked a lot. I liked the Sacramento fans. There were more than 23,000 of them. Every day. These numbers were legitimate fannies in the stands. The fans embraced this meet, and the athletes. There was a first-time, star-struck quality to it. They seemed to love everything. I liked the “look” of the Trials. The rented luxury boxes on the south rim of the track. The huge fan expo area, with booths and vendors. The two video screens – a must at Hayward Field for the national championships next year – that showed races, and replays and, when there was a break in the action, showed stirring highlights set to music. I liked all of the above because it made a statement. It screamed “We think this meet, and these athletes, are a very, very big deal.” The athletes heard that message, loud and clear. Track and field in this country needed that support in this meet, and got it. Will Sacramento get the Trials again in 2004? Perhaps so. I’d bet on Sacramento, if I had to bet today. Another city – listening, Eugene? – would have to make a very strong, compelling, blow-everybody-else away case. Larry Eder, publisher, American Track & Field The city of Sacramento should be the permanent home of the U.S. Olympic Track & Field Trials. After spending nearly two weeks in Sacramento, from the day before the Trials to the day after, I cannot see how anyone could argue with the setting, the facility, the support of the fans, and the inspiring performances of the athletes. John Crumpacker, San Francisco Examiner Based on the success of the first four days of the trials, Sacramento wants to do it again. The single biggest factor in its favor has been its ability to fill the stadium every day … A smaller facility packed with fans looks worlds better than a big old house with a scattering of spectators. Ray Ratto, San Francisco Examiner After years of dwindling fields and dwindling crowds, Sacramento may have the cure for what ails track: frill-free but unconditional love. Runner’s World While athletes such as Regina Jacobs, Gail Devers and Stacy Dragila were setting American records at July’s U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials, some of the numbers that USA Track & Field and the Sacramento Organizing Committee might have enjoyed the most had nothing to do with running, jumping and throwing. Numbers such as 187,104, the total attendance for the 8-day meet and all-time record since the Trials went to a full-week format in 1968. Or the daily average of 23,388, also the best ever. Every day was virtually a sellout, even when Marion, Maurice, and Michael weren’t competing. All this has Sacramento looking like a front-runner for the 2004 U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials.
It’s refreshing to have a U.S. meet above the high school level where passions run high enough that people want to stand up and cheer. For eight days in Sacramento a buzzing crowd filed out babbling … about 1500s, 5000s and 10,000s, a whiz-bang blizzard of last-round action in the men’s shot, jumpoffs in the men’s vault and women’s high jump, and a heptathlon where the top two finished 4 points apart. That’s what a track meet should be like. Gil LeBreton, Fort Worth Star-Telegram Another sold-out crowd of 23,000 is expected at dusty Hornet Stadium on the campus of Cal State-Sacramento. The nightly chorus of applause for the new Olympians has been raising both eyebrows and questions. No less than Lamine Diack, the new president of the International Amateur Athletic Federation, the world governing body for track and field, praised these trials and proclaimed them indicative of the “tremendous strength of athletics in America.” |
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