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Tom Banse/NW News NetworkThe first World Outdoor Track and Field Championships held on American soil sprinted to a joyful conclusion Sunday night in Eugene with back-to-back U.S. victories in the 4x400 relays. The full stadium was also treated to a new world record in the women’s 100-meter hurdles by Nigeria's Tobi Asuman and a new world record in men's pole vault by Sweden's Mondo Duplantis. The twin relay gold medals padded a commanding U.S. lead in the final medal standings — 33 medals total, of which 13 were gold. Ethiopia captured 10 total medals (4 gold) as did Jamaica (10 total, 2 gold) for second and third place overall. -
Tom Banse/NW News NetworkNearly 2,000 of the world's best runners, jumpers and throwers from 192 countries have arrived in Oregon for the 2022 World Outdoor Track and Field Championships. The big event, Oregon 22, is happening on U.S. soil for the first time and in a smaller host city than ever before, Eugene. More than 30 athletes who are from the Pacific Northwest or who were collegiate standouts here secured berths in these World Champs.
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The U.S. Forest Service has okayed a plan to develop what would be the first overnight tourist facilities within the Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument, including camping, cabins and a lodge. -
Fewer people in the Northwest are learning to hunt, which causes funding problems for state fish and wildlife departments. To solve the funding problem, experienced hunters are teaching newbies how to get involved in the sport.
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The Columbia River has long divided the two halves of Washington's cross-state Palouse to Cascades State Park Trail. Now, a rebuilt rail trestle over the river south of Vantage connects the two sides making it easier for cyclists, horse riders and hikers to undertake a spectacular east-west journey.
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Next week, Gov. Jay Inslee is expected to sign a law designating pickleball as the official state sport of Washington. The mash-up of badminton, tennis and pingpong has come a long way since its invention on Bainbridge Island, Washington, in 1965. Skilled local pickleball players have turned pro and brand new businesses are opening to cater to the pandemic boom in recreational play.
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None of the thirteen Winter Olympians with ties to the Pacific Northwest is coming home from the Beijing Games with a medal. Still, many of the Northwest's elite skiers, skaters and sliders will leave Sunday's closing ceremony with feelings of accomplishment, or relief just to have made it through the ever-present COVID-19 testing gauntlet, not to mention the geopolitical tensions of competing on Chinese soil in 2022.
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The presence of 13 skiers, skaters and sliders with ties to the Northwest should add intrigue to the 2022 Beijing Olympics, although the upcoming sports spectacle beset with extreme COVID precautions, a diplomatic boycott and scarce snowfall hardly needs more drama. Several late additions to the Team USA Olympic roster upped the regional representation at next month’s Winter Games to similar levels as in past editions.
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A roller skating rink in Federal Way, Washington, has a remarkable track record of minting future ice skating Olympians. The rink is probably best known for being the early training ground for Apolo Ohno, among others. The streak continues now for an eighth consecutive Winter Olympics with a new short track speedskater on Team USA named Corinne Stoddard. But meanwhile, the storied roller rink is for sale.
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Fifty dollars bought one woman a piece of Northwest mountaineering history. And, she’s sharing it.
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Just in time for the kickoff of the NFL regular season, the first legal sports betting operation in Washington state has opened for business. On Thursday, a line of bettors queued behind a sports celebrity to place their first bets at a tribal casino in the eastern suburbs of Seattle.
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Athletes from the Pacific Northwest will practically need an ore cart to push their haul of precious metal to the airport after the final weekend of action at the Tokyo Olympics. Professional basketball and baseball players from Portland, Tacoma and Seattle accounted for most of the gold and silver medals as the delayed 2020 Summer Games came to a close.
