ROAD TO EUGENE '08.

Byline: The Register-Guard

WOMEN'S 100 HURDLES, 2 p.m.

Two of the world's top 10-ranked hurdlers last year, Lolo Jones (No. 7, and the recent U.S. indoor champ) and Jenny Adams (No. 9) are here. The field also includes former North Carolina State star Ebony Foster and former Pac-10 champ Sheena Johnson.

WOMEN'S POLE VAULT, 2:05 p.m.

Between 1996 and 2005, Stacy Dragila won nine of the 10 USA titles, including three Olympic Trials, and won Olympic gold and two World Championships. Dragila, ranked No. 1 in the U.S. 20 straight years, and No. 1 in the world three straight years, missed last season with injury and lost her American record last weekend. She headlines this field, which includes former Ducks Becky Holliday and Niki McEwen.

WOMEN'S LONG JUMP, 2:07 p.m.

A first-class U.S. field, featuring four of the top five long jumpers in the nation last year, headlined by national champion Rose Richmond, and followed in the rankings by Tianna Madison, Grace Upshaw and Brianna Glenn.

MEN'S 110 HURDLES, 2:10 p.m.

The defending national champion, Dominique Arnold, set the American record last season at 12.90, and ranked fifth in the world. Former USC star Ryan Wilson, a former NCAA champ, was third in the USATF meet last year.

MEN'S POLE VAULT, 2:12 p.m.

Four of the top six U.S. vaulters last year are in the field, headlined by former UW star Brad Walker, silver medalist in the 2005 World Championships, who PR'd last season at 19-8 1/4 and was ranked No. 2 in the world, three spots ahead of former Stanford star Toby Stevenson, the winner here last year. The defending U.S. champion, Russ Buller, also competes, with Tim Mack, the 2004 Olympic gold medalist, and Tye Harvey.

MEN'S HIGH JUMP, 2:15 p.m.

Former USC star Jesse Williams, now training in Eugene, cleared 7-7 1/4 last season, won the NCAA title and was ranked No. 9 in the world and No. 2 in the U.S. Three other top-10 U.S. athletes are in the field - Jamie Nieto, Marcus Harris and Adam Shunk, along with Matt Hemingway, the 2005 USATF champion and 2004 Olympic silver medalist.

WOMEN'S HAMMER THROW, 2:18 p.m.

The 2006 USATF champion, Jessica Cosby, is in the field, along with 2006 Pre Classic winner and national runner-up Erin Gilreath and Amber Campbell, who has thrice finished third in the national meet, as well as local throwers Brittany Hinchcliffe, the former Duck, and Cari Soong.

MEN'S 800 METERS, 2:20 p.m.

One of the best events of the meet, spiced by the late addition of Kenyan Alex Kipchirchir, and headlined by Khadevis Robinson, who has won the USATF meet three times - including the last two years - and has three second-place finishes, including the 2004 Olympic Trials. David Krummenacker won three straight USATF titles, from 2001 through 2003. Nick Symmonds of OTC Elite was the national runner-up last year, and is joined by fellow OTC Elites Matt Scherer and Brandon Shaw.

WOMEN'S 100 METERS, 2:30 p.m.

Former LSU star Muna Lee has run 11.04 and won three SEC titles at this distance, and was USATF runner-up in 2005. Angela Williams won four NCAA titles for Southern California.

MEN'S 100 METERS, 2:40 p.m.

The 2003 NCAA champion, Mardy Scales, ranked 10th in the U.S. last year, leads the entrants. Other entrants include J.J. Johnson, who ran 9.95 in 2002, and veteran Brian Lewis.

MEN'S SHOT PUT, 2:47 p.m.

Adam Nelson and John Godina are the class of a small field. Nelson won his fourth national title last year, as well as the Road to Eugene meet. Nelson won the 2005 World Championships gold medal to go with two Olympic silvers. Godina has won three world championships, three U.S. titles and has been ranked No. 1 in the world four times.

MEN'S 300 METERS, 2:50 p.m.

An event featuring 400-meter runners, led by Alleyne Francique of Grenada, who ran 44.64 in that event last year and was No. 7 in the world. Otis Harris won the Olympic silver medal in 2004. Milton Campbell has been part of the national scene in the 400 for more than a decade. Ryan Bailey, a senior at McKay High School who won the 100 and 200 at the OSAA meet last week at Hayward Field, is a late addition to the field.

WOMEN'S 400 METERS, 3:05 p.m.

In being voted the Track & Field News female athlete of the year, American Sanya Richards joined rare company, the likes of Evelyn Ashford, Jackie Joyner Kersee, Florence Griffith Joyner, Marion Jones and Stacy Dragila. She was ranked No. 1 in this event for the second time, the first American to earn that honor; she ran an American record of 48.70, giving her 18 sub-50 efforts in two years; and her undefeated season included a win in the Pre Classic.

MEN'S 1,500 METERS, 3:15 p.m.

The winner of the inaugural Road to Eugene meet last summer, Matt Tegenkamp, improved his PR to 3:35.96 last year and ranked No. 3 in the U.S. Gabe Jennings, former NCAA and Olympic Trials champion, had a comeback season last year and is a Hayward Field favorite.

WOMEN'S 800 METERS, 3:22 p.m.

Former Eugene-Springfield resident Maria Mutola returns to Hayward Field in one of the meet's marquee events. Mutola has won an Olympic gold medal, four golds in the outdoor World Championships and eight golds in the indoor World Championships. She'll be challenged by three of the top four Americans last year - Alice Schmidt, Frances Santin and Tiffany McWilliams, as well as new Eugene resident Nicole Teter. Schmidt won this event last year.

- Ron Bellamy