Three reasons to keep an eye on Indy.

Byline: Curtis Anderson The Register-Guard

INDIANAPOLIS - The Portland Trail Blazers are one week away from the No. 1 pick in the NBA draft. Oregon State is back in the College World Series. The Eugene Emeralds have their Northwest League home opener on Sunday.

With all that going on, why should anyone get excited about another track meet?

Well, there are at least three good reasons why Eugene sports fans should care about the 2007 USA Outdoor Track & Field Championships in Indianapolis this week.

The five-day meet opened Wednesday with multi-event competition for U.S. juniors, including UO freshmen Ashton Eaton, the first-day leader in the decathlon with 3,920 points.

By the time the final event is run on Sunday, we'll know who will represent the U.S. at the World Championships, Aug. 25-Sept. 2, in Osaka, Japan. It takes a top-three finish to earn a ticket to Japan - assuming qualifying standards have been met - and several local athletes have legitimate shots to make the team.

Here are three things to keep your eye on:

Rupp and Ritz in the 10,000: UO junior Galen Rupp, the U.S. collegiate record-holder at 27 minutes, 33.48 seconds, was on a serious roll in the 10K this season until getting outkicked at the NCAA Championships and settling for second.

Can he bounce back on a national stage against the best distance runners in America?

The loaded field includes the past two U.S. champions in Jorge Torres (2006) and Abdi Abdirahman (2005), the current U.S. leader at 27:31.46. Ryan Hall is the American record-holder in the half-marathon and Dathan Ritzenhein, who placed third last year, showed off his fitness with a fourth-place clocking of 8:11.74 in the 2-mile at the Prefontaine Classic.

`With all of his training geared toward long distance, that was a spectacular time for him,' said Brad Hudson, who coaches Ritzenhein and is based in Eugene. `We've been very impressed with how Rupp is running, but there are so many good guys, the 10K might be the best event at the meet.'

Although today's race doesn't start until 8:20 p.m., with a predicted high of 86 degrees, you can bet the heat and humidity will be a factor.

Symmonds leads local charge in 800: Nick Symmonds, who stamped himself as the new hometown hero in Track Town, USA with his thrilling 800 win at the Pre Classic, leads six Oregon Track Club Elite athletes in the two-lap event.

His PR of 1:44.54 leads all U.S. runners this year. Four other OTC Elite runners - Kevin Elliott, Elliott Blount, Brandon Shaw and Matt Scherer - are ranked among the top eight, while Marc Sylvester earned a spot with a provisional qualifier.

Symmonds, who won the U.S. indoor title, will have to get past two-time defending champion Khadevis Robinson for his first outdoor crown.

`I think the 800 will be an incredible race,' Symmonds said. `But as long as I'm there with 100 to go, I think the race will be mine; I don't think there is anyone that can outkick me over the last 100 meters on the U.S. scene. I'm going to glue myself to Khadevis, and go for the ride as long as possible. For Khadevis to beat me, he'll have to lead all 800 meters.'

Can Teter come all the way back?: Five years ago, Nicole Teter was ranked third in the world in the 800 meters with a U.S. title and a lifetime best of 1:57.97.

The 2004 Olympian dropped out of sight in the spring of '05 when a series of injuries forced her to take a break from competition. However, the 33-year-old veteran has resurfaced this year after moving to Eugene in January to rejoin coach Frank Gagliano and his OTC Elite club.

`Most people thought I had retired,' Teter said. `They didn't know why I was gone ... I want people to know that I love the sport and I still want to race. It's exciting to go to Indianapolis again. I've been looking forward to it for two years now.'

Teter is also enthused about the new crop of 800-meter runners showing up in the college ranks, led by California junior Alysia Johnson, the NCAA champion, who is one of five entrants who have run a sub-2:00 time this year.

`They're bringing a new wave of excitement to the race,' Teter said. `It's going to be really competitive, and I'm happy to be in the mix.'