Oregon22 on Saturday: Event highlights, local athletes to watch

Women's 10,000 first final on the track

The first individual race final on the track will be the women’s 10,000 meters, which takes place during Saturday’s morning session on the second day of the World Athletics Championships at Hayward Field.

Podium opportunities in this race appear to be up for grabs.

Reigning Olympic champ Sifan Hassan is entered but hasn't raced much this season coming off of her Tokyo triple, silver medalist Kalkidan Gezahegne isn’t entered and fifth-place finisher Francine Niyonsaba pulled out earlier this week with an injury.

World record holder Letesenbet Gidey from Ethiopia is in the field, making her the favorite, as is Kenya’s Hellen Obiri, who was fourth in Tokyo.

This will be American Karissa Schweizer’s first chance to earn a medal and the Olympian looked sharp in late May when she won the U.S. title.

Schweizer, who trains with the Portland-based Bowerman Track Club under newly named Oregon Ducks track and field coach Jerry Schumacher, is also entered in the 5,000 this week.

Germany’s Konstanze Klosterhalfen, who trains with the Portland-based Union Athletics Club, is also entered in Saturday’s 10,000 race, which is scheduled for 12:20 p.m.

Other highlights for Saturday

Women’s 3,000 steeplechase semifinals, 10:35 a.m. — Olympic silver medalist and American record holder Courtney Frerichs — another member of the Bowerman Track Club — has been battling some health issues this season and was third at the USATF meet. She just needs to get through this round to make Wednesday’s final. U.S. champ Emma Coburn medaled in the last two world championships, winning the title in 2017 and taking silver in 2019.

Men’s 110 hurdles heats, 11:25 a.m. — The four fastest times recorded this season have come by the four Americans in the field, with fan-favorite and Oregon track alum Devon Allen leading the way with his 12.84 from mid-June. But Grant Holloway is the reigning world champ, Daniel Roberts is the U.S. champ and Trey Cunningham from Florida State is the NCAA champ. All are looking to advance to the semifinals and, ultimately, the finals, with both races scheduled for Sunday.

Men’s 400 hurdles heats, 1:20 p.m. — U.S. champion Rai Benjamin was in sensational form last month at the USATF Outdoor Championships when he ran 47.04 to get the win. But the headliner is world record holder and Olympic champion Karstan Warholm of Norway, who has been out with a hamstring injury since early June. Olympic bronze medallist Alison dos Santos has the world leading time this season at 46.80.

Men’s 1,500 heats, 6:30 p.m. — The field is loaded with names familiar to Eugene fans. Former Ducks Cooper Teare and Johnny Gregorek are entered, as are Jake Heyward and Will Paulson from the Eugene-based Oregon Track Club Elite, and Josh Thompson from the Bowerman Track Club. But the star of the event is Olympic champion Jakob Ingebrigsten. The goal is to qualify for Sunday’s semifinals.

Other finals Saturday — Men’s hammer, noon; men’s long jump. 6:20 p.m.; women’s shot put, 6:25 p.m.; men’s 100n semifinals/finals, 5:10/7:50 p.m.

How to watch Saturday

TV: 10:30 a.m.-noon, CNBC; Noon-2 p.m., NBC; 5 p.m.-6 p.m., CNBC; 6 p.m.-8 p.m., NBC

Other ways to watch: All televised coverage will be simul-streamed via NBCSports.com/live and the NBC Sports app, with programming with Peacock Premium. For a complete schedule, go to NBCsports.com.

Follow Chris Hansen on Twitter @chansen_RG or email at chansen@registerguard.com. 

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This article originally appeared on Register-Guard: World Athletics Championships: Saturday schedule, top athletes, TV info