Portland Track issued this statement Monday morning regarding the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and its summer schedule.
Citizens of Tracklandia:
Portland Track is committed to the health and well-being of our athletes and fans and, as soon as it is safe to venture onto the oval again, we will provide opportunities for athletes to compete in 2020. Like you, we are devastated by the impact that COVID-19 has had on the spring outdoor season and the continued threat the virus has made on the Summer Olympics and the US Track and Field Trials.
We recognize the loss of valuable qualifying opportunities that athletes have planned their seasons around and it is our commitment, that as soon as it is safe to do so, we’ll be there with our starter’s pistol to host some races and get you on to Eugene, then Tokyo.
As of today, Portland Track has not canceled our current schedule of meets. We intend to hold to our published dates, but we are making contingency plans if hosting these events is not possible, for any reason. Our priority will be on providing Olympic Trials qualifying races for high-performance athletes.
If the Olympics are postponed and the Trials window is extended, for example, we’ll add events, as needed, to give competitors every chance to hit US or Olympic entry standards. Similarly, if Oregon’s current limit on the size of events remains in-place we’ll get creative and host a series of small-batch races, without spectators, that keep athletes safe but allow them to race.
We’ll also be coordinating with our friends at other meets around the country. If coaches, agents, and meet directors collaborate efficiently we can put our athletes first and provide the races they need.As circumstances become clearer throughout the spring we’ll post updated information at PortlandTrack.com as well as on our social media channels. 2020 Portland Track Schedule:
- May 30-31 Portland Track Festival – Youth Meet
- June 4-5 Portland Track Festival – High Performance Meet
- June 12 Stumptown Twilight Meet
- August SoundTrack
-- Ken Goe