Day 1 of the US Olympic Track & Field Trials begins Friday with numerous Washingtonians competing...

EUGENE--All of the weeks, months, and years of training, traveling, racing, rehab work and resting comes down to the next ten days.

There are very few meets in the world that have the intensity of the United States Olympic Track & Field Trials, which begins Friday at Hayward Field on the campus of the University of Oregon.

For the most part, it's pretty cut and dry--you finish in the top three, and assuming you have the Olympic Games qualifying standard, you're on your way to Paris for the Olympics next month.

That said, with the advent of World Athletics' Road to Paris rankings, used to fill the fields for the world championships in Eugene and Budapest the last two years, the premise of top three plus the standard isn't necessarily true, as an athlete who finishes in the top three, doesn't have the standard, but has enough world rankings points and is inside the Road to Paris world rankings quota can receive an invitation to compete in Paris.

Washington State decathlete Lee Walburn (Paul Merca photo) along with Pullman HS graduate Maayi Mahama of UCLA gets day one started with the decathlon at 10 am, and Mahama in the women's hammer qualifying at 11 am.

Walburn, who ran out of eligibility after the NCAA championships two weeks ago, had to launch a GoFundMe page to help pay for his trip to Eugene, as Washington State didn't pay for his travel and competition expenses. 

At 3:30 pm, Washington grad Chandler Ault and Walla Walla native Dash Sirmon go in the qualifying round of the men's javelin, as they aim for a top 12 position for the finals on Sunday.

At 4:17 pm, defending US national champion Nia Akins and teammate Valery Tobias of the Brooks Beasts will run in their first round heat of the women's 800 meters.

Just over 30 minutes later, defending US champ Kenneth Rooks of Walla Walla and Cashmere native Rob McManus race for a spot in Sunday's finals in the men's 3000 steeplechase.

After the steeple heats, the men's 1500 first round heats begin at 5:22 pm, with 25 percent of the 36 man field having ties to the state of Washington, either as members of the Brooks Beasts (Henry Wynne, Waleed Suliman, Brannon Kidder, and UW alum Luke Houser); current or former Huskies (Joe Waskom, Nathan Green); Washington State alum (Paul Ryan); or pros training directly under current UW men's head coach Andy Powell (Sam Prakel, Johnny Gregorek).

Washington and Washington State alum Jacob Englar will try to qualify for Sunday's final in the men's pole vault starting at 5:50 pm.

Just over 30 minutes later, Allie Buchalski of the Brooks Beasts, along with Lake Stevens HS alum Taylor Roe of Oklahoma State University will compete in the qualifying round of the women's 5000m.

At 6:50 pm, Curtis HS grad Lexi Ellis goes in the qualifying round of the women's triple jump, while just over ten minutes later, Lee Walburn will finish day 1 of the decathlon with the 400 meter dash.

The only final contested Friday is the men's 10000 meters, with Washington redshirt freshman Evan Jenkins of Camas and Gonzaga's Wil Smith running.

Smith, a native of Spokane, is the second runner in Gonzaga school history to compete at the US Olympic Trials, following in the footsteps of James Mwaura, who ran three years ago.

Friday's meet will be televised on NBC (KING5 in Seattle) from 6-8 pm Pacific; with extended coverage on Peacock ($) from 10am-1 pm and 3:20-8 pm Pacific. USA Network will have coverage from 3:30-6 pm Pacific before it goes to NBC.

Embedded as a PDF below is a light version of the viewers' guide and time schedule of Washington athletes competing at the US Olympic Trials. The full version is a "members only" post that was emailed earlier in the week.

Version 2 Day 1 USOT Schedule by paulmerca70601 on Scribd

Once you become a member or patron of the site, you will receive the full version of the PDF embedded below.

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The start lists and link to live results are available here at results.usatf.org .

NOTE: USA Track & Field contributed to this report.

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