Olympic finalist Cole Hocker and training mates Cooper Teare, James West, and Matt Wisner team up in record attempt

EUGENE, Ore. - The stars will be out Friday and Saturday in Eugene at the Oregon Relays presented by AthleticNET, as fans will be treated to numerous Olympians taking to the track at Hayward Field, with all eyes focused on the final event of the showcase Saturday, as Cole Hocker, Cooper Teare, James West and Matt Wisner take aim at the 4xMile relay world record of 15:49.08.

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The quartet seeks to break the record set in 1985 by the Irish quartet of Eamonn Coghlan, Marcus O’Sullivan, Frank O’Mara, and Ray Flynn, and happens to be one of the longest standing records in track and field. 

The University of Oregon will also field a men’s 4xMile relay team, with an eye on cracking the collegiate record of 16:03.24 set in 2009 by the Oregon quartet of Olympians Matthew Centrowitz, Andrew Wheating, Galen Rupp, and teammate Shadrack Biwott.

The men’s 3000m steeplechase on Friday offers another world-class field for fans both in-stadium and watching online to enjoy. Bernard Keter (USA), Mason Ferlic (USA), Avinash Sable (IND), Ryoma Aoki (JPN), Zak Seddon (GBR), Simon Sunstrom (SWE), and Emil Blomberg (SWE) all competed in Tokyo at the Olympic Games last summer. All seven athletes have personal bests between 8:16-8:21, giving this field top talent and incredible depth.

Not to be missed, the men’s javelin on Friday brings together another world-class field to the Oregon Relays. U.S. Olympic Trials champion Curtis Thompson is entered and throwing well this season. He’s joined by fellow pro Ethan Shalaway and Umpqua Community College standout Zach Holland, the top collegiate javelin thrower, as all three currently rank in the world top-25.

Adding to the distance excitement, the men’s 1500m on Friday has four athletes entered who have run 3:36 or faster. Olympians Amos Barelsmeyer and Sam Tanner seek to jump start their 2022 seasons with success at the Oregon Relays, while Barelsmeyer’s Bowerman Track Club teammate Josh Thompson continues to establish himself as one of the top 1500m runners in the United States after placing sixth in the event at the U.S. Olympic Trials last summer.

In the women’s 1500m on Friday, Bowerman Track Club’s Vanessa Fraser and Oregon Track Club Elite’s Angel Piccirillo lead the charge. The pros are joined by Katie Camarena, who was a mile and 3000m finalist at the 2022 NCAA Indoor Championships for Portland State, as well as Oregon’s Izzy Thornton-Bott.

Other top entries include:

Olympian Benjamin Azamati is entered in the men’s 100m. The West Texas A&M star has the top wind-legal mark in the world this year, having run 9.90 at the Texas Relays last month. The NCAA Division II standout will have his chance to shine at Hayward Field on Friday.

High school junior standouts Amanda and Hana Moll are entered in the women’s pole vault on Friday. Amanda Moll set the high school pole vault record in late-March, soaring over 4.51m, while Hana Moll has a personal best of 4.47m, which she set during the indoor season.

Oregon sprint standout Micah Williams is entered in the men’s 4x100m relay on Saturday. Last weekend, the sophomore ran a wind-aided 9.83 to win the 100m contest at the Mt. SAC Relays.

All-American sprinters Kemba Nelson and Jadyn Mays lead Oregon in the women’s 4x100m relay. Nelson placed fourth in the 100m at the 2021 NCAA Outdoor Championships, while Mays took third in the 60m at the 2022 NCAA Indoor Championships.

Wisconsin junior Josie Schaefer is entered in both the women’s shot put and discus. Schaefer is coming off a 2021 season that saw her finish second at the NCAA Outdoor Championships in the shot put, as well as make the U.S. Olympic Trials final in the event.

Brannon Kidder leads a strong men’s 800m field on Saturday. The Brooks Beasts standout is coming off of a 2021 campaign, which saw the former Penn State star finish fifth in the 800m at the U.S. Olympic Trials.

Olympian and two-time NCAA triple jump champion Emmanuel Ihemeje is entered in the men’s long jump. The Oregon sophomore lept a massive wind-aided mark of 17.00m last weekend at the Mt. SAC Relays.

Fans can now purchase their tickets to one or both days of the Oregon Relays on the University of Oregon Ticketmaster website, while fans that can’t make it in-person can watch the event live on RunnerSpace via RunnerSpace +PLUS.

To keep up-to-date on the latest Oregon Relays news, schedule and media, visit www.oregonrelays.com.