EUGENE, Ore - Amy Yoder Bagley thrilled her hometown crowd during the opening day of the 2009 USA Outdoor Track & Field Championships at the University of Oregon's Hayward Field.
The final event of the 2009 USATF Outdoor Visa Championship Series, the USA Outdoor Championships run from June 25-28.
Oregon Track Club member Amy Yoder Begley thrilled the Hayward Field crowd in finishing third at the Olympic Trials last year, bettering the Olympic Games women's "A" qualifying standard in the process, and she brought an even bigger roar tonight as she won her first national championship and set a Hayward Field record.
Yoder Begley and 2008 Olympic 10,000m bronze medalist Shalane Flanagan traded the lead twice in the final lap, with Yoder Begley emerging as the victor in 31 minutes, 22.69 seconds, which is the #9 U.S. women's 10,000m time in history. Flanagan was the runner-up in 31:23.43. Both times shattered Flanagan's previous Hayward Field record time of 31:34.81, set in winning the 2008 Olympic Trials. 2008 Olympic Trials fourth-place finisher Katie McGregor punched her ticket for her third U.S. World Championships team with her third-place finish in 32:08.04.
