EUGENE, Ore. -- Men and women ranging in age from 35 to 102 begin 11 days of competition Thursday in the World Veterans Games, a track meet that has drawn 2,600 athletes from more than 70 nations.
This is the first time a U.S. city has served as host of the games, which organizers predict will provide a welcome boost for the Eugene area's economy.
Women entrants must be at least 35 and men must be at least 40. The meet's oldest registered competitor is 102-year-old Khubi Ram Baghel of India, who is entered in the 100- and 200-meter dashes.
Taiwan's Ching-Chang Wang, 93, is to compete in the 100, 200, 400 and 800-meter runs, as well as the shot put, discus and javelin.
'It's a happening,' said Mike Manley of Eugene, a 47-year-old former Olympic steeplechaser who is entered in three distance events. 'I love to run and compete, but at my age, you contend with hamstrings, Achilles problems and a little more recovery time.'
Visiting athletes and their families are expected to pump more than $10 million into the area's cash registers during the games, said Linda Weston, executive director of the Eugene-Springfield Convention and Visitors Bureau.
'The impact the games will have on this community will be truly astonishing,' Weston said. 'You won't be able to go anywhere around town without being struck at every turn that something big is going on.'
Eugene won the opportunity to stage the biennial event by making a pitch to the World Association of Veterans Athletes during the 1987 games in Melbourne, Australia.
Even for Eugene, the home of such track stars as Mary Slaney and the late Steve Prefontaine, the meet is a special occasion.
'This will be the biggest track meet ever held, unless maybe the Chinese once held a one-day meet no one ever heard of,' said organizer Tom Jordan.
To the disappointment of some, an early goal of halting all smoke from summer grass-field and slash burning will not be met. But air quality in the Willamette Valley town is expected to be far better than usual, with agreements set with state agencies to limit burning when possible.
For the athletes, the competition marks the culmination of years of hard work.
'It's a once in a lifetime experience,' said Jack Anderson of Eugene, an entrant in the 10,000 meters and head of a program aimed at maching foreign visitors with area families during the games. 'I wouldn't miss it for the world.'
