EUGENE, Ore. — Before one of his last throws ever in an Oregon uniform, Greg Skipper paused to take in the moment.
The setting was Wednesday in the U.S. Olympic Trials, a day set aside at Hayward Field exclusively for the hammer throw competitions. Typically the hammer throwers compete in a ring just south of the historic facility, but by devoting Wednesday solely to the event, organizers were able to stage it on the Hayward Field infield.
Thus, when Skipper, the six-time all-American, stepped into the ring for one of his three throws Wednesday, he was struck by the noise emanating from the packed west grandstand.