Charles Austin (USA) (© Getty Images)
American Record holder and 1996 Olympic high jump champion Charles Austin plans to defend his meet title at the adidas Oregon Track Classic - IAAF GPII - on June 5, where he will face the top leapers in the nation as they jockey for position on their way to July's U.S. Olympic Trials in Sacramento.
In the hunt for his fourth Olympic bid this year, Austin will size up his prospects for a trip to Athens against U.S. rivals Jamie Nieto (the defending U.S. indoor and outdoor high jump titlist), Matt Hemingway (the No. 3 all-time highest U.S. jumper), Charles Clinger (the U.S. champion in 2001) and Nathan Leeper (a U.S. Olympian in 2000).
Canadian challenge
Also in the field, look for Canadian record holder Mark Boswell, who is also a four-time NCAA champion for the University of Texas and two-time World Championship medallist.
Final campaign for Austin
2004 marks the final track & field campaign for Austin, who will retire either after the U.S. Olympic Trials in July, or after the Olympic Games in August.
"Physically, I'm in great shape, but this is it for me," Austin said. "It's my last season competing, after 16 years in the sport. I've had a great career."
Only lightly recruited out of high school, Austin enrolled at Southwest Texas State University in 1987, where coach Rock Light, now a University of Oregon assistant, helped guide Austin to an NCAA title in 1990. Austin continued to develop after graduation from SWT, and cleared an American Record of 2.40 metres in 1991.
World and Olympic titles in distinguished career
After a World title in 1991 and his first Olympic appearance in 1992, Austin underwent knee surgery in 1993, then recovered and continued on to win Olympic gold at the Atlanta Games in 1996.
Over the years, he has steadfastly remained near the top of the heap in U.S. high jump circles, making his third Olympic team in 2000, and winning his most recent national title at the U.S. indoor championships just two months ago.
But Austin's first task as the outdoor season develops will be a defense of his 2003 adidas Oregon Track Classic title.
"It's going to be a nice little competition," according to Austin. "With people like Nieto, Hemingway and Clinger there, it's going to be almost the same as the Olympic Trials, so I can get a guage of where I am competitively, and what it's going to take to beat the same guys at Sacramento."
