Nimble By Northwest – The Eatons Take Over The IAAF World Indoor Championships

From March 17th through the 20th, the IAAF World Indoor Championships were held in Portland, Oregon. It was the first time this event had been held in the United States for more than 100 years. The meet featured a plethora of track and field events: shot put, hurdles, dashes, jumps … it was a fun time! And the star stand-out? None other than Oregon’s own, world decathlon record holder, Ashton Eaton.

In London 2012, Eaton made headlines and took home Gold. Since then, the 28-year-old’s championing reputation remains untarnished. A humble role model, he encourages young athletes to have fun, to “freakin’ keep going” when life gives you obstacles, and he pays special attention to local youth. Candid and proud at the IAAF dinner, he welcomed world competition into his home, recalling a high school trip to nearby Hayward Field to watch the Prefontaine Classic. Born in Coos Bay, Steve Prefontaine was another local star and Olympian. Eaton thanks all those people who work behind the scene and feels very fortunate. His alma mater, University of Oregon, Hayward Field has played hospitable host to the Track and Field Olympic Trials off-and-on since 1972, and is one of only 5 Class One Certified IAAF tracks in the United States.

Eaton was an open book with the media before the meet, sharing colorful stories about his wife, also a decathloner from Canada, Brianne Theisen-Eaton. “We met at U of O. I made her a CD, and she drove,” he recounted of their date. At the closing ceremonies, after completing a 6th all-time best, Gold-winning performance, more than his own accomplishments, Eaton praised Theisen-Eaton. An international pentathlon competitor, Theisen-Eaton had earned 3 consecutive world Silvers; it wasn’t until this past weekend’s world-leading performance that she finally took home a glittering gold. She tallied 4,881 points over the 60M hurdles, high jump, shot put, long jump and 800M.

The track and field royalty shared via their Twitter page, @WeareEaton, their joy and thankfulness, and professed it was “truly a gift without measure.” Eaton didn’t break any world records at #Portland2016, but he is poised and in fertile soil, and we’re excited to see what he can do at #Rio2016!