GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — With just 16 qualifiers in each event, West Michigan will be well represented this weekend at the 2023 US track and field national meet in Eugene, OR.
Taking place at Hayward field on the campus of the University of Oregon, three west Michigan athletes will compete with the best of the best.
Ryan Talbot, redshirt Junior from Alto, Michigan and a Forest Hills Central graduate will be competing in the decathlon on Thursday and Friday, July 6 and 7. He was the 2022 Big Ten Decathlon Champion while competing for Michigan State.
"It's just a good way to get introduced to that crowd of the best in America. And also kinda get you ready for the next big meets that they want to compete at. Like olympic trials or even making a world team," said Talbot.
Health Baldwin is a junior at MSU and a Kalamazoo Hackett will also be competing in the decathlon on Thursday and Friday. Baldwin is the 2023 Big Ten Heptathlon Champion and Michigan State Decathlon school record holder.
"What I'm most excited about is just getting back to Eugene. I feel like it's a special place to compete at. The atmosphere is really good here and everyone from this town loves track and field. So I think that will help a lot while we are competing. I think the energy and the vibes are going to be really good. It should help a bunch. And just being able to compete against some of the professional guys that we've been looking up to for the past couple years and just trying to make a name for yourself on the national stage," said Baldwin.
Trevor Stephenson is a graduate student who was born and raised in Caledonia, Michigan and went to East Kentwood High School. Trevor will compete in the pole vault on Saturday July 8. He is currently the Big Ten Pole vault Champion and also holds the indoor and outdoor school record.
"I kinda came into the day thinking that if I could fix my mistakes from the last time and get over 18 feet if it goes well then I'll be really happy. I did that and then thew the bar up to a USA qualifying height and I got it on the first attempt and that was pretty sweet.
I'm just excited to get there and jump against the big dogs. We've been looking up to the for a while so to be on the same runway as them and competing against them would be pretty cool. Especially at Eugene. Since NCAA's were at Texas this year we didn't get out to Hayward Field so to make it there was pretty exciting," said Stephenson.
