US National Championship attendance

[kev44000]

Des MOINES, Iowa — On Friday night, Olympic hurdler Lolo Jones issued a Twitter challenge to her hometown fans.

“I’ve never seen Drake stadium that empty,” the Des Moines native wrote. “If you are in Iowa please come out and support.”

The next day, Jones won the 100-meter hurdles before a half-empty stadium.

Des Moines’ dreams of hosting the 2016 Olympic Trials may have taken a hit as the USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships concluded yesterday.

The city has steadily become a major player on the nation’s track scene. The Drake Relays, a cultural staple in Iowa, has sold out 45 straight years. And Drake Stadium will host the NCAA Championships for the second time in four years next season.

But the USA Outdoor Track & Field Championships was the biggest meet in the 85-year-old horseshoe’s history, and the results were mixed.

The 14,000-seat stadium rarely appeared more than half full throughout the scorching weekend while yesterday’s final session drew only 7,437. Officials announced the four-day attendance at 32,048.

Co-meet director Mark Kostek told the Des Moines Register, “If we want to host another USA Championships, or if we want to host an Olympic Trials, we’re going to have to have the people come out and support the event.”

LACK OF RHYTHM: Former Missouri star Christian Cantwell said he couldn’t find “any rhythm” yesterday while winning the shot put competition.

Was it a coincidence none of his rivals could, either? Missouri Coach Rick McGuire believes not.

“Every single place you go, there’s a whole array of variables that define the challenge,” he said. “It isn’t just as easy as, ‘Any circle, any time, go throw far.’ If every single thrower today threw … well below Christian, is there any chance they’re all bad guys, or they all had bad days or all did bad training that week? Of course not.

“There’s something about the circle. There’s something about the weather conditions. There’s something about the configuration of the sector.”

One unusual variable: The slow clap. Fans hoping to see a big throw used a rhythmic clap to cheer Cantwell and his top rivals.

“I’ve been going to track meets for 50 years probably, and 35 as a coach, and I’ve never seen people do the clap for shot put,” McGuire said. “I’m not blaming anything.”

WELCOME TO THE BIGS, KID: Cantwell empathized with Ryan Whiting, who endured a rough post-collegiate debut after a record throw at his final NCAA Championships this month.

Whiting, who threw 72-1 to win his second straight NCAA title, fouled on four of his attempts and finished in fifth (67-5). Cantwell told the former Arizona State star that life after college is not the same.

“The biggest difference is the feel,” Cantwell said. “When you’re with a college team, everybody’s so excited every weekend. Every weekend is like the best weekend of your life. When you’re a professional, you go along and see the same guys. Everybody likes you but not necessarily has the same enthusiasm for you. Nobody’s going to hold your hand and try to help you out.”

STROUPE WALKS TO MEDAL: They set off at dawn before a near-empty stadium. But Fayette native Patrick Stroupe continued to make his name in the quirky but fan-unfriendly sport of race walking yesterday morning.

Stroupe, 25, finished third in the 20-kilometer race walk with a time of 1 hour, 34 minutes, 53 seconds. John Nunn (1:29:21), a 32-year-old U.S. Army sergeant from San Diego, outlasted five-time national champion Tim Seaman (1:33:10) to win his first national title.

Stroupe, who picked up the sport after his freshman year at Central Methodist, won three NAIA championships in the 5,000-meter race walk. He finished second at last year’s U.S. championships in Eugene, Ore.

In race walking, one foot must be in contact with the ground at all times.

RECORD GONE WITH THE WIND: A gust of wind swept Wallace Spearmon out of the record books yesterday.

Spearmon held off Walter Dix to win the 200 meters in 19.77 seconds, smashing the Drake Stadium record, but the time was ruled to be wind-aided.

“My body still ran that fast,” the 2008 Olympian said with a laugh.

Reach David Briggs at dbriggs@columbiatribune.com.

[kev44000]

Parking is a major problem at Drake. In Eugene they will bus you from the football stadium.

[rainbowgirl28]

Parking is a major problem at Drake. In Eugene they will bus you from the football stadium.

Except when they don't! This year at NCAAs, the shuttle didn't run as late as published and I had to catch a ride with strangers

But in general the football stadium shuttle works well

[vaultmd]

That's what they get for going up against an iPhone launch.