“Return of the Dual”: Virtual Event
ATLANTA, GA & EUGENE, OR – A coast-to-coast dual meet will be held in TrackTown USA and Running City USA on Saturday, June 20. TrackTown USA and Atlanta Track Club announced the “Return of the Dual” on Monday.
The head-to-head event will feature athletes from Oregon Track Club Elite and Atlanta Track Club Elite competing remotely in two distances and a mixed relay to raise money to fight homelessness and hunger in the greater Atlanta and Lane County areas. The one-time-only competition will be broadcast live on Atlanta Track Club’s YouTube and Facebook accounts at 7:00 p.m. Eastern (4:00 p.m. Pacific) on Saturday, June 20.
The event will serve as a fundraiser for non-profit organizations in each community with a goal of raising $10,400 or $1 for every meter run during the meet. Half the funds raised will go to Food for Lane County, an organization in Oregon dedicated to reducing hunger by engaging the community to create access to food. Half the funds raised will go to Atlanta Mission, a community united to end homelessness. To make a donation to these organizations, click here.
The “Return of the Dual” will consist of a men’s and women’s 600m and 1200m races each featuring one athlete per club. The winner of each discipline receives one point. The evening will conclude with a 2x2x400m split gender relay made up of two athletes from each team. The winning relay team receives three points. The team with the highest point total will be crowned champion. Athletes in Atlanta and TrackTown USA will begin their races simultaneously. The winner will be decided by hand time.
Both teams will compete at closed venues with no crowds present and in adherence with all local COVID-19 requirements and guidelines. Only those required for the competition and the broadcast will be present for the event. Veteran track and field announcer Tim Hutchings will provide play-by-play and commentary for viewers on the livestream. Additional commentary will be provided on-site in Georgia and Oregon by Jay Holder and Sasha Spencer Atwood, respectively.
The livestream will take advantage of innovative technologies and creative solutions, including the use of zero-emission electric vehicles to capture footage of the athletes during the race. Atlanta-based Mercedes-Benz of Buckhead will be providing a vehicle on location in Atlanta. Arcimoto, an EV manufacturer based in Eugene, will be providing a Fun Utility Vehicle to use on location in TrackTown USA. The show will be produced by TrackTown Productions.
“As the home of the U.S. Olympic Team Trials – Marathon, Running City USA is excited to hand off the baton to the home of the U.S. Olympic Team Trials – Track & Field,” said Rich Kenah, Atlanta Track Club’s Executive Director. “But before we do, we want to take the opportunity to bring track and field fans some exciting races, raise money for a good cause and have a little fun.”
“We are thrilled to partner with Atlanta Track Club in bringing the ‘Return of the Dual’ to life,” said Michael Reilly, CEO of TrackTown USA. “All three organizations involved care deeply about our respective communities, and we are proud to help raise funds for those communities with this event.”
Lineups for the meet were decided by Oregon Track Club Elite Head Coach Mark Rowland and Atlanta Track Club Coaches Amy and Andrew Begley. Among the featured athletes from Oregon Track Club are World Indoor gold medalist Chanelle Price, Olympic silver medalist Nijel Amos and 2019 Paris Diamond League winner Hanna Green. Atlanta Track Club’s lineup features world finalist Yolanda Ngarambe, U.S. Indoor bronze medalist Abe Alvarado and NCAA runner-up Dylan Capwell.
While subject to change, the tentative competition roster is below:
| Event | Atlanta Track Club | Oregon Track Club |
|---|---|---|
| Men’s 600m | Dylan Capwell | Nijel Amos |
| Women’s 600m | Rachael Walters | Chanelle Price |
| Men’s 1200m | Abraham Alvarado | Vince Ciattei |
| Women’s 1200m | Yolanda Ngarambe | Hanna Green |
| 2x2x400 Mixed Relay | Avery Bartlett, Megan Malasarte | Jake Heyward, Sabrina Southerland |
| Alternates | Brianna Stratz, Ricky Romero, Edward Kemboi | Will Paulson |
In case of hazardous weather conditions, Sunday, June 21 has been established as a rain day for the event. For more information on the “Return of the Dual”, click here.
About TrackTown USA, Inc.:
TrackTown USA, Inc. is a non-profit organization committed to setting a standard of excellence in the sports of track and field and running by hosting premier events, creating a supportive environment for elite athletic performances, improving facilities, being a leader in sustainability and inspiring the next generation of track and field athletes and fans. The organization is responsible for organizing the 2014 IAAF World Junior Championships, the 2015 USA Track & Field Outdoor Championships, the 2016 IAAF World Indoor Championships in Portland, the 2016 U.S. Olympic Team Trials—Track & Field, and the 2020 U.S. Olympic Team Trials—Track & Field. For more information on TrackTown USA, visit gotracktownusa.com.
About Atlanta Track Club:
Atlanta Track Club is a nonprofit committed to creating an active and healthy Atlanta. Through running and walking, Atlanta Track Club motivates, inspires and engages the community to enjoy a healthier lifestyle.
With more than 30,000 members, Atlanta Track Club is the second largest running organization in the United States. In addition to the AJC Peachtree Road Race (peachtreeroadrace.org) – the largest 10K running event in the world, the Publix Atlanta Marathon, PNC Atlanta 10 Miler and Invesco QQQ Thanksgiving Day Half Marathon, Atlanta Track Club directs more than 30 events per year. Through the support of its members and volunteers, Atlanta Track Club also maintains a number of community initiatives including organizing and promoting the Kilometer Kids youth running program to metro Atlanta youth, honoring high school cross country and track and field athletes through Atlanta Track Club’s All-Metro Banquets and supporting the Grady Bicycle EMT program. For more information on Atlanta Track Club, visit atlantatrackclub.org.
