Eugene is not only on the athletics map because of Nike

Nike was not founded in Eugene by chance: it was founded there to make shoes for track and field athletes, notably those at the University of Oregon, where one of its co-founders was the track coach, writes Adam Williamson

I read Richard Williams’ piece on the world athletics championships with interest (IAAF sellout Qatar’s empty seats tell tale of corruption, warped priorities and vested interests, 1 October), but choked on this: “But then one remembers that two years after the lights go out in Doha the next IAAF world championships will take place in Eugene, Oregon, notable in terms of world athletics only for being the town where Nike was founded and has its world headquarters.”

Mr Williams may well be right to infer Nike’s influence behind the choice of Eugene as a venue, but to suggest it is not “notable in terms of world athletics” is highly questionable. Nike was not founded in Eugene by chance: it was founded there to make shoes for track and field athletes, notably those at the University of Oregon, where one of its co-founders was the track coach. That school is a noted powerhouse in track and field. Eugene brands itself variously as “Tracktown USA” (there is a giant sign to this effect) and “the Track and Field Capital of the World”. It has hosted the US national championships eight times and the US Olympic trials six times, and will host the trials again next year. It also hosts the Prefontaine Classic, a Diamond League event, every year.