While the Olympics finished up Sunday night in Paris, competition for the games can be traced back to the trial level for each respective country.
In the United States, no Olympic Trial destination is as iconic as Eugene, Oregon. Otherwise known as “TrackTown USA”, Eugene is where the Track and Field trials happen in and around the University of Oregon’s Hayward Field.
This year’s trials were special for two Marist racewalk athletes–junior Mia Priore and senior Marissa Sciotto–who qualified for the race and competed on June 29 representing both themselves and Marist in their athletic endeavors.
Actually getting there was far from easy. For one, neither athlete was used to the grueling difficulty of a 20,000-meter race, far longer than any race the two had completed during their Marist careers.
While the two were eager to jump at the opportunity to qualify for the trails, missing the qualifying time can come down to a matter of minutes, or in Sciotto’s case, just one minute.
In October of 2023, Sciotto had signed up for a 20,000-meter race that could qualify her for the Olympics if she hit the required time: below one hour and forty-eight minutes. While this was her first time competing in a 20k race, she didn’t feel any weight on her shoulders. The trials were still eight months out, and this was a road race, which psychologically pushed her towards the finish line while keeping up with the many other competitors in the race.
She finished with a 1:49.
Discouraged that her time was not a definite qualifier, she flew out to Ohio for a track 20,000-meter race. 50 laps around a 400-meter track is vastly different than a road race, with a lap counter flashing every time Sciotto completed one circuit and displaying how many laps she had left.
“It came to a point where I just wanted to throw up,” said Sciotto. “My dad was doing the splits for me, and I felt bad because I was so behind on my splits that I was just like ‘just stop telling me them.’ I just wanted the race to be over.”
While Sciotto dealt with obstacles on the path to qualifying, Priore encountered her own roadblocks. She had qualified with her time in a separate race also in Ohio, but got bumped off the list of qualifiers due to complications regarding the total number of participants who qualified.
Frustrated, Priore immediately filed an appeal. Marist women’s track and field coach Chuck Williams and her father also sent in separate appeals to aid her chances of qualifying. Priore’s time in this race was the only one she could work with due to the deadline of the trials and the battle with her health throughout the 2023-24 season. She had pneumonia throughout the first 6 weeks of the year, followed by Illotibal band tendonitis, causing her elongated pain along the side of her knee. After she received a cortisone injection in her leg in April, she trained heavily for the qualifying race in May, battling her personal adversity for a chance to go to Eugene.
Part of the reason that Priore’s time was bumped out of the list of qualifiers was because of an alternative way for athletes to qualify through a 35,000-meter race time. While a 35k is nearly double the length (around 21 miles), the time to beat was easily attainable–just under four hours–allowing other athletes a chance to qualify despite the Olympic competition at 20,000 meters.
While the alternate qualifier hurt Priore, Sciotto had a glimpse of hope. Despite missing her qualifying time by a minute, she took a risk and raced a 35k herself, getting far below the four-hour mark and qualifying with ease.
Simultaneously, Priore’s appeal went through, setting up the two athletes on a trip to the mecca of track and field in the states.
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While participating in the trials was a surreal enough experience for the athletes, being on the same playing field as world class athletes aiming for Paris made the experience even more notable. Upon setting foot in Eugene, the two fit right in.
“I’m sure if you go to Alabama or Clemson, you’ll see how big the football team is. But in Oregon, it felt like the complete opposite,” said Sciotto. “There was track everywhere. Every restaurant you go into had posters for all the elite track athletes. Especially as a track athlete, there was so much recognition that I had never seen before.”
“There was so much to do, so much to see,” said Priore. “That environment is just so surreal. It was amazing being around other athletes that had the same mindset that Marissa and I have, which was to obviously do the best that we can.”
While practicing together for their own race later in the week, the two spent time among the other athletes. Whether it was eating breakfast, watching other races/events, or meeting new athletes or familiar faces that were acquainted with coach Williams, Priore and Sciotto got a true taste of what it is like to compete at the highest level.
To add on to the experience, the athletes had the chance to tour the Nike World Headquarters thanks to coordination with track and field Marist alum Megan Brady, who arranged a private tour of the 286-acre campus. Priore recalled seeing the Michael Johnson outdoor track as one of the most beautiful settings for a track they’ve seen.
“I actually bought a little too much stuff [at the Nike World Headquarters], but it was so so cool,” said Priore.
A bit of a track and field fan herself, Sciotto relished seeing American icons compete for their spot at the olympics, including renowned sprinters Noah Lyles, Sha’Carri Richardson and Sydney Mclaughlin-Levrone.
Amongst the athletes she watched compete was long jump athlete Tara Davis-Woodhall, who had a challenging qualifying round after failing to record a successful jump attempt her first two jumps in the final round. This forced the jumper to put everything on the line for her last attempt.
“I’ve watched her youtube videos for years,” said Sciotto. “She had an amazing fifth jump, but it was nice to see that even one of the best jumpers in America has bad days. It’s very humanizing.”
After a fun week immersing with the track world, the end of the week marked the 20,000-meter race walk final. One day before, the nerves begin to settle in for the athletes.
“As the week gets shorter, the nerves just gradually increase and then by the night before I’m actually ready to pass out just from how scared I am to race,” said Sciotto.
On the bright side for the Marist athletes, they had already hit their goal of qualifying for the trials, and all they had left to do was compete. The other good news was the course itself; the trial would take place outside the Oregon stadium on a 1-kilometer “L”-shaped loop on the road, making the course more interesting and psychologically easier for the athletes.
When the starting gun fired, the two had a similar race plan: stay near each other’s pace, as well as a fellow Red Fox competing in the race as an alum, Katie Miale, who had competed in the trials for Tokyo just three years prior and has competed in many of the same races as Priore and Sciotto.
Having friendly faces around helped ease the daunting nature of having to run 20 laps to complete the race. Priore made a point to take it all in while racing at such an important stage in her athletic career.
“I was thinking about how I am really lucky. Honestly, anything I do is better than not being here,” said Priore. “It was also my sister’s birthday, so it was cool. Can’t wait to eat cake [afterwards].”
Five miles in, that mentality proved crucial. Priore felt an immense amount of pain in her foot, causing coach Williams to pull her out of the race.
Heading to the medical tent, the doctors told Priore that her hip alignment was out of place, causing one of her legs to be slightly longer than the other, a typical injury in track events, especially in women.
Meanwhile, Sciotto pressed onward, and upon approaching the final stretch, Priore along with their coaches and family cheered her on as she made her way to a 12th-place finish in the trials.
Priore later found out she had suffered a L5-S1 disc protrusion, which she would need to begin physical therapy for. Still, she accomplished her goal: competing on one of the biggest stages for track and field in the United States.
“Knowing that I represented Marist really makes me happy. I feel like there’s a good connection there. And I feel like the school has supported me in so many ways that it’s like such a great way of trying my hardest to give back,” said Priore.
For Sciotto, completing the race is a great mental milestone, mostly competing in much shorter races in the track season.
“If I was able to do over 12 miles, I think I can do just one mile. Completing that [race] is such a mental relief.”
While Priore works rehabbing her injury, Sciotto’s sights are set on training for a personal record in the 5-kilometer race, her preferred event. This means she will undergo a much different training regimen, which comes with the freedom to put on muscle for the shorter distance.
Competing in an intense environment, the two teammates have a bond shared through the Olympic Trials this year that goes beyond the event.
“It does get lonely during the runs beforehand. But being able to room with someone who has the same mindset as you and same dreams and goals, instead of just being by myself, I had her [Priore],” said Sciotto.
Edited By Luke Sassa
Photo From Marist Athletics
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