Sacramento plays host to NCAA Men's and Women's Outdoor Track and Field Championships
SACRAMENTO – Athletes from more than 100 colleges are in Sacramento this week, showing off their track and field talents.
With the pop of a starting pistol, some of the top college athletes from across the country take to the track.
"This is a phenomenal talent pool," said Dave Eadie with the Sacramento Sports Commission. "You're going to see future national champions and Olympians that are out here."
It's the first round of the NCAA Men's and Women's Outdoor Track and Field Championships, a four-day meet being held at Sacramento State University's Hornet Stadium.
It features a number of men's and women's events – including long jump, running, and pole vault.
"This is one of the biggest competitions of the year," said one coach.
The event brings more than 1,600 athletes to Sacramento. That's ten times more than were here earlier this year for college basketball's March Madness.
"The economic impact it brings, people staying in our hotels, eating in our restaurants, and supporting our small businesses is really important,"
The competition also brings in thousands of fans from far away.
People hailed from Billings, MT., Casa Grande, Az., and Spearman, Tx. among other cities.
"They work every single day, they train, they lift weights," said a fan in the stands. "And it's a yearlong sport they not only compete in the outdoor season, they compete in the indoor season."
This event was last held at Sac State in 2019 and this year Sacramento's heat is no hurdle.
"It's been cool mornings, cool evenings, and beautiful afternoons," Eadie said.
The top 12 in each event will move on to compete in the nationals this June in Austin.
The event runs through Saturday at Sac State and tickets are $15 a day.