Magnificent Seven: Events to watch at Pre Classic

Men's 200m: All eyes will be on this event as Tyson Gay is supposed to make his season debut in the 200m on the track. The best sprinter in America scratched from the Diamond League New York meet and skipped the national championship meet to give his ailing hamstring additional time to heal. If indeed it has, he will look to make an impression against the likes of U.S. 100m champion Walter Dix. Gay, who ran a blistering 19.41 on the straight in Manchester, hasn't run a 200m on the track since September 15, 2009. Dix clocked a season-best 19.86 at the Golden Gala in Rome.

Men's Mile: Seven of the Top 10-ranked runners from 2009 have been assembled for the Bowerman Mile, led by Beijing Olympic gold medalist Asbel Kiprop and Berlin World champion Youssef Saad Kamel of Bahrain. The U.S. contingent will be led by 2007 World gold medalist and 5000m American record holder Bernard Lagat, who will be joined by his 2008 Olympic teammates Lopez Lomong, the 2010 national champion at 1500m, and Leo Manzano.

Men's 5000m: There has never been a sub-13-minute time run on American soil. With 10 runners in the field that have broken that barrier either this year or last year, history could be made at Hayward Field. The African runners figure to be at the front of the field, especially Ethiopian Imane Merga, the Diamond League points leader, and Kenyan Eliud Kipchoge, who has run a world-leading 12:51.21 this season. The Eugene crowd will throw all of its support behind Oregon Track Club teammates Chris Solinsky and Matt Tegenkamp. Solinsky has already set the American record in the 10,000m and run 12:56 in the 5000m this year. Tegenkamp is the 2009 5000m U.S. champion and will be running his first race of the year at that distance.

Men's 110m Hurdles: There is no hotter runner in the world right now than David Oliver, who continued his season-long tear at the USA Outdoor Championships in Des Moines, where he won the event in a personal-best and world-leading 12.93 despite clobbering the first hurdle. Continued refinement of his technique could bring the American record of 12.90 and world record of 12.87 into play. Oliver's primary competition here figures to come from world champion Ryan Brathwaite of Barbados, and Olympic silver medalists David Payne and Terrence Trammell.

Women's 100m: The ladies promise to get their sprint on in this meeting of the world's best. Everyone will be chasing American Carmelita Jeter, who has the fastest time in the world this year at 10.94. Jamaica's Shelly-Ann Fraser, the reigning Olympic and world champion, will look to erase memories of her false-start disqualification in Rome. LaShaunte'a Moore of the U.S. is having a breakout season, having already clocked 10.97. Olympic 200m champion Veronica Campbell-Brown has looked great in her signature event and will be looking to dip below her season best of 11.02 in the 100m.

Women's 800m: If you want to see champions run, then this will be your event as it will feature gold medalists from the last three global championships: Osaka world champion Janeth Jepkosgei of Kenya, struggling Beijing Olympic champion Pamela Jelimo of Kenya, and Berlin 1500m world champion Maryam Jamal of Bahrain. Completing this remarkable field will be U.S. 1500m champion Anna Pierce, 2009 Pre Classic champion Maggie Vessey, Worlds bronze medalist Jenny Meadows of Great Britain and World Indoor champion Mariya Savinova of Russia.

Women's Pole Vault: With Yelena Isinbayeva sitting the season out, the top ranking in the world is up for grabs for the first time in a long time. All of the women vying for the crown will compete against each other for the first time this year in Eugene. Headlining the competition will be American Jenn Suhr, who cleared a world-leading 4.89m/16-0½ in winning her fifth straight national title. She will contend with Fabiana Murer of Brazil, the world indoor champion, Anna Rogowska, the reigning world champion, world silver medalists Monika Pyrek of Poland and Chelsea Johnson of the U.S., and American Lacy Janson.