Indy continues as gateway to 2028 Olympics with hosting national indoor championships
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INDIANAPOLIS – USA Track & Field’s national indoor championships are coming to Indianapolis for each of the next two years.
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The meets will be at Fall Creek Pavilion on the Indiana State Fairgrounds. Dates are Feb. 19-21, 2027, and Feb. 18-20, 2028.
Indianapolis has never been a site of the indoor nationals, held annually since 1906.
The 2027 meet coincides with the 40th anniversary of the inaugural World Indoor Championships, held at the then-Hoosier Dome in 1987, and 20th anniversary of the most recent nationals here, the outdoor championships at Carroll Stadium in 2007.
USATF headquarters are in Indianapolis.
In an exclusive interview, Max Siegel, CEO of USATF, told IndyStar:
“This is exciting for us as organization to re-invigorate our connection and relationship with the Indianapolis community. Our partnership with the Indiana Sports Corp. is pretty deep and long-standing.”
The Indiana Sports Corp. has characterized the indoor nationals as part of its 2050 Vision strategy as competition rises for securing such events.
“Really, this kind of boom in the Olympic sports,” said Dan Gliot, director of marketing and communications for the Indiana Sports Corp. “And this is another building block for that.”
Indianapolis is emerging as a gateway to the Los Angeles Olympics, set for July 2028.
USA Swimming had already chosen Indianapolis for the national championships at the Natatorium in June 2027 and Olympic Trials at Lucas Oil Stadium in June 2028. And USA Gymnastics is building a training center and office headquarters in Noblesville.
Cole Hocker, the 2024 Olympic gold medalist at 1,500 meters, could race in his hometown at the indoor nationals, depending on his schedule. Hocker has not raced in Indianapolis since he was a Cathedral High School senior in 2019.
Fall Creek Pavilion has held indoor track meets since January 2024 on a 200-meter banked oval assembled by Beynon Sports. The 100-year-old façade to the former Swine Barn was preserved. Indiana lawmakers allocated $50 million to make the pavilion a multi-use building
The pavilion measures 196,000 square feet with 118,000 square feet of show floor, a 14,000-square-foot lobby, 25-foot-high ceiling and connectors to two 60,000-square-foot buildings.
Quality of the facility is underscored by the fact four collegiate records have been set there at the past two Big Ten indoor meets: Washington’s Amanda Moll in the pole vault, 16 feet, 1 ¼ inches; USC’s Garrett Kaalund in the 200 meters, 20.06; Michigan’s Miles Brown in the 600 meters, 1:14.67; Iowa’s Ryan Johnson in the 35-pound weight, 84-4 ¾.
“Bringing the national spotlight to the facility and the state fairgrounds is something we’re extremely proud of,” said LeRoy Lewis II, director of community and media engagement for the Indiana State Fair. “We can’t wait to showcase all we have to offer.”
Siegel said there is a possibility of outdoor nationals someday returning to Indianapolis. There are few venues outside of Eugene, Ore., that could accommodate the meet.
Indianapolis has been the outdoor site five times – 1983, 1985, 1997, 2006, 2007 – as well as for the 1988 Olympic Trials.
Siegel said he has been in talks with IU Indy leaders about making the necessary renovations to Carroll Stadium.
“I think we’re in position to do some long-term planning and make sure that could happen,” he said.
Contact David Woods at [email protected].
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Indy continues as gateway to 2028 Olympics with hosting national indoor championships