Vashti Cunningham, sprinter Andre De Grasse and other top names in track to an indoor meet in Arkansas this weekend.Because there is none.Instead, the athletes are going for something that feels every bit as valuable these days, and could even lead to an Olympic gold medal.
It’s actual competition — much in demand with the coronavirus pandemic shutting down large swaths of their sport, and with the Tokyo Games rapidly approaching in July.The American Track League begins a four-week indoor series Sunday at the University of Arkansas.
It’s a chance for athletes to see how they stack up in a time when COVID-19 has made training sometimes difficult and traveling overseas for meets almost unthinkable.