Eugene, Ore. – (June 15, 2012) ­­–– The opening ceremonies of the U.S. Olympic Team Trials – Track and Field will include a tribute to the centennial anniversary of the modern decathlon. The decathlon ceremony will take place at 4 p.m. on Friday, June 22.

Jim Thorpe, winner of the first 10-event Olympic gold medal in 1912, will be represented by two of his sons – Bill and Richard – and will be honored posthumously alongside the six living American gold medalists in the decathlon: Milt Campbell (1956), Rafer Johnson (1960), Bill Toomey (1968), Bruce Jenner (1976), Dan O’Brien (1996) and Bryan Clay (2008).

“We’re tremendously excited to honor members of the Thorpe family, along with all the living U.S. Olympic gold medal decathletes at Hayward Field,” said Vin Lananna, co-chair of the TrackTown12 Local Organizing Committee. “The Opening Ceremony is going to be a fantastic celebration of the unrivaled success Team USA has had in the decathlon.”