EUGENE - Sam Kendricks didn't come to Hayward Field to lose.
Not this time. Not Friday. Not to Mondo Duplantis. Not in this Prefontaine Classic.
"I took my victory lap, and they didn't say 'you should take your victory lap, Sam,'" Kendricks said after navigating a tricky, swirling wind to become the only vaulter to clear 19 feet, 0 3/4 inches and win the pole vault.
"I kind of just took it, because this might be my last time to run a lap around Hayward."
Certainly, it is in the 99-year-old stadium's current configuration.
Hayward is scheduled to close following next month's NCAA championships.