Sacramento back in the mix to host the Olympic Trials track meet

Sacramento is back in the game as a potential host for the 2020 Track and Field Olympic Trials.

U.S. track officials announced on Tuesday they are reopening the competition for host city for the largest track event in the country, the 10-day meet where the nation's Olympic track team is chosen.

Sacramento Sports Commission head Mike Sohia said his group likely will rebid.

Sacramento hosted the Olympic Trials in 2000 and 2004 at Sacramento State University's Hornet Stadium, drawing record crowds. Eugene, Oregon, often called the epicenter of the sport in the United States, hosted the trials leading up to the 2008, '12 and '16 Olympics.

Sacramento and Eugene were finalists in last year's bidding, losing out to the city of Walnut, California, which won in part because it promised a major renovation of the Mt. San Antonio College track facility.

That project has run into trouble amid lawsuits, prompting the USA Track & Field organization on Tuesday to announce it will reopen the bidding for a new host city.

Track officials said they intend to choose a new city by June.

Sophia of the Sacramento group said he has not seen details of the bid request, but believes Sacramento will be in position to vie to be 2020 host.

"We are proud of the bid we put in last year, and this is an opportunity to take another swing at it," Sophia said.

Eugene officials indicated on Tuesday they too likely will bid for the event. That city has plans to remodel its venerable Hayward Field track facility, and has said the work would be done in 2020 before the trials.

This story was originally published May 1, 2018 at 4:34 PM with the headline "Sacramento back in the mix to host the Olympic Trials track meet."