MEMPHIS, Tenn. — With the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris just a few weeks away, track and field fans in Memphis were able to get a glimpse of what the field will look like in Paris.
The Ed Murphey Classic is the 25th-ranked track and field competition in the world. This week, 250 professional athletes from 23 countries, including 16 who are headed to Paris later this month, are giving it their all in Memphis. It’s like having a little slice of the Paris Olympic Games right here in Memphis.
For Oxford native and Olympic pole vaulter Sam Kendricks, having the Classic in Memphis gives him some Mid-South motivation. “I needed a place close to home so that at least my family can see me jump in a competition," Kendricks said. "It’s right up the road, and I get to be a host, I get to bring in athletes.”
The meet isn’t just for athletes in the Mid-South or even the U.S.
“The cool thing about this is, from what we’ve found, in the United States there are very few track meets,” founder Eddie Murphey said. “So the Olympians who are here in Memphis, around Jamaica and Canada, they needed a place to run on United States soil. So instead of being in Europe, they are right here in Memphis competing.”
The competition includes two-time gold medalist Yohan Blake. But even the best will be tested, as the Classic features 62 past Olympians.
“We are likely to be at the top of our game. We are the fittest we’ve ever been and trying to prove ourselves if we didn’t make that Olympic team,” said Craig Engles, a former U.S. Olympic athlete.
On Friday the athletes hit the rubber with a whole day of track events, including the Ed Murphey 1,500-meter invitational. Saturday is when things really heat up with pole vaulting on Beale Street.
“But sometimes you want to cram track into some other cool spot and put it on display. I’m sure we look like a circus act on the street, but at the same time, it’s cool and people can’t help but watch,” Kendricks said.
The Murphey Classic is the only non-profit track meet in the country, giving back 28% of its profits to youth sports in Memphis through the Murphey Track Club.
“And we are just lifting Memphis kids. It’s a great opportunity for Memphis to make them even better and lift them up. Can you imagine just being a young kid and getting them to tell you a story about how you stayed on the right track and did the right thing?” Murphey said.
“It’s really great for Memphis because it’s a youth event as well, and the younger athletes get to mix and mingle with the athletes who they aspire to be one day,” former college track athlete Serenity Douglas, said.
If you want to learn more about Midsouth athletes who are packing their bags for the Olympics check out the stories below.