The Portland Track series continues with the Stumptown Twilight on Thursday as the final shot for professional and collegiate athletes to improve their standings or secure qualifying marks heading into the U.S. Olympic Trials. Here are the four must-see races scheduled to go live on FloTrack June 23.

Men’s 1500m

Who: Edward Cheserek, Matt Centrowitz, Izaic Yorks, David Elliot, Craig Engels, Grant Fisher, Blake Haney, Dan Huling, Matthew Maton, Jordan McNamara, Chad Noelle, Sam Prakel, Joshua Thompson, Cristian Soratos
When: 7:40 p.m. PT
Why: This race will be a battle not only for fast marks ahead of the Olympic Trials next week, but also for many runners to get one last shot at the Olympic Trials qualifying standard of 3:38.00. Former Oklahoma State NCAA champion Chad Noelle, Oregon freshman Matthew Maton, Ole Miss All-American Craig Engels, former Montana State All-American Cristian Soratos, Oklahoma State’s Josh Thompson, Oregon All-American Sam Prakel, and Boise State All-American David Elliot are among the athletes entered who have run oh-so-close, but missed the mark required to compete at Hayward Field. 

Also entered to contend in his third outdoor race of the season is world indoor champion Matt Centrowitz, who is returning from a 800m/1500m double at the Portland Track Festival. He will have competition in former Washington All-American Izaic Yorks, who clocked 3:37.74 this season. Yorks recently announced he signed with sports management agency Kimbia Athletics. 

UPDATE: 15-time NCAA Champion Edward Cheserek entered the 1500m on Wednesday night after the original publication of this preview. 

Watch York's last college race at the 2016 NCAA Outdoor Championships:

Men’s 5K

Who: Galen Rupp, Cam Levins, Eric Jenkins, Woody Kincaid, Justyn Knight, Jim Rosa, Brian Shrader, Reid Buchanan
When: 8:20 p.m. PT
Why: The all stars of the Nike Oregon Project will roll out in full force, led by Olympic silver medalist Galen Rupp, Canadian Olympian Cam Levins, and former Oregon NCAA champion Eric Jenkins. Rupp is returning from opening his outdoor season at Portland Twilight with a victory in 13:20; Levins is returning from testing his speed in a 1500m at Harry Jerome; and Jenkins clocked a 10K PR of 27:48 at Prefontaine and more recently a 1500m season’s best of 3:39 at Harry Jerome last weekend. 

Watch Rupp roll on the field at Portland Twilight two weeks ago:


A formidable collegiate contingent will also toe the line: Syracuse All-American Justyn Knight; Portland’s finest, Woody Kincaid and Reid Buchanan; and Stanford’s Jim Rosa. Kincaid and Buchanan are looking to improve upon their 5K season’s bests by hitting the Olympic Trials qualifying standard of 13:28. 

Women’s 1500m

Who: Colleen Quigley, Sammy Silva, Jessica Tonn, Stephanie Brown, Mary Cain, Kim Conley, Gabe Grunewald
When: 8:00 p.m. PT
Why: Not only will we have some serious 1500m talent on the line, but Stumptown will also feature a comeback for Bowerman Track Club’s Colleen Quigley, who plans to race for the first time this year after suffering from injury. The 2015 NCAA steeplechase champion extended her senior year of competition when she qualified to represent Team USA at the World Championships last summer. She set a PR in the Beijing preliminary, and went on to place 12th overall in the final. Thursday will mark her first race since August 26, 2015, but she won’t be alone. Her teammate Sammy Silva, who also returned from injury at Portland Track Festival, will race alongside her. 

Women’s 5K

Who: Stephanie Bruce, Mary Cain, Aisling Cuffe, Jordan Hasay, Sammy Silva, Amy Van Alstine, Tara Welling
When: 8:40 p.m. PT
Why: Earlier this year, Bruce accomplished the unthinkable: The NAZ Elite athlete gave birth to two babies in two years, and returned to competition by running the Olympic 10K standard in her first track race in four years at the Payton Jordan Invitational. The mom of two will return to the track on Thursday by dipping down in distance with a 5K against a tough field that includes World Championships qualifier Jordan Hasay, Stanford All-American Aisling Cuffe and High Performance West’s Tara Welling. 

Related: Tara Welling Rides Comeback Train With High Performance West

U.S. half marathon champion Welling is experiencing a comeback year that includes a new 10K personal best of 32:02 in the 10K and 70:25 in the half marathon. Thursday will mark Welling’s fourth 5K of the year after clocking a season’s best of 15:49 at Oregon Relays in April. 

Catch these races and more live on FloTrack starting Thursday at 6:45 p.m. PT!