This is a meet that is certain to live up to its name.
Friday is the 14th annual Hamline Elite Meet, a track and field extravaganza that is second only to the MSHSL state meet in terms of the quality of athletes who will display their talents at Hamline University's Klas Field.
What sets the Elite Meet apart from other track and field get-togethers is its stringent qualifying standard. Invitations are extended only after an athlete has demonstrated his or her worthiness. Athletes need to have posted marks in their relative events that show they are among the state's best.
And there's very little to bog down the pacing of the meet. The only events that mess around with prelims are the boys' and the girls' 100-meter dashes. Otherwise, it's just the best track and field stars in the state matching skills to see who, at this point of the season, can claim bragging rights.
Applications for entry are still being accepted, so the field in each event won't be known until the final list of competitors is released Thursday.
But among the names expected are Blake star sprinter Robbie Grace, Mounds View leaper Julie Fixsen, Hopkins sprinter Joe Fahnbulleh and Rosemount thrower Max Otterdahl.
The meet begins at 5:30 p.m.
The week ahead
Here's a quick look at some of the best matchups of the week ahead:
