Hayward Field lies at the heart of the University of Oregon campus in the town of Eugene, in the Williamette Valley.It is the spiritual and often physical home of USA Track and Field athletics, and it has, for the last week, played host to the USA Olympic Trials.I spent most of last week attending a USA Track and Field coaching superclinic in Eugene, and it is informative to compare it to the South African system.The US is, after all, the nation that routinely wins twice as many medals as the next-best performers in Olympic track and field.Attending a day's athletics at Hayward Field, the first thing you see as you approach the stadium is a large sign welcoming you to "Track Town".The sign also reminds you that you are in the "Home of the hardest team to make", something they are very proud of over here.Qualifying for the USA Olympic team is as competitive as it gets. There's only one way into the team, and that's to finish in the top three at these national championships. Who you are, where you're ranked, who you've beaten, and what you've done in the past is irrelevant - it's Top 3, or you watch on TV.Many other nations have imitated this system, but the US were forerunners in this ruthless approach.Such an unforgiving system claims surprise casualties. This year, it eliminated the two world-leading women's hurdlers. Kendra Harrison, a 100m hurdler, was so dominant a month ago that she was touted as an imminent world-record breaker. She could only finish sixth in Eugene. In the 400m hurdles, world-leader Shamier Little failed to make the final (a boost for our medal prospects with Wenda Nel).Ruthless as it is, the upside is that it filters out poor form and failure to handle pressure.The premise is that if you can't produce your best to make the team, then the pressure of an Olympic Games is hardly likely to inspire you to a medal.It also serves as a well-timed check on form.One thing we've struggled with in South Africa is that thanks to our southern hemisphere season, our best athletes have to stay at a high level from our national championships in April until the global showpiece in August.Physiologically, it's very difficult to hit what is called a "double peak" four months apart. It's nearly impossible to stay at that high level for four months, and so you'll find many instances of SA athletes looking great in April, when they have to produce good performances to win SA titles, hit Olympic qualifying standards and earn invitations to European meetings, but then fade towards the end of the season.Our very best athletes - Wayde van Niekerk, Nel and Caster Semenya - have the luxury that they can win locally while at 90%, so they aren't as affected by this, but many "fringe" athletes find this juggling act too difficult. The USA trials, only a month before the Games, mean that you can aim for five weeks of form, rather than five months.On the track, it's been interesting to see how the USA stars fare in events where they're likely to encounter SA opposition. I mentioned Nel, but another key clash is in the 400m where Van Niekerk lies in wait for LaShawn Merritt, who has been one of the stars in Eugene, running a super-fast 200m in addition to winning the 400m.It amused me to hear the commentators hyping up a Merritt vs Kirani James clash in Rio, when Van Niekerk beat them both last year. The remedy will be to alert them to their insular arrogance by doing it again in Rio.And then there's Semenya. She will win the 800m, and could well win the 400m or the 1500m too. I think the 400-800 double is easier, and that means beating USA darling Allyson Felix. Here too, not many Americans have registered. They may be in for a surprise in Rio. There is only one month to go...