Palm Beach County to Host Regional Junior Olympic Championship

The USA Track & Field (USATF) Region 16 (Florida) Junior Olympic Championship is racing towards Palm Beach County. USA Track & Field is partnering with the Palm Beach County Sports Commission and Behind the Athlete (Palm Beach County based running organization) to host the USATF Region 16 Junior Olympic Championship on July 9-12, 2015.  The meet will take place at William T. Dwyer High School and its Blum Stadium along with The Benjamin School and Florida Atlantic University.

USA Track & Field is expected to bring Palm Beach County one of its largest track and field meets. Over 1,500 athletes from across Florida will compete in a variety of age groups that range from 8U to 18U. The meet will feature both boys and girls divisions.

A track & field meet is comprised of many events. The average track and field athlete will compete in three events during middle school ages and four events during their high school years.  The USATF Region 16 Junior Olympic Championship will consist of running events, field events, and combined or multi-events.

Two occurrences have aligned to make the USATF Region 16 Junior Olympic Championship the largest state track & field meet in 2015. First, the USATF Region 16 Junior Olympic is the gateway for track & field athletes from Florida to compete in the 49th USATF National Junior Olympic Track & Field Championship, which is taking place in Jacksonville, Florida.  Therefore, Florida track & field athletes will have a strong presence at the USATF National Junior Olympic Track & Field Championship, which has not occurred in Florida since 2003.  The USATF Region 16 Junior Olympic Championship will serve as the qualifier for the National Championship. Secondly, the USATF Regional Junior Olympic Championship in Palm Beach County will be the only opportunity for Florida athletes to qualify for the USATF National Junior Olympic Track & Field Championship. In previous years, Florida athletes could qualify for the National Championship by competing in the Florida Association State Meet or district meets.  In 2015, the USATF Regional Junior Olympic Championship will encompass the Florida Association State Meet and is the only option to qualify for the National Championship. These occurrences have created a high demand for participation.

USATF Region 16 Junior Olympic Championship will provide exhilaration on the track for the athletes and fans as well as off the track for the local economy.  The meet is expected to generate over 1,200 hotel room nights and more than $750,000 in visitor spending.

Track & Field is a foundational sport for athletes and continues to lead in sports participation within the United States. More high school athletes participate in track & field than any other sport (over 1.1 million) when combining boys and girls.  The state of Florida and Palm Beach County will be the focal point of the track and field universe this summer.

To visit the event website and find out more information, click on the picture below. You can also visit the Palm Beach County Sports Commission website event page to find out more.

See below for events and the USATF Regional Junior Olympic Qualifier schedule.

Running events includes the following races: 3,000 Meters, 1,500 Meters, 800 Meters, 400 Meters, 200 Meters, 100 Meters, 3,000 Meters Relay, 4 X 800 Meters Relay, 4 X 400 Meters Relay, 4 X 100 Meters Relay, 400 Meters Hurdles, 200 Meters Hurdles, 110 Meter Hurdles, 100 Meter Hurdles, 80 Meters Hurdles, and Steeplechase.

Field Events include: High Jump, Long Jump, Triple Jump, Pole Vault, Shot Put, Discus Throw, Hammer Throw, and Javelin.

Combined or multi-events include: Decathlon, Heptathlon, Pentathlon, and the Triathlon.

Event Schedule:
Wednesday, July 8: Opening Ceremonies and Athlete Check-in
Thursday, July 9: Combined or multi-events start at 8 a.m., Running events start at 1 p.m.
Friday, July 10: Running events and field events start at 8 a.m.,Combined or multi-events start at 9 a.m.
Saturday, July 11: Running and field events will start at 8 a.m.
Sunday, July 12: Running and field events will start at 8 a.m.

About the Palm Beach County Sports Commission
The Palm Beach County Sports Commission is a private, not-for-profit organization contracted by Palm Beach County to promote and market the county as a sports and sports tourism destination. The Commission brings sporting events and activities to the county, enhances economic impact, stimulates bed tax revenues (primarily in the off-season) and maximizes utilization of county facilities. The commission offers a full range of event service support, corporate partnerships, sponsorships and a local membership program that support its goals. Local, regional, national and international marketing efforts are ongoing by the commission with sports organizations and event owners. The commission also produces sports-related programs for the residents of Palm Beach County including the annual Lou Groza Awards program, the Sports Hall of Fame, and the Kids Fitness Festival of the Palm Beaches. For more information on the Palm Beach County Sports Commission go to www.palmbeachsports.com.