USA Triathlon Announces Changes to Youth & Junior Nationals

USA Triathlon announced that its Youth & Junior Nationals will return to West Chester’s Voice of America Park on July 31-Aug. 1, 2021, as well as 2022 with dates to be determined. The event will see several changes from previous years to align with the American Development Model (ADM), a concerted effort between the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee and its sport National Governing Bodies to apply long-term athlete development principles in a way that resonates with the culture of sport in the United States. To read more about the changes, which include expanding the Youth Age Group race to athletes up to age 18 (previously limited to ages 7-15) and removing the word “Championships” from the overall event name, click here.

Youth Elite (ages 13-15) and Junior Elite (16-19) athletes may transfer their entry to the 2021 or 2022 Youth & Junior Nationals provided they meet the qualification standards for that year. Youth Elite and Junior Elite Nationals qualification standards will be published in USA Triathlon’s 2021 Junior Program Guide.

Youth non-drafting age-group athletes (ages 7-18) will be given the opportunity to defer to the 2021 or 2022 Youth & Junior Nationals, provided age requirements are met. These athletes may also choose to transfer their registration to a future 2021 or 2022 USA Triathlon-owned event, including the USA Triathlon Collegiate Club National Championships (eligibility required in accordance with the Collegiate Competitive Rules), USA Duathlon National Championships, Toyota USA Triathlon Age Group National Championships (qualification required), or the Legacy Triathlon. Coaches who have paid for a Youth and Junior Elite Mixed Relay entry will be able to defer this entry to 2021.

Registered athletes or parents will receive an email from USA Triathlon with more details about the deferral process.

Continual updates from USA Triathlon regarding COVID-19 are available at usatriathlon.org/covid-19. USA Triathlon also launched the Safe Return to Multisport initiative, a comprehensive set of best practices and recommendations for race directors, coaches and athletes to implement to resume racing and group training safely as the nation recovers from COVID-19. All documents can be found at usatriathlon.org/safe-return.

USA Triathlon continues to monitor the situation surrounding COVID-19, while following the guidance of local authorities, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO), when making decisions regarding the status of USA Triathlon events and programs. Any further potential changes to USA Triathlon’s National Championships event calendar will be communicated as soon as possible.

About USA Triathlon - USA Triathlon is proud to serve as the National Governing Body for triathlon, as well as duathlon, aquathlon, aquabike, winter triathlon, off-road triathlon and paratriathlon in the United States. Founded in 1982, USA Triathlon sanctions more than 4,300 events and connects with more than 400,000 members each year, making it the largest multisport organization in the world. In addition to its work at the grassroots level with athletes, coaches, and race directors – as well as the USA Triathlon Foundation – USA Triathlon provides leadership and support to elite athletes competing at international events, including International Triathlon Union (ITU) World Championships, Pan American Games and the Olympic and Paralympic Games. USA Triathlon is a proud member of the ITU and the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC).