Wichita to host USA Track & Field Junior Olympics

Future track stars will descend on the air capital as Wichita was selected in Indianapolis on Friday evening to host the 2011 USATF Junior Olympic Track & Field Championships. The successful bid was submitted by the Greater Wichita Area Sports Commission, USATF Missouri Valley Association, Go Wichita Convention & Visitors Bureau, the City of Wichita and Wichita State University. Representatives from all organizations attended the presentation.

"The Wichita contingency was well received by USA Track & Field. Our partners put together a great presentation and we are extremely excited to host the 2011 USA Track & Field Junior Olympics as it will have a significant economic impact on our city" stated Mayor Carl Brewer.

The USATF National Junior Olympic Track & Field Championships is the largest and most visible youth athlete developmental program in the world. The Junior Olympics feature the following age divisions: Bantam (10 and under), Midget (11-12), Youth (13-14), Intermediate (15-16) and Young Men/Women (17-18). Entry for this championship is based on athlete performances at preliminary, association, and regional levels of the 2011 USATF Junior Olympic Program.

The USATF National Youth Committee approved a new division (Sub-Bantam for 2011) at the USATF National Convention in Indianapolis yesterday, Saturday December 5th. This will allow approximately 1,000 additional athletes the opportunity to participate in Wichita.

"Wichita State is honored to have Cessna Stadium be the host venue for the Junior Olympic Championships," said Eric Sexton, Director of Athletics. "Our community came together to win the bid to this event and we look forward to continue working with the Greater Wichita Area Sports Commission, the USATF Missouri Valley Association, the Go Wichita Convention & Visitors Bureau, the City of Wichita as we move forward toward making this a quality event."

Many of today's Olympic stars began their track and field careers competing in the USATF National Junior Olympic Track & Field Championships.

The 2011 six-day event will be held July 26th thru July 31st. Over 6,500 athletes participated in ten divisions at the 2009 championships were in Greensboro, North Carolina and had an estimated economic impact of $17 million. The 2010 USATF Junior Olympics will be held in Sacramento, CA in July.

Bob Hanson, President/CEO of the Sports Commission stated, "I am very appreciative of all of our partners who worked very hard to bring this event to our great city."