Pan American junior championships begin in Edmonton

With Canada’s best senior athletes finished competing in Toronto, the country’s top juniors are preparing to get started on Friday in Edmonton at the Pan American junior track and field championships. It is the 18th year the biennial meet which pits the best athletes from 41 countries in North America, South America and the Caribbean against each other.

“Our government is very proud to support the 2015 Panamerican Junior Championships during this year of sport in Canada,” said Canada’s Minister of State for Sport Bal Gosal. “Much like we have during the 2015 Pan American Games, we will now encourage our Canadian junior athletes as they compete against the best athletes of the Americas and Caribbean right here in Edmonton.”

Athletics Canada is fielding a large team of 63 athletes. To be considered a junior an athlete must be 19 or younger on the final day of the year the competition is held in. This year, that means athletes born in 1996 or later.

“The Pan Am junior championships are an excellent opportunity for young upcoming athletes. Competing at home against the best from the pan am region […] this age group should elevate their performances and provide them with an excellent learning opportunity,” said the team’s head coach Les Gramantik.

The meet is being held at Edmonton’s Foote Field, a busy venue in 2015. It has already this year hosted the national track and field championships and the Track Town Classic. The Track Town Classic was the final stop on the National Track League schedule and is quickly becoming one of North America’s top invitational meets.

The meet has twice in the past been hosted in Canada, first in Sudbury, Ont., in 1980 and again in Windsor, Ont., in 2005.

The meet begins 10:30 a.m. MST time Friday. The entire meet can be watched live on AthleticsCanada.tv