Athletes in action at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon (© Getty Images)
On the evening of Monday 22 July, hundreds of local youth will assemble at the Oakway Center in Eugene to celebrate one year to go until the start of the 2014 IAAF World Junior Championships at Hayward Field.
In a special ceremony, president of TrackTown USA Vin Lananna will unveil the IAAF World Junior Championships Eugene 2014 logo. The first 212 local children to participate will receive a free Oregon 2014 t-shirt and a flag from one of the 212 IAAF Member Federations, which they will parade into the Oakway Center.
“In just one year, the best young athletes in the world will be representing their countries in an electrifying competition at Hayward Field,” said Lananna. “We are excited about this fantastic opportunity to host an international meet that will be unlike any other event we’ve ever held in TrackTown USA.”
The 15th IAAF World Junior Championships will have the best athletes under the age of 20 from around the world from 22-27 July, 2014. It is the first time the event will be held in the US and the first time in 22 years that an IAAF event has been staged on US soil.
“With exactly one year to go, we are extremely delighted that an IAAF World Championship is returning to the USA next year for the first time since 1992,” said IAAF President Lamine Diack. “This is a major step forward in the promotion of our sport in the country as it is only the fifth time in history that an IAAF World Athletics Series competition has been staged in the USA, following the 1987 IAAF World Indoor Championships in Indianapolis and the IAAF World Cross Country Championships in Boston five years later.”
Those who are not able to attend tonight’s ceremony in person can participate through a “Raise Your Flag” social media campaign. Simply take a photo of you or a friend raising your country’s flag and post it to Twitter, Instagram or Facebook with the hashtag #raiseyourflag. All photos uploaded will be collected and viewable online at the World Junior Championships event website: oregon14.com.
IAAF
