When the XVII edition of the hemisphere’s Junior Track and Championships kicks off tomorrow at the athletics stadium “Alfonso Galvis Dukue” in the city of Medellin, Colombia, Guyanese Technical Official Claude Blackmore will be serving on the Jury of Appeal.
A former Vice President of the Pan American Athletics Commission now re-named the Association of Panamerican Athletics (APA), Blackmore is the longest serving Technical Official in Guyana.
The Junior Pan American Championships is held every two years and is the highest ranked junior competition in the hemisphere. It provides an opportunity for athletes from North America, South America, Central America and the Caribbean to develop their skills competing together. Athletes 16 years but under 20 years in the year of the competition are eligible to participate.
Some 44 countries currently comprise the membership of APA.
The championships began in 1980 and have produced athletes the likes of Carl Lewis (USA), Joaquim Cruz (BRA), Jackie Joyner Kersee (USA), and of most recent times Usain Bolt (JAM). Some 12 countries have played host to this championships in its 16 years of existence.
According to information of the championships organisers, up to the close of final entries on August 15, some 33 Member Federations with a total of 546 athletes have entered.
