20 June 2008

Britain’s young athletes have one final chance to qualify for the 12^th IAAF World Junior Championships at the Aviva England U20 & U23 Championships in Bedford this weekend, 21-22 June.

The Championships, formerly the AAA’s, is a hugely popular competition, which gives athletes the opportunity to achieve personal bests and climb the UK rankings in a highly competitive atmosphere.

For many, qualifying for the World Junior Championships, which will be held in Bydgoszcz, Poland next month, will be a defining moment in their career and a significant step on the pathway to becoming an elite athlete.

Those who qualify will follow in the footsteps of some of Britain’s top athletes such as Jessica Ennis (City of Sheffield), Marlon Devonish (Coventry Godiva) and Nicola Sanders (Windsor Slough Eton & Hounslow).

Athletes who have already achieved qualifying marks for Poland include World Youth gold medallist Chris Clarke (Marshall Milton Keynes), GB cross country and middle distance man Dave Forrester (St Helens Sutton) and Hammer thrower Peter Smith (Kingston Upon Hull). Amongst the junior women already holding marks are European Junior Cross Country champion Steph Twell (AFD), Junior Hammer record holder Sophie Hitchon and UK Indoor 400m champion Meghan Beesley (Birchfield Harriers).

This weekend’s meeting also counts towards the on-going UK Challenge competition, which runs throughout the summer calculating points from performances and offering prizes to athletes at the close of the season.

For more information visit the England Athletics website.