Best Junior Athletics Competitors of the Americas Convene in Edmonton

EDMONTON, ALBERTA--(Marketwired - July 30, 2015) - Department of Canadian Heritage

The Honourable Tim Uppal, Minister of State (Multiculturalism) and Member of Parliament (Edmonton-Sherwood Park), on behalf of the Honourable Bal Gosal, Minister of State (Sport), today announced $250,000 in funding from the Government of Canada, through Sport Canada's Hosting Program, to Athletics Canada Athlétisme to support the 2015 Panamerican Junior Athletics Championships. The event is taking place from July 31 to August 2 at the competition stadium of the University of Alberta's Foote Field in Edmonton.

Quick Facts

• The 2015 Panamerican Junior Athletics Championships will attract 460 athletes from 40 countries of the Americas, including 60 Canadians. It will involve 20 Canadian coaches and 75 Canadian officials.
• Athletics Canada Athlétisme is the national sport organization responsible for organizing and promoting track and field events and competitions in Canada. Established in 1884, it is one of the oldest affiliated bodies of the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF).
• The Panamerican Junior Athletics Championships were last held in Canada in 2005 in Windsor, Ontario.
• The Government of Canada places great importance on our high-performance athletes, as well as healthy and active Canadians. In Economic Action Plan 2015, the Government doubled the Children's Fitness Tax Credit to $1,000 to help offset the costs of parents enrolling their children in organized sport. Starting in 2016-17, it will be investing up to an additional $20 million into the next generation of Olympic and Paralympic athletes to ensure they have what they need to push for the podium, now and in the future.

Quotes

"Our Government is very proud to support the 2015 Panamerican Junior Athletics Championships during this Year of Sport in Canada. As we did during the 2015 Pan American Games, we now encourage our Canadian junior athletes as they compete against the best athletes of the Americas right here in Edmonton. The outstanding athletic performances we will witness should further inspire Canadians of all ages and from all walks of life to choose a healthy lifestyle and remain active."

- The Honourable Bal Gosal, Minister of State (Sport)

"What an honour it is to welcome some of best junior track and field competitors of the Americas-including our own Canadian athletes-to the great region of Edmonton. These championships will bring both excitement and benefits to the local community and businesses. We wish the organizers, the volunteers, and all those involved a very successful event."

- The Honourable Tim Uppal, Minister of State (Multiculturalism) and Member of Parliament (Edmonton-Sherwood Park)

"The Panamerican Junior Athletics Championships are an important stepping stone in the high-performance pathway leading to Olympic and World Championship success. The event has served as the proving ground for international superstars such as Jamaica's Usain Bolt and Canadian Pan Am Games gold medallists Shawn Barber and Andre De Grasse. Athletics Canada is extremely thankful of the Government of Canada's ongoing support, especially in the Year of Sport, providing another home-soil opportunity for our best athletes to distinguish themselves against world-leading competition."

- Rob Guy, Chief Executive Officer, Athletics Canada Athlétisme

Associated Links

Canada.ca/Sport

2015 Panamerican Junior Athletics Championships

Athletics Canada Athlétisme

Year of Sport in Canada

Children's Fitness Tax Credit

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