NBNO vs USA Juniors: Making an Informed Choice: 6/4 UPDATE

by Jim Spier

New Balance Nationals Outdoor and USATF Junior Championships each set for June 15-17

2018 US Junior List and Analysis (May 21):  MS Word Document  |  PDF File
NEW - June 4 JUNIOR LISTS: MEN | WOMEN

This year these meets fall on the same weekend.  USATF has made the decision to schedule the Junior Championships (also a qualifier for the IAAF U20 Championships in Finland in July) on June 15-17, 2018.

We encourage athletes who intend on competing in one or the other (or both) to make an informed decision.  Certain events are dominated by college freshman, and there would not be the competition in those events that would be at the New Balance Nationals Outdoors (NBNO).

We are strong believers in the Junior program.  The National Scholastic Athletics Foundation was founded to help fund athletes to the US Junior Championships.  In fact, we will help fund certain athletes the US Junior Championships who we feel have a very good chance of making the U.S. team.

We do this even though we are running our meet on the very same weekend and, of course, would prefer to have those athletes in Greensboro.  But we want to do what is best for the athletes and their development on the international level.

What follows is an event-by-event summary of the best Juniors and their chance to make the team.  Generally, the U.S. will take two athletes per event given they have met the IAAF U20 meet standard.  For the 100m and 400m, they make take four for the relay pools.  And only those born in 1999, 2000, 2001 or 2002 are eligible to compete in the IAAF U20 World Championships. 

The IAAF U20 meet standard is in () next to the event name.    Note that all listed may not necessarily attend the Junior Championships.  In many cases, especially on the college level, coaches may want their athlete to bypass this meet for a variety of reasons.  So the assumption here is that those listed will compete. (NOTE: The linked file also includes this introduction, followed by the Junior lists)

2018 US Junior List and Analysis (May 21):  MS Word Document  |  PDF File
NEW - June 4 JUNIOR LISTS: MEN | WOMEN

 

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