Ottawa – Athletics Canada announced today that the first ever combined junior and senior Canadian Track and Field Championships have been awarded to the Edmonton 2015 PAJAC organizing committee and will take place in Edmonton, Alta., in 2015 and 2016. The 2015 Canadian Championships, July 2 to 5, will serve as World Championship and Pan American Games Trials. The 2016 edition will serve as Olympic and Paralympic Games selection trials as well as World Junior Championship selection trials.
“We look forward to working with the Edmonton 2015 PAJAC organizing committee in producing a great competition and a great event for the community”, said Rob Guy, Athletics Canada Chief Executive Officer. “2015 will be a busy year for our athletes with the Panamerican Junior Championships, the Panamerican and Para Panamerican Games and the World Championships. This will be a great opportunity for Albertans to see our national team athletes in their final preparations for those events.”
The combined aged category national track and field championship will host almost 1,500 athletes in junior, senior and para-athletics competition. “It will be a great opportunity to have the junior and senior athletes compete together in the same event at the most important Championship in the country,” said Alex Genest, national team athlete and athlete representative on Athletics Canada’s Competitions Committee.
Genest, a finalist in the 3000-metres steeplechase at the 2013 World Championships adds, “It will be the most important track and field weekend of the year, that will make this championship highly visible, our sport needs that kind of attention to continue growing. As a junior I was able to race at the senior Championship, it was a great motivator, more importantly it helped me understand how much work and preparation is required to be among the best in Canada. I really hope junior athletes can take advantage of this new system to become better athletes, this can definitely help strengthen our sport.”
The Edmonton 2015 PAJAC organizing committee is comprised of representatives from the City of Edmonton, Athletics Alberta, the University of Alberta and the Canadian Athletics Coaching Centre. The same group won the right to organize the 2015 Panamerican Junior Athletics Championships. Organizing Committee Chair, Jerry Bouma notes, “For Edmonton and its long history with athletics, and major events, this is about building our storied past and continuing to inspire an exciting future.”
The selection of Edmonton 2015 PAJAC as host organization was made by Athletics Canada’s Competitions Committee following an open bid process that began in January 2013. Edmonton has a rich history of hosting major athletic competitions such as the 1978 Commonwealth Games, 1983 Universiade Games, the 2001 IAAF World Track and Field Championships and the 2005 World Masters Games.
Athletics Canada is the national governing body for track and field, cross-country, road running and road racing in Canada. Canadian Championship Series events showcase Canada’s best athletes in various age group categories and serve as a catalyst to raise awareness for the sport.
2015 Canadian Championship Series
Canadian Championship – Location – Host organizing committee – Date
Half Marathon Championship – Calgary, AB – Calgary Marathon Society – June
Junior / Senior Track and Field Championship – Edmonton, AB – Edmonton 2015 PAJAC – July
5km Championship – Toronto, ON – B&O Yorkville Run – September
Marathon Championship – Toronto, ON – Canada Running Series – October
10km Championship – Not yet announced –
Cross Country Championship – Not yet announced
Youth Track and Field Championship – Not yet announced
-AC-
For more information:
Mathieu Gentès
Director, Public Relations and Corporate Services
Athletics Canada
[email protected]
613 260 5580 ext. 3303