A group of students from the Chautauqua Striders Track Club will represent Chautauqua County at the 2023 USA Track & Field National Junior Olympics at Hayward Field this week.
The students qualified for the national championship after placing among the top five at the USATF Region 2 championships at Cortland State University in their respective age groups and events.
They will compete against more than 10,000 athletes from across the country in various track and field events, ranging from sprints and hurdles to jumps and throws.
The students are: Talon Rowland, an incoming senior at Randolph, who will compete in the 400-meter dash; Gavin Stearns, an incoming senior at Randolph, who will compete in the high jump; Ethan Verbosky, an incoming sophomore at Maple Grove, who will compete in the 800 meters and 3,000 meters; and Declan Kennedy, an incoming senior at Southwestern, who will compete in the 110-meter hurdles.
“Each athlete who is attending this meet should be extremely proud of themselves,” said Nick Abdo, Chautauqua Striders Track Club coach. “All of these kids have already accomplished so much in their high school track careers, and with so much time ahead of them still — the sky is the limit. I really look forward to this meet and producing a positive experience and great results.”
The USATF National Junior Olympic Track and Field Championship is the largest and most prestigious youth track and field event in the United States. It is organized by USA Track & Field, the national governing body for track and field, long-distance running and race walking. The championship features athletes aged 7-18 who have met rigorous standards to participate.
For more information about the championship, visit https://www.usatf.org/events/2023-usatf-national-junior-olympic-track-field-championships.
For more information about Chautauqua Striders, visit http://www.chautauquastriders.org.
Chautauqua Striders is a nonprofit agency in Jamestown that provides tutoring, mentoring, and athletic programs to more than 1,200 Chautauqua County youth annually. The agency aims to help youth graduate high school inspired with the knowledge, skill, and confidence required for successful college and career experiences.