INDIANAPOLIS -- The best youth athletes in the country travel to Lisle, Illinois, this week for USATF Hershey National Youth Outdoor Championships. The week-long event, hosted June 30-July 5 at Laughlin Track on the campus of Benedictine University, will begin with World Youth Trials June 30 and July 1.
 
The top-two athletes from each of the World Youth Trials events will be considered for the 41-member Team USA competing at IAAF World Youth Championships in Cali, Colombia, July 15-19.
 
This year’s group of runners are headlined by a great group of girls, including Candace Hill (Conyers, Georgia), who is fresh off her all-time 10.98 finish in 100 meters at the Brooks PR Invitational, which was the first time a high school girl ever eclipsed 11 seconds. Vashti Cunningham (Las Vegas, Nevada), daughter of retired NFL quarterback Randall Cunningham, will display her talents in the field events for high jump and long jump. Christina Aragon (Billings, Montana) is only weeks removed from winning three individual state championships and also clocked in at 4:37.91 in the adidas dream mile in New York City on June 13.
 
At the 2014 event, sprinters highlighted a wonderful week of competition, as 100-meter winners Anthony Schwartz (Pembrooke Pines, Florida) ran 11.45 and Semira Killebrew (Indianapolis, Indiana) ran 12.62 in their respective divisions. Durham Striders teammates Isaiah Moore (Burlington, North Carolina) and Marcus Krah (Durham, North Carolina) finished in the top two of the 17-18 boys 110mH with 13.97 and 14.06 times respectively.
 
In addition to the meet, athletes, coaches and spectators will be treated to a Hershey Celebration, featuring carnival games and food beginning at 5 p.m. on Friday, July 3 for all participants to relax and enjoy a fireworks display beginning around 9:45 p.m. CST. The event is free to coaches and athletes wearing wristbands. Saturday, July 4 will feature a dinner to honor President of the USATF Illinois Association beginning at 7 p.m. in Krasa Student Center. Tickets are $50 and include a meal.
 
Follow along with the action with the live webcast on USATF.tv, and join the conversation by following USATF on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram using the hashtag #USATFyouth.
 
Click here for Team USA selection criteria for IAAF World Youth Championships.

Ryan Stevens
Ryan.Stevens@usatf.org