For the first time, USA Track & Field, in cooperation with i2sports TrackMeets.com, will webcast the USATF Junior Olympic Championships. The live webcast at www.usatf.org begins on Tuesday, July 24 at 8:00 a.m. local Pacific Time, 11 a.m. Eastern.

Featuring more than 6,500 youth athletes competing in Sacramento, California, the Junior Olympic Championships is the final meet of the Verizon Youth Series. The competition will be held July 24-29 at California State University, Sacramento, site of the 2000 and 2004 U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials.

"We are pleased to bring this event to thousands of fans via the Internet," said USATF CEO Craig Masback. "The USATF Junior Olympics are the top youth track and field event in the world, drawing the largest number of total participants. This webcast reinforces our presence on the Internet and emphasizes our commitment to youth athletics and the future of USA Track & Field."

Viewing the webcast will requireWindows Media player and a high speed Internet connection (384 kbps or greater--cable modem, DSL, T1, etc.). Windows Media Player is available free from Microsoft and can be downloaded from: http://www.microsoft.com/ windows/windowsmedia/en/download/default.asp. To see if your Internet connection is fast enough to support the webcast, visit: http://www.dslreports.com/stest. A 56 kbps dial-up connection is insufficient and will provide a less-than-satisfactory experience.

The USATF Web site will also feature daily results and news from Sacramento that can be viewed with a traditional dial-up connection.

In order to be eligible to compete at the 2001 USA Track & Field Junior Olympic Championships, athletes must qualify through association or regional competitions. Athletes in Sacramento will compete in one of five age ranges, determined by birth year. Those age divisions are: Bantam (1991 or later), Midget (1989-1990), Youth (1987-1988), Intermediate (1985-86) and Young Men/Women (1983-84). USA Track & Field has 57 associations across the country.

For more information on the 2001 USA Track & Field Junior Olympic Championships, all USATF Youth programs and the Verizon Youth Series, including complete results, visit the USATF Web site at www.usatf.org.