| Sport: | Track and field |
| Country: | United States |
| Founded: | 1972 |
| Website: | USATF Official website |
| Current Season: | 2024 USATF U20 Outdoor Championships |
The USATF U20 Outdoor Championships, formerly known as the USA Junior Outdoor Track & Field Championships, is an annual outdoor track and field competition organized by USA Track & Field (USATF) which serves as the national championship for American athletes aged under 20. The competition is also used for American national team selection for the IAAF World U20 Championships in even-numbered years and the Pan American U20 Athletics Championships in odd-numbered years.[1] [2]
The event was established in 1972 and were originally organized by the Amateur Athletic Union. The Athletics Congress of the USA took over organizational duties in 1980 and the competition was held under the USATF name for the first time in 1993. The men's and women's competitions were held separately from 1972 to 1982, with combined sex championships being held in 1974, and 1978–1980 within that period.[3]
It is held separately from the USATF National Junior Olympic Track & Field Championships, which hosts various age category competitions for athletes aged between 8 and 18.[4]
On the current programme a total of 38 individual United States U20 Championship athletics events are contested, divided evenly between men and women. For each of the sexes, there are six track running events, three obstacle events, four jumps, four throws, a racewalk and a combined track and field event.
For the years 1972 and 1973, track races were held over imperial distances before metrication of the sport in 1974. The results of field events were measured in metric units from 2001 onwards. The distance events were mile run, 3 miles and 6 miles. The women's pentathlon was replaced by the heptathlon in 1981. The decathlon was not held at the first edition and the pentathlon not held at the second edition. The women's 400 m hurdles was not contested in 1972 or 1974. The steeplechase was held over 2000 m for men in 1986 and for women in 2002.[5]
The women's distance programme varied in early years, with no distance race over one mile in 1972, a two-mile race in 1973, no race again in 1974, then the introduction of a 3000 m in 1975. A women's 10,000 m was held from 1988 to 1998, but the women's 5000 m in (introduced in 1996) became the women's longest distance thereafter. A women's steeplechase was first held in 2002. Women's racewalking event has varied in distance over the years, starting over one mile in 1972, skipping the 1973 and 1974 editions, being held over 1500 m in 1975, over 3000 m from 1976 to 1985, 5000 m from 1986 to 1999, before finally matching the men's 10,000 m distance in from 2000 onwards. The women's field programme gradually expanded to match the men's, with triple jump being introduced in 1985 and pole vault and hammer throw in 1995.[5]
| Edition | Venue | Stadium | Date | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Eugene, Oregon | Hayward Field | June 12-13 | ||
| July 7–9 | |||||
| June 23–25 | |||||
| 2021 | Cancelled due to the COVID-19 Pandemic | ||||
| 2020 | Cancelled due to the COVID-19 Pandemic | ||||
| 2019 | Miramar, Florida | Ansin Sports Complex | June 21–23[6] | ||
| 2018 | Bloomington, Indiana | Billy Hayes Track | June 15–17[7] | ||
| 2017 | Sacramento, California | Hornet Stadium | June 22–25[8] | ||
| 2016 | Clovis, California | Veteran's Memorial Stadium at Buchanan High School | June 24–26[9] | ||
| 2015 | Eugene, Oregon | Hayward Field | June 25–28[10] | ||
| 2014 | Eugene, Oregon | Hayward Field | (multis - Sacramento, California 6/25-26) | ||
| 2013 | Des Moines, Iowa | Drake Stadium | June 19-23 | ||
| 2012 | Bloomington, Indiana | Billy Hayes Track | June 15- 17 | ||
| 2011 | Eugene, Oregon | Hayward Field | June 23- 26 | ||
| 2010 | Des Moines, Iowa | Drake Stadium | June 23- 27 | ||
| 2009 | Eugene, Oregon | Hayward Field | June 25- 28 | ||
| 2008 | Columbus, Ohio | Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium | June 20- 22 | ||
| 2007 | Indianapolis, Indiana | IU Michael A. Carroll Track & Soccer Stadium | June 21- 24 | ||
| 2006 | Indianapolis, Indiana | IU Michael A. Carroll Track & Soccer Stadium | June 21- 24 | ||
| 2005 | Carson, California | Home Depot Center | June 23- 26 | ||
| 2004 | College Station, Texas | Anderson Track & Field Complex | June 25- 27 | ||
| 2003 | Stanford, California | Cobb Track at Angell Field | June 19- 23 | ||
| 2002 | Stanford, California | Cobb Track at Angell Field | June 21- 22 | ||
| 2001 | Richmond, Virginia | Sports Backers Stadium | June 16- 17 | ||
| 2000 | Denton, Texas | Mean Green Stadium | June 23- 24 | ||
| 1999 | Denton, Texas | Mean Green Stadium | June 19- 20 | ||
| 1998 | Edwardsville, Illinois | Ralph Korte Stadium | June 19- 20 | ||
| 1997 | Edwardsville, Illinois | Ralph Korte Stadium | June 21- 22 | ||
| 1996 | Delaware, Ohio | Selby Stadium | June 28-29 | ||
| 1995 | Walnut, California | Hilmer Lodge Stadium | June 23- 24 | ||
| 1994 | Tallahassee, Florida | Mike Long Track | June 24- 25 | ||
| 1993 | Spokane, Washington | Spokane Falls Community College | June 26- 27 | ||
| 1992 | Columbus, Ohio | Jesse Owens Track @ Ohio Stadium | July 5- 6 | ||
| 1991 | Blaine, Minnesota | National Sports Center | June 21- 23 | ||
| 1990 | Fresno, California | Ratcliffe Stadium | June 29- July 1 | ||
| 1989 | Columbus, Ohio | Jesse Owens Track @ Ohio Stadium | June 9- 11 | ||
| 1988 | Tallahassee, Florida | Mike Long Track | June 23- 25 | ||
| 1987 | Tucson, Arizona | Rincon Vista Complex | Hep/ Dec: June 16- 17 June 19- 21 | ||
| 1986 | Towson, Maryland | Minnegan Stadium | June 26- 29 | ||
| 1985 | Elmhurst, Illinois | York High School | June 21-22 | ||
| 1984 | Los Angeles, California | Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum | Hep: June 16- 17, Dec: June 18- 19 June 22-24 | ||
| 1983 | University Park, Pennsylvania | Nittany Lion Track | June 25- 26 | ||
| 1982 | Bloomington, Indiana (men) Los Angeles, California (women) | Billy Hayes Track (men) Elvin C. "Ducky" Drake Stadium (women) | June 14- 15 (men) June 30- July 1 (women) | ||
| 1981 | Knoxville, Tennessee (men) Los Angeles, California (women) | Tom Black Track (men) Elvin C. Ducky Drake Stadium (women) | June 12- 13 (men) June 30- July 1 (women) | ||
| 1980 | Knoxville, Tennessee | Tom Black Track | June 16- 17 | ||
| 1979 | Bloomington, Indiana | Billy Hayes Track | June 23- 24 | ||
| 1978 | Bloomington, Indiana | Billy Hayes Track | June 24- 25 | ||
| 1977 | Knoxville, Tennessee (men) Los Angeles, California (women) | Tom Black Track (men) Elvin C. "Ducky" Drake Stadium (women) | June 17- 18 (men) June 13- 14 (women) | ||
| 1976 | Knoxville, Tennessee (men) Los Angeles, California (women) | Tom Black Track (men) Elvin C. "Ducky" Drake Stadium (women) | June 8-9 (men) June 15- 16 (women) | ||
| 1975 | Knoxville, Tennessee (men) White Plains, New York (women) | Tom Black Track (men) Glen D. Loucks Field (women) | June 13- 14 (men) June 27- 28 (women) | ||
| 1974 | Gainesville, Florida | Pearcy Beard Track | June 14- 15 | ||
| 1973 | Gainesville, Florida (men) Irvine, California (women) | Pearcy Beard Track (men) UC- Irvine (women) | June 22- 23 (men) June 19- 20 (women) | ||
| 1972 | Lakewood, Colorado (men) Poplar Bluff, Missouri (women) | Jefferson County Stadium (men) Poplar Bluff Stadium | June 23- 24 (men/ women) | ||
| Event | Record | Athlete | School or Club | Location | Date | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10.00 | July 5, 2014 | |||||
| 20.15 | June 26, 2016 | |||||
| 400 m | 44.93 | Steven McElroy | University of Cincinnati | Eugene | June 25, 2022 | [12] |
| 1:46.97 | June 25, 2016 | |||||
| 3:42.8h | June 15, 1974 | |||||
| 13:55.65 | June 17, 1980 | |||||
| 29:11.2h | June 13, 1975 | |||||
| 110 m hurdles (99 cm) | 13.12 (+1.6 m/s) | Ja'Kobe Tharp | Auburn | Eugene | June 13, 2024 | [13] |
| 49.45 | June 24, 1984 | |||||
| 5:50.66 | June 29, 1986 | |||||
| 3000 steeplechase | 8:48.17 | Wyatt Haughton | BYU | Eugene | June 12, 2024 | [14] |
| 42:50.20 | June 21, 2002 | |||||
| June 11, 1989 | ||||||
| June 15, 2018 | ||||||
| June 30, 1990 | ||||||
| June 28, 2009 | ||||||
| June 22, 1979 | ||||||
| June 25, 2015 | ||||||
| June 28, 1996 | ||||||
| June 17, 2012 | ||||||
| June 20, 1999 | ||||||
| June 25, 2010 | ||||||
| June 25, 2010 | ||||||
| Decathlon | 7599 | June 26, 2009 | ||||
| Decathlon Junior implements | 8016 | June 24, 2011 |
| Event | Record | Athlete | School or Club | Date | Location | Ref | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11.09 | June 24, 2016 | Clovis | |||||
| 200 m | 22.48 (0.0 m/s) | Shawnti Jackson | Run U Xpress | July 9, 2023 | Eugene | [15] | |
| 50.69 | June 22, 2002 | Stanford | |||||
| 1:59.04 | Maryland High School | June 25, 2022 | Eugene | ||||
| 4:14.74 | June 17,2012 | Bloomington | |||||
| 9:10.51 | June 25, 2016 | Clovis | |||||
| 15:56.84 | June 24, 2016 | Clovis | |||||
| 34:22.32 | June 23, 1991 | Blaine | |||||
| 12.84 | June 25, 2016 | Clovis | |||||
| 54.54 | June 25, 2016 | Clovis | |||||
| 10:14.67 | June 24, 2017 | Sacramento | |||||
| June 28, 1996 | Delaware | ||||||
| June 17, 2018 | Bloomington | ||||||
| Long jump | (+0.7 m/s) | Alyssa Jones | Stanford | July 8, 2023 | Eugene | [16] | |
| June 27, 2004 | College Station | ||||||
| June 22, 2002 | Stanford | ||||||
| June 15, 2012 | Bloomington | ||||||
| June 16, 2012 | Bloomington | ||||||
| June 15, 2018 | Bloomington | ||||||
| 5660 pts | June 15–16, 2018 | Bloomington | |||||
| 10000 m walk | 48:24.61 | Taylor Ewert | Beavercreek High School | 23 June 2019 | Miramar | [17] |