Closer USATF Hershey Outdoor Championships allow TRA youth athletes to shine on national stage
7/4/16
MILLERSVILLE, Pa. – TRA youth athletes didn’t have to travel too far to attend the 2016 USATF Hershey Youth Outdoor Championships. For many athletes and teams, the trip to Millersville could be accomplished in a reasonable drive. This competition generally attracts athletes from across the country and provides an opportunity for youth athletes to compete on national stage without formal qualification. Instead, the event produces performances standards that provide a guideline for being competitive. Because this event is contested right after the Association Championships, it can also be used as a good training competition for those preparing for the Region Championships. The competition scores the top 8 athletes in the finals and awards team championships for all 6 age divisions for both boys and girls.
There were nearly 2800 athletes who competed in this year’s competition making it one of the largest USATF Hershey Outdoor Championships (formerly USA Youth Outdoor Championships) the organization has seen in years. 135 total athletes across 11 teams (17 unattached athletes) represented the Association well producing 135 top 8 performances (includes individual multi-event performances) and 6 national champions.
National Champions:
| Athlete(s) | Team | Age Group | Event | Time/Mark |
| NyAsia Benton, Faith Holyfield, Elizabeth Blackwell, Makaela Johns | Future Stars | 11-12 Girls | 4×100 | 53.19 |
| Mark Brown | Unattached | 15-16 Boys | 1500m | 4:12.48 |
| Ayden Owen | Nadia | 15-16 Boys | 400m H | 54.60 |
| Elias Zajicek | Midas | 15-16 Boys | 2000m SC | 6:54.94 |
| Angelo Allen | Unattached | 11-12 Boys | Discus | 25.22m |
| Isaiah Melvin | Valley Speedsters | 13-14 Boys | Pentathlon | 2966 |
Participating Athletes/Teams:
| Team | # of athletes |
| Unattached | 17 |
| East Allegheny | 13 |
| Future Stars | 25 |
| Greensburg YMCA | 11 |
| Midas Track Club | 18 |
| Nadia Track Club | 6 |
| Pacer Track Club | 2 |
| Penn Hills Eagles | 21 |
| South Park Track | 9 |
| Steel City Express | 7 |
| Valley Speedsters | 2 |
| Western PA All Stars | 4 |
You can learn more about the 2016 USATF Hershey Youth Outdoor Championships here.
Complete competition results can be found here.