Juniors: age. Development of youth sports

Who are the juniors? What is the age for this category? This will be discussed in this article.

In the world practice of competitions athletes are divided into age categories. This is done to ensure that the competition is more transparent, and the participants themselves are inspired by fair struggle with peers for achieving high results. After the youth (school) age, where you can already see active athletes who seriously decided to continue their studies in the chosen sport, the next age class is the juniors.

Age of juniors

According to the established rules in the International Federation of Athletics Federations (IAAF), the age of the junior category is limited to 19 years and younger, but not older. A competitor is considered a junior if his age is less than twenty years old as of December 31 of the year of the competition. In other sports in the category of "juniors" age may be less or even reach up to 22 years. It depends on the speed of the athlete's pick of the peak shape. In some sports it is typed faster, in others it is slower, so the division into young men and juniors in different federations is established in different ways.

Track and field athletics in category "juniors"

For a more detailed understanding and presentation of the results in the age categories, we will analyze the world level competitions among juniors in athletics. These are spectacular competitions, where there are still no strong aspirations for monetary rewards. All young participants have a competitive gaming friendly spirit. At this age there is already a residual weighing - continue to seriously continue to sport at a professional level, moving into the adult category, or to leave good memories and stay at the level of maintaining the physical form. About this almost every junior thinks about it. Sport, especially an adult, is not easy.

Those who will eventually decide to continue improving their achievements, if there is not enough standard for professional competitions among the older ones, you can play in amateur competitions, various games and even become famous at the start of veterans.

Competitions on athletics among juniors are held on different continents around the world. They began with children's or student's youth games. Then they went into separate competitions and were recognized as official federations. The most outstanding competition is the junior championship, but at this age some athletes already compete in adult world competitions and even at the Olympic Games.

The first junior starts in different countries

The first World Athletics Championships in the category "juniors" (age - no older than 19 years) was held under the auspices of the IAAF in Athens (Greece) in 1986. The intensity of the event - every two years. In 2016, they held these outstanding, spectacular competitions among young people in our country, in the city of Kazan (Russia). Many young boys and girls have already entered the Olympic teams of their countries and represent them at numerous international competitions in their kinds of athletics programs.

In Europe, these competitions began to be held a little before the world championship. In Warsaw (Poland) in 1964, the first, but still not considered official, track and field games in the "juniors" class (up to 20 years old) were held. Then the European Federation took patronage over these starts. And already in 1970 in Colombo (France) games received from the federation the official status with a period of holding every two years.

Rules for conducting

The timing is not accidental. Almost always they passed in the second half of July. Since basically the participants of the competitions were either already active students who must pass the examinations and sessions, or young people who were still preparing to enter higher education institutions. They should have time to prepare and to rest until the new school year.

Stages of development

In the course of time, European start-ups were subject to various adjustments. For example, before 1989 there were various parameters for the category "juniors". The age of young people should not exceed 20 years, and girls were accepted until 19 years. From 2000 to 2005, with the indication of the federation, the IAAF reduced the weight of the core for pushers, as well as the disc and hammer for throwers, and the height of barriers in the run for 110 meters with barriers. Up to this time, in these kinds of athletics programs for young athletes Olympic sports equipment and height of barriers were used, as in adult competitions.

Rules for holding competitions among juniors

Each country from the moment of the championship could exhibit two participants for one type of program, and since 2003, restrictions have been extended to three people. At the moment, European championships play medals among juniors in 44 disciplines of the Queen of Sports. Teams of national teams that are members of the European Federation of Athletics are allowed. In the summer of 2017 regular competitions of this championship among juniors will be held in the city of Grosseto (Italy).

Since 1986 in Asia there are official championships among juniors. In Algeria, since 1994, with competitions every two years, there are also competitions among young people of junior age.

In America, start two federations. Since 1974, the Federation of Athletics in Central America and the Caribbean has been holding championships for juniors. The first launches took place in Venezuela. And in Sudbury (Canada), since 1980, under the auspices of the Pan American Athletics Association, junior competitions began to be held.

The most famous junior of the modern age in athletics, which went into the big sport, becoming the world record holder in the 100 and 200 meters race, the team relay race 4 to 100 meters, is Usain Bolt (from Jamaica). This legend now knows the whole world. It is listed in the junior lists with a world record of 200 meters - 20.13 seconds, set in 2003 at the championship in Bridgetown (Barbados). Today, the "man-lightning" has been added to the adult lists of world record holders.

In some countries, there are entire schools for training young athletes. In Kiev (Ukraine) since 2014 the club "Junior Sports" works.