With 117 member federations already signed up for this year’s edition, IAAF World Athletics Day once again looks set to be one of the busiest weekends on the 2016 athletics calendar.

Now in its 21st year, the annual worldwide athletics festival offers the opportunity to promote the sport through youth participation in clubs and schools.

When it began in 1996, World Athletics Day was initially aimed exclusively at children who were members of clubs affiliated to IAAF member federations. In recent years, the scope of the project has broadened to include the participation of school children in team competitions and has now become an important tool to promote the sport around the world.

The goal of World Athletics Day is to establish a firm link between the youth, our sport, and environmental conservation.

As has been the case for the past two years, World Athletics Day will once again be part of the IAAF’s social responsibility project Athletics for a Better World, harnessing the extraordinary commitment and energy of the worldwide athletics family to inspire lasting development.

World Athletics Day 2016 will take place next month with most of the related activities set for the weekend of 14-15 May. It will involve club athletes in the U18 age group (born in 1999-2000).

In accordance with the IAAF’s goal to make athletics the No.1 sport in schools, World Athletics Day is also being organised in close cooperation with the relevant national ministry in charge of school sport in each country, with activities aimed at children between 13 and 15 years old.

Comments are closed.