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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 17, 2015
Hamline University to host 2015 U.S. Paralympics Track & Field National Championships
St. Paul, Minnesota to hold event for first time June 19-21
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo.U.S. Paralympics, a division of the United States Olympic Committee, announced Hamline University today as the host site for the 2015 U.S. Paralympics Track & Field National Championships, June 19-21, in St. Paul, Minnesota.
The event will take place in Minnesota for the first time and serves as a selection event for athletes competing at the 2015 Parapan American Games this summer and 2015 IPC Athletics World Championships in the fall. International classification will take place from June 17-18.
Hosting the national championships in Minnesota will be an exciting atmosphere ahead of the Parapan Am Games this summer and Rio in 2016, said Cathy Sellers, high performance director for U.S. Paralympics track & field. This next year will be a make-it-or-break-it time for our athletes, and were eager to see who stands out at nationals. Fostering the most competitive environment is imperative for preparing for Rio, and were confident Hamline University will deliver that.
Hamline University and Meet Minneapolis will cooperatively host the championships with approximately 200 top U.S. athletes expected to compete. Tatyana McFadden (Clarksville, Maryland), who became the first woman to win an unprecedented six events at the 2013 IPC Athletics World Championships, is anticipated to highlight a talented roster at this years trials. McFadden, an 11-time Paralympic medalist, set new world records in the 1,500m and 5,000m T54 races and won her second-straight marathon grand slam in 2014.
It has been a great experience working with U.S. Paralympics and learning about all the great work they do with these truly inspirational athletes, Scott Romane, executive director of Sports Minneapolis said. We look forward to continuing to work together on a very successful track and field national championships here in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area, and celebrating the athletes journeys to reach the championships!
Potentially joining McFadden at the meet is Raymond Martin (Jersey City, New Jersey), the first man to win five individual titles in the 2013 world championships. Martin bested his own 200m T52 world record at the 2014 Desert Challenge Games in Mesa, Arizona and took gold in the 100m, 800m and 1500m events at the same meet.
Other reigning world champions anticipated to compete at nationals include: Richard Browne (Jackson, Mississippi), mens 100m and 200m T44; Jarryd Wallace (Athens, Georgia), men's 200m T44; Joshua George (Herndon, Virginia), men's 800m T53; Jeremy Campbell (Perryton, Texas), men's discus F44; Lex Gillette (Raleigh, North Carolina), men's long jump T11; Cassie Mitchell (Atlanta, Georgia), women's shot put F52/53; Browne, Jerome Singleton (Irmo, South Carolina.), Blake Leeper (Kingsport, Tennessee) and Wallace also won the men's 4x100m relay T42-46 title.
"We are excited and honored to host this great event at Hamline University," Hamline athletics director Jason Verdugo said. "It's a testament to the quality of the track and field facilities at Klas Center and to our outstanding track and field staff."
The 2013 IPC Athletics World Championships in Lyon, France was one of the U.S. Paralympics Track & Field National Teams most successful competitions to date. During the nine days of competition, Team USA won a total of 52 medals17 gold, 18 silver and 17 bronzeto finish one medal shy of winning the overall medal count. U.S. team members also set four world records at the event.
The Parapan American Games will take place Aug. 7-15 in Toronto, Canada followed by the 2015 IPC Athletics World Championships in Doha, Qatar, Oct. 21-31.
For more information on the 2015 U.S. Paralympics Track & Field National Championships, visit USParalympics.org.
For more information, please contact Brianna Tammaro, U.S. Paralympics, at 719-866-2068 or Brianna.Tammaro@usoc.org.
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