BARCELONA – The 14th International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF) World Junior Championships begins today in Barcelona, Spain with a contingent of 46 Canadian athletes ready to battle with the best junior (under 20 years of age) athletes in the world.

Among those competing in the first session on day 1:

• James Turner of Kelowna, B.C., in the decathlon.  To start day one off Turner will compete in the 100-metres, long jump and shot put.
• Devan Wiebe of Vancouver, B.C., and Julia Zrinyi of Winnipeg, Man., will look to advance to the semi-finals in the 800-metres.
• Hoping to advance to the final in the women’s javelin is Nicole Oudenaarden of St. Albert, Alta.
• Jillian Weir of Vancouver, B.C., will take to the circle in the shot put. The final is slated to take place on Tuesday.
• Robert Denault of Aurora, Ont., will look to qualify to the next round in the men’s 1500-metres.
• Opening up in the first round of the boys 100-metres are Mobolade Ajomale of Richmond Hill, Ont., and Devon Rittinger of Kitchener, Ont.

At the last edition of the World Junior Championships held in Moncton, N.B., Canadian athletes stepped on to the podium on two occasions. Aaron Brown of Toronto, Ont., won bronze in the 200-metres and Taylor Stewart of London, Ont., took bronze in long jump.

For more information including complete schedule of events, start lists, results and daily re-caps please visit www.athletics.ca/page.asp?id=525. You can follow all the action live on Twitter (@athleticscanada) and Facebook (CanadaTrackandField).

-AC-

Robyn Woods