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Eugene Submits Bid To Host World Championships

Hayward Field in Eugene will host the IAAF World Junior Championships this summer. It's the first time the competition has been held on U.S. soil.
oregon14.com
Hayward Field in Eugene will host the IAAF World Junior Championships this summer. It's the first time the competition has been held on U.S. soil.

Eugene is in the running to host the World Outdoor Track and Field Championships in 2019. If it's selected, this would be the first time it's been has been held in the U.S. since the event began in 1983.

Hayward Field in Eugene will host the IAAF World Junior Championships this summer. It's the first time the competition has been held on U.S. soil.
Credit oregon14.com
Hayward Field could host the World Junior Track & Field Championships in 2019.

Eugene is competing with Barcelona, Spain, and Doha, Qatar for the chance to host the World Championships. The World Junior Track and Field Championships were held at Eugene's Hayward Field this summer. And the US Olympic Track and Field Trials were at Hayward in 2008 and 2012. Kari Westlund is with Travel Lane County.

Westlund: "If you'll recall in 2006, people didn’t think we could host the Olympic Trials. And we all worked together and it was a remarkable event. So we think we can create a world class atmosphere for this event."

The International Association of Athletic Federations council will make a decision November 18 in Monaco.

USA Track and Field submitted the bid along with TrackTown USA, the local organizing committee. The world championships are held every two years. Beijing will host in 2015 and London in 2017.

Copyright 2014 KLCC

Rachael McDonald is a reporter and host at KLCC, a JPR News partner. Her reporting comes to JPR through the Northwest News Network, a collaboration between public media organizations in Oregon and Washington.