Junior Olympics Open in North Carolina

American Olympic greats Carl Lewis, Dan O'Brien, and Joanna Hayes will welcome young athletes to the 43rd USA Track and Field National Junior Olympic Championships in opening ceremonies tonight.

More than 6000 athletes born before 1990, who qualified from regional meets across the country, are gathering in Greensboro, North Carolina for the six-day meet which actually got underway yesterday.

Two weeks ago, HERE, we listed the Minnesota athletes who had qualified for National Junior Olympics. More than a few have chosen not to make the long trip to North Carolina, including MSHSL Class A state champions Analisa Huschle of Bagley/Fosston and Laquone Robinson of Brooklyn Center.

Sean Tyree, however, got the Minnesota effort off to a solid start by placing 9th in last night's young men's 2000m steeplechase final in 6:44.91. Tyree was the runner-up at the Region VIII J.O. meet in Omaha, Nebraska from which Minnesota athletes qualified for Nationals.

Other athletes in the young men's division that are entered in the meet include Shawn Johnson, runner-up in the Region VIII discus with 162-6 and Austin Dennis, the runner-up in the regional high jump at 6-6 3/4.

Minnesota doesn't appear have any individuals competing in the young women's division at the meet.

You can find a complete listing of entered athletes -- all 6000+ of them! -- HERE. Age groups range from the young men's/women's divsion (athletes born in 1991-92) to the bantam divisions (athletes born 1999 or later.)

Results from the meet are being posted HERE.

Lots of additional JO information --including past results and meet records -- can be found HERE.