Over 170 nations to compete in Sϋdtirol

More than 170 nations have registered interest to compete at the 6th IAAF World Youth Championships, Sϋdtirol, Italy from the 8th-12th July, 2009, according to the International Amateur Athletics Federation (IAAF).

The 2009 World Youth Championships in Sϋdtirol is thereby on course to witness one of the greatest ever gatherings of nations in the competition's history.

173 of the IAAF's 213 Member Federations have submitted preliminary entries to compete in this biennial World Athletics Series competition, involving approximately 2000 athletes and officials.

The championships which will take place in the town of Bressanone which is situated in the Italian Sϋdtirol are open to athletes aged 16 or 17 on 31 December 2009 (born in 1992 or 1993).

The largest ever number of nations to have sent teams to the World Youth Championships was in 2005 when 177 different nationalities took part in the edition that was hosted by Marrakesh, Morocco.

The championships were first staged in 1999 in the Polish city of Bydgoszcz, when 131 teams attended.

The Final Entry process opens on 18 May and will close 22 June 2009 (24h00 CET).

All qualifying performances must be achieved during the period 1 January 2008 to 22 June 2009.

See this link for the full Entry Standards .