This week, Hornet Stadium is in constant motion, with runners leaping over hurdles, long jumpers launching and more.
And because it's so hot this week, there are as many pop up tents in the stands as there are different license plates in the parking lot: Montana, Texas, Minnesota, North Carolina just to name a few.
The occasion: the National Junior Olympic Track And Field championships.
Robin Brown-Beamon is director of U.S.A. Track and Field’s grassroots and outreach programs and says this is the place to see future Olympians compete.
"Our Olympic athletes came from somewhere,” she said. “They didn't just become Olympic athletes. Most of them came through this youth feeder program.”
Kaylee Brown, who hails from Chickamuga, Georgia, entered in two events: the girls pole vault and the high jump. She came up short of her personal best in the former, but she says she learned a lot.
"It was fun. I like to watch everyone vault and learn new things from new people," she said.
This is the first year for Jake Dirkse in the discus, and the Modesto resident is happy with his personal record performance. “Pretty excited about that,” he said.
About 400 officials and volunteers help make the event happen. Mike Testa with Visit Sacramento says an average of about 10,000 people attend each of the seven days.
“Most are from outside Sacramento,” he said. “They are flying in, they're driving in, they're staying in hotels. Economic impact is in the millions of dollars.”
Organizers say they expect Sacramento to host the event again soon.
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