The Schools International Athletic Board (SIAB) consists of representatives from the Schools' Athletic Associations of England, Scotland, Wales and All Ireland. The SIAB hosts a very small number of

track and field Track and field is a sport that includes athletic contests based on running, jumping, and throwing skills. The name is derived from where the sport takes place, a running track and a grass field for the throwing and some of the jumping events ...

and

cross country running Cross country running is a sport in which teams and individuals run a race on open-air courses over natural terrain such as dirt or grass. The course, typically long, may include surfaces of grass and earth, pass through woodlands and open coun ...

competitions annually for elite junior athletes. The English Schools' Athletic Association (ESAA) hosts three major competitions a year for athletes under 15, under 17 and under 19 years of age. The events are

cross-country running Cross country running is a sport in which teams and individuals run a race on open-air courses over natural terrain such as dirt or grass. The course, typically long, may include surfaces of grass and earth, pass through woodlands and open coun ...

, a

competition and combined events with

race walking Racewalking, or race walking, is a long-distance discipline within the sport of athletics. Although a foot race, it is different from running in that one foot must appear to be in contact with the ground at all times. Race judges carefully asse ...

. Athletes from Wales, Scotland and Ireland take part in their respective national schools' competitions. A very small number of young athletes from each of these countries who do well at their national event, in their respective disciplines at under-15 and under-17 level in Cross Country and Under 17 in Track and Field are selected to compete in an international athletics competition representing their country – England, Scotland, Wales or Ireland – organised by the SIAB. There is also a Combined Events Indoor Pentathlon competitions organised independently by the Scottish Schools' Athletic Association for Under 16 and Under 18 athletes from the four countries. This event was staged for many years in Glasgow at Kelvin Hall but staged at the new Emirates Indoor Stadium for the first time in December 2012. Meetings include: an international track and field competition for the two under-17 athletes from each country who come first and second in their national competition at each respective discipline; an SIAB international cross country for under-15 and under-17 athletes from each country who come in the top eight in their national Track and Field competitions.

Elite young athletes

The SIAB competitions are one of very few events where junior athletes, especially at under-15 level, can gain international status without achieving senior standards. The SIAB events are extremely elite and the competitions are designed as incentives and a reward to junior athletes for their hard work and commitment to training. The international athletics events put on by the SIAB are highly regarded and those involved in its organisation have achieved national recognition. The events have provided an opportunity for teenagers in the UK and Ireland to taste international athletics competition for the first time and have in the past provided a platform for such UK international athletes as

Steve Cram Stephen Cram, (born 14 October 1960) is a British retired track and field athlete. Along with fellow Britons Sebastian Coe and Steve Ovett, he was one of the world's dominant middle distance runners during the 1980s. Nicknamed "The Jarrow Arr ...

Paula Radcliffe Paula Jane Radcliffe MBE (born 17 December 1973) is a former British long-distance runner. She is a three-time winner of the London Marathon (2002, 2003, 2005), three-time New York Marathon champion (2004, 2007, 2008), and 2002 Chicago Maratho ...

Denise Lewis Denise Lewis (born 27 August 1972) is a British sports presenter and former track and field athlete, who specialised in the heptathlon. She won the gold medal in the heptathlon at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, was twice Commonwealth Games champion, ...

Mo Farah Sir Mohamed Muktar Jama Farah (born Hussein Abdi Kahin; 23 March 1983) is a British long-distance runner. His ten global championship gold medals (four Olympic and six World titles) make him the most successful male track distance runner ever ...

, Darren Campbell and

Colin Jackson Colin Ray Jackson, (born 18 February 1967) is a Welsh former sprint and hurdling athlete who specialised in the 110 metres hurdles. During a career in which he represented Great Britain and Wales, he won an Olympic silver medal, became wor ...

.Bedford hosted future Olympic hopefuls at the SIAB TRack and Field meeting on 19 July 2008. 24 June 2008
– article retrieved from

University of Bedfordshire The University of Bedfordshire is a public research university with campuses in Bedfordshire and Buckinghamshire, England. The University has roots from 1882, however, it gained university status in 1993 as the University of Luton. The Universi ...

News.

Notes

{{Reflist Athletics in the United Kingdom School sport in the United Kingdom

Elite young athletes

See also

Notes