Athletics Canada – Track and field stars from Cuba, Jamaica and the USA scheduled to join members of the media trackside at Varsity Stadium

OTTAWA – Athletics Canada, in partnership with the North American, Central American and Caribbean Athletic Association (NACAC), will host a press conference on Thursday, Aug. 9, at 1 p.m. to officially kick-off the 2018 NACAC Championships / Toronto 2018: Track & Field in the 6ix. The three-day event runs from Aug. 10-12 at Toronto’s Varsity Stadium and will feature more than 500 athletes from 28 countries throughout the NACAC region in 42 track and field events.

What: Six of the world’s top track and field athletes will assemble at Varsity Stadium to preview the 2018 NACAC Championships / Toronto 2018: Track & Field in the 6ix.

The press conference will be emceed by Canadian record holder Rosey Edeh (400-metre hurdles), while triple Olympic medallist Andre De Grasse will lead the athletes through a question and answer session. At the conclusion of the press conference, the six athletes and NACAC President Victor Lopez will be available for brief interviews.

When: Thursday, Aug. 9, at 1 p.m.

Where: Varsity Stadium (100-metre start line) – 299 Bloor Street West, Toronto, Ont. (media credentials will be available at the box office located at the Bloor Street entrance from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.)

Who:

• Victor Lopez, NACAC President
• Team Canada
  • Aaron Brown (200m) – Olympic bronze medallist and Commonwealth Games silver medallist
  • Justyn Knight (5000m) – NCAA Champion, World Championships finalist
  • Alysha Newman (pole vault) – Commonwealth Games Champion, World Championships finalist
• Team Cuba
  • Yarisley Silva Rodríguez (pole vault) – Olympic silver medallist and World Champion (indoor and outdoor)
• Team Jamaica
  • Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce (100m) – Olympic Champion, seven-time World Champion
• Team USA
  • Kendra Harrison (100mH) – World Indoor Champion (60mH), currently ranked first in the World

Members of the media looking to cover the 2018 NACAC Championships / Toronto 2018: Track & Field in the 6ix, including the opening press conference, are asked to fill-out the media accreditation request form located on the Championships webpage.

Please note, there is no parking on-site at Varsity Stadium. Members of the media are encouraged to use the TTC Subway, exiting at St. George Subway Station or the Museum Subway Station. Additional information on how to get to Varsity Stadium, including a map of parking lots nearby, can be found here.

For more information on the 2018 NACAC Championships / Toronto 2018: Track & Field in the 6ix, visit www.athletics.ca/toronto2018.

For more information, please contact:
Amanda Nigh
amanda.nigh@athletics.ca