Governor's Games Track and Field Competition This Weekend at LSU

Tuesday, June 5, 2012  |  Contact: DHH Media and Communications; (225) 342-7913

BATON ROUGE -- The Louisiana Governor's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports, part of the Department of Health and Hospitals, will host its 2012 Governor's Games Track and Field event this weekend at Bernie Moore Stadium at LSU. The event begins with check-in on Friday, June 8, with the track competitions taking place on Saturday and Sunday, June 9 and 10.

 More than 1,800 children from around Louisiana have registered for this event, and officials are expecting more than 2,000 will participate.  Field events such as the long jump, high jump and the javelin throw will start at 9 a.m. on Saturday, June 9, and running events beginning with the 3,000 meter run start at 10 a.m.

Age groups range from Pewee Boys and Girls divisions (5-year-olds) to Young Men and Women divisions (16-year-olds). Athletes competing hail from the Southeastern United States, including Louisiana, and include some teams from California. 

This year's Governor's Games Track and Field event features the Road to London Tour, which is held through the United States Olympic Committee to generate excitement and interest in the upcoming Summer 2012 Olympic Games and rally support for Team U.S.A.

The Road to London Tour provides patrons with a user-friendly glimpse into an actual Olympic village, complete with tests of endurance, strength, flexibility, agility, precision and more. Event participants can take photos with former Olympic stars, and the Tour includes a Paralympic basketball court, where patrons play basketball using wheelchairs so they realize how much athletic ability paralympians have.  Olympians who will be part of the Road to London visit at the Governor's Games track and field event include:

• Wallace Spearmon, track and field Olympian and 200 Meter World record holder
• Gail Devers, track and field Olympian and five-time Olympian, three-time gold medalist and Graves Disease survivor, and current American record holder in three events
• Scott Danberg, track & field Paralympian who won first place in discus (F40) and shot put (F40) at the 2010 U.S. Paralympics Track & Field National Championships in Miramar, Fla.
• Hollis Conway, track and field Olympian, a two-time Olympic Medalist and six-time NCAA All-American and three-time NCAA champion at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. Conway will only be part of the Road to London exhibit on Sunday, June 10.

Olympians will participate in the awards ceremonies and sign autographs. 

For more information, please contact the Governor's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports at 225-342-4886 or 1-866-562-9015 outside Baton Rouge, or visit www.lagovernorsgames.org.

The Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals strives to protect and promote health statewide and to ensure access to medical, preventive and rehabilitative services for all state citizens. To learn more about DHH, visit http://www.dhh.louisiana.gov. For up-to-date health information, news and emergency updates, follow DHH's blog, Twitter account and Facebook.

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