The world junior athletics championships: New Zealand athletes' lived experiences

The World Junior Championships in Athletics (WJC), for athletes aged under 20 years, were introduced in 1986 with objectives including: retention, performance improvement, and being a pathway to elite senior performance. The authors documented the lived experiences of a group of participating athletes from New Zealand in order to determine the role the WJC played in their athletics career and whether they continue to invest their time and resources in athletics and the nature of that investment. Twelve New Zealand athletes were interviewed before and after competing at the 2010 WJC. The data from the semi-structured interviews were examined using hierarchical content analysis. Athletes viewed the WJC as a key point of reference and important in the decision-making process as to whether they continue to invest their time and resources in athletics and the nature of that investment. Athletes found the WJC to be a valuable opportunity to gain experience of world-class international competition, and to improve on their performances. Participation at the WJC can be viewed as a non-normative transition that prepares junior athletes for the normative transition to senior athlete.