USA Track & Field is working with U.K.-based Nova Int'l and the Indiana Sports Corp. to "bring a unique outdoor track and field competition" to downtown Indianapolis, according to Anthony Schoettle of the INDIANAPOLIS BUSINESS JOURNAL. The event -- "mirroring a 'street' track and field competition Nova pioneered in England" -- is "expected to draw an international field of athletes." Local event organizers "also looked at locations including Indianapolis Motor Speedway," but "prefer the area north of Monument Circle." The event would be "patterned after The Great City Games, which were launched in Manchester" in '09 and have "drawn some of the world’s top track and field competitors ... and event-day crowds in excess of 30,000." Events at the downtown competition "would include sprints, hurdles, distance events and some field events including pole vault and long jump." The track is "essentially a 150- to 170-meter, four- to six-lane drag strip." Separate areas "would host field events." Meanwhile, distance events including a mile run would "use walkways and city streets and finish in the drag strip area." Indiana Sports Corp. officials said that they would "likely act as the host" and USATF "would be the sanctioning body." However, it is "not clear which organization would be responsible for paying for what." It is also "unclear if the event would be free or ticketed." USATF CEO Max Siegel said, “We’ve been working on this for several years and I feel very confident it’s going to happen. This year we’re closer than ever to making this happen” (BIZJOURNALS.com, 3/2).
