USA Track and Field has announced that they will not be sending a team to this summer's World U20 Championships in Lima, Peru citing various issues, including travel advisories and competitive readiness.
Peru currently has a level 2 travel advisory according to the US Department of State, along with Germany, the United Kingdom, Italy and Sweden.
USATF also cited the date of the event, August 26-31, noting it will be problematic for "many high school and college athletes, as many will have already returned to school and campuses for the 2024-2025 calendar year."
The United States last entered an Under-20 team in 2022 in Cali, Colombia, a country that currently is in a level 3 advisory, and where they topped the medal table.
The last two World U20 Championship meets have taken place in August.
The US had missed the World U20s in Nairobi, Kenya in 2021, also citing safety advisories and concerns around Covid-19.
Since 1994, the US has dominated the medal stand at the World U20s, leading the medal count 9 times over the last 15 meets.
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