FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 2, 2008

America's Top Young Athletes Head to Chicago for National Finals of U.S. Jr. Olympic Skills Competition

COLORADO SPRINGS , Colo. -- The U.S. Jr. Olympic Skills competition, the official youth skills competition of the United States Olympic Committee (USOC), will converge on the Olympic and Paralympic Games Candidate City of Chicago July 24-27 for the National Finals. Seventy-two athletes ages 8-13 will compete in four fundamental sports -- basketball, soccer, tennis and track & field -- for the opportunity to be crowned champions of their sport.The athletes competing in Chicago qualified by winning their age and gender category at one of 150 regional events, stemming from 7,500 local qualifying events across the country. They represent the event's top 72 young athletes across the country out of more than 1.7 million competitors.Now in its third year, the U.S. Jr. Olympic Skills competition, with the help of sponsors Kellogg's Frosted Flakes ®, AT&T,  World Sport Chicago, the United States Tennis Association (USTA), McDonald's and Nike, introduces America's youth to the excitement of a multi-sport competition, encouraging participation in Olympic sport, emphasizing fair and friendly play, and promoting an active lifestyle. "With the assistance of our sponsors and extensive community network, the U.S. Jr. Olympic Skills program is an avenue for youth to follow their dreams, stay physically active, build confidence and character, embrace the Olympic Movement and hopefully evolve into our next Olympians," said USOC Chief Executive Officer Jim Scherr.Maritza Correia, two-time world champion, 11-time NCAA champion, 2004 Olympian and the first African-American woman to capture an Olympic swimming medal, will serve as athlete ambassador for the event. Correia will appear at the Opening Ceremony on July 24 at Soldier Field to share her story and inspire the competitors.The athletes who qualified for the 2008 Jr. Olympic Skills National Finals can be found in the attached document and below. Competition will take place on the University of Illinois - Chicago campus. For more information on the Jr. Olympic Skills program, please visit www.jrolympicskills.com.About the USOC
The United States Olympic Committee (USOC) is recognized by the International Olympic Committee as the sole entity in the United States whose mission involves training, entering and underwriting the full expenses for the U.S. teams in the Olympic, Paralympic, Pan American and Parapan American Games.  In addition to being the steward of the U.S. Olympic Movement, the USOC is the moving force for support of sports in the United States that are on the program of the Olympic, Paralympic, Pan American and Parapan American Games. Learn more about the U.S. Olympic Team and USOC at www.usolympicteam.com.For more information, please contact the USOC Communications Division at 719-866-4529.
2008 NATIONAL FINALISTS - BASKETBALL

8-9 Year Old Division - Boys                                                                
Name                                      Hometown                        Region
Hunter Whitaker                      Rochester, NH                  East
Ben Pyle                                McPherson, KS                Central
Juan Carlos Garate Jr.             Whittier, CA                     West

8-9 Year Old Division - Girls                                                                
Name                                      Hometown                        Region
Katherine Wolff                       Bowie, MD                       East
Taylor Robertson                     McPherson, KS                Central
Savanna Christensen               Laie, HI                            West

10-11 Year Old Division - Boys                                                                        
Name                                      Hometown                        Region
Patrick Kilmartin                     Torrington, CT                   East
Tristan Baker                          Springfield, MO                 Central
Cameron Loftis                       San Jose, CA                   West

10-11 Year Old Division - Girls                                                                         
Name                                      Hometown                        Region
Anne Rowe                             Hyattsville, MD                 East
Sydni Dykes                           Arden Hills, MN                Central
Katie Nelson                           San Diego, CA                  West

12-13 Year Old Division - Boys                                                                        
Name                                      Hometown                        Region
Lee Messier                           Narragansett, RI                East
Matt McClure                          Bartlett, IL                        Central
Kyle Anderson                        Oregon City, OR               West

12-13 Year Old Division - Girls                                                                         
Name                                      Hometown                        Region
Kaliyah Mitchell                      Stone Mountain, GA          East
Haley Cook                            Cicero, IN                         Central
Halie Bergman                        Hilmar, CA                       West