ST. LOUISANS INVITED TO PARTICIPATE IN ANNUAL TRADITION OF RUNNING THE 1904 OLYMPIC STADIUM TRACK WITH JACKIE JOYNER-KERSEE AND HOMEGROWN OLYMPIANS
ST. LOUIS – June 18, 2024 – St. Louis’ traditional Olympic Day celebration provides a once-a-year opportunity to run or walk side-by-side with our region’s esteemed Olympians, reinforcing the Olympic spirit and blending sports with culture and education. On Friday, June 21, participants of all ages are invited to join Olympic champion Jackie Joyner-Kersee in running or walking the track at Francis Olympic Field on the campus of Washington University in St. Louis, site of the 1904 Olympic Games. The Olympic Day celebration is from 11 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. and is organized by the St. Louis Sports Commission.
Olympic Day festivities include a motivational discussion and Q&A session with Joyner-Kersee and homegrown Olympians Jim Campbell, Sarah Haskins, Ty Keough, and Scott Touzinsky. Following that, the Olympians will lead all attendees around the track at Francis Olympic Field – the oldest modern-day Olympic stadium still in active use.
The event is free to attend, and open to the public, but registration is required. Participants are encouraged to pre-register by visiting stlsports.org/Olympic-Day. All participants 16 and under will receive a replica gold medal commemorating the 1904 Olympic Games in St. Louis.
“As America’s first Olympic city, we are proud to commemorate Olympic Day in St. Louis with Jackie Joyner-Kersee, our greatest area Olympian and our greatest role model,” said Solomon Alexander, director of the St. Louis Sports Foundation. “This is a fantastic opportunity to inspire young people through the Olympic Movement, which seeks to build a peaceful and better world by educating through sport, and there is no one better to inspire them than JJK.”
Created by the International Olympic Committee, Olympic Day commemorates the birth of the modern Olympic Games on June 23, 1894. Olympic Day aims to promote fitness, well-being, culture, and education, while also observing the Olympic values of excellence, friendship, respect, and sportsmanship. The celebration is part of the Sports Commission’s ongoing efforts to positively impact St. Louis through its opportunities as an Olympic city.
