National Scholastic Athletics Foundation

East Stroudsburg, PA-  The National Scholastic Athletic Foundation’s (NSAF) 9th Annual American JavFest, will be contested Friday-Saturday, July 21-22, 2023 at East Stroudsburg HS, in East Stroudsburg, PA. Over 188  javelin throwers from around the country will compete in the Novice, High School Emerging Elite and Championship, Open and Elite divisions and attend javelin instructional clinics held in conjunction with the event.

With the World Athletics Championships being contested in Budapest Hungary August 19-27, 2023 and the Paris Olympic Games qualifying window opening on July 1, 2023, many of the nation’s best will be drawn to the American JavFest to try and reach the qualifying  mark,  improve their world ranking or just throw a personal best.“ People come here and I don’t know what it is, but they do their personal records,” said Meet Director, Barry Krammes, “They call it the ‘Magic of JavFest’.”

Highlighting this year’s competition will be an appearance by Marc Minichello, a graduate of nearby Wyoming Area High School who competed for the University of Georgia this past year. Minichello finished third at the Toyota USATF Championships two weeks ago and needs to either secure a World Athletics qualifying mark of 279-06 or improve his World Athletics ranking to secure his berth on Team USA that will compete at the World Athletics Championships in August. The deadline to earn the mark and improve his ranking is July 30,2023.

His current best of 266-4 was set in winning last year’s NCAA DI Championship while competing for the  University of Pennsylvania. His current World Athletics rank is 38th..“ He’s bringing his family and friends to cheer him on and we’re hoping the public will be there too,”  said Krammes. “Also this meet is on the World Athletics calendar which helps with the World Rankings and World Athletics and Olympic qualifying.”

American JavFest has become a beacon for America’s best throwers. In addition to the two days of competition, clinics are held going over the technical aspects of the javelin. “ I think I’ll throw farther with there being a clinic,” said Arizona State High School record holder Hayden Gorovitz. Gorovitz, a junior, threw 221-07.75 to win the WIllie Williams Classic against college competition early this year to set the record. He’ll leave his home in Chandler, AZ where temperatures have reached a high of 116F this past week and where his family has constructed a 100 foot runway in his backyard for him and his brother to practice on. “It helps to have people give you feedback and I’m looking forward to learning and throwing well.”This year’s number of entrants is 177 which is higher than last year’s record of 159 set at last year’s event.

For more Information on the 2023 American JavFest, please go here. The results link is found here. Registration closes on Thursday, July 20, 2023 at 11:00 p.m. 

Fun Fact:

• 9/24 finalists in this year's NCAA D1 Men's Championship participated in an NSAF National Meet with three competing in the American JavFest
• 11/24 finalists in this year's NCAA D1 Women's Championship participated in an NSAF National Meet with four competing in the American JavFest.

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About the National Scholastic Athletics Foundation, Inc.The National Scholastic Athletics Foundation (NSAF) is a non-profit, tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organization founded in 1990, with the mission to inspire and empower student athletes on and off the track.  The NSAF supports high school and junior-aged track and field athletes through national high school competitions, including Nike Indoor and Nike Outdoor Nationals; The Great American XC Festival and HBCU Challenge and the Nike XC Town Twilight. The NSAF provides approximately $250,000 in grants annually.  For more information about the NSAF, please visit NationalScholastic.org.