TAMU employee and USATF official injured in incident at Junior Olympics

COLLEGE STATION, Texas — An incident occurred at the USA Track and Field (USATF) Junior Olympic Championships on Wednesday, July 24, that resulted in injuries to a USATF official and a Texas A&M University employee, according to a USATF statement issued Thursday, July 25.

According to USATF, Texas A&M decided that the crowd that gathered at EB Cushing Stadium, where the event was held, on Wednesday exceeded the facility’s capacity. As a result of that decision, access to EB Cushing Stadium was restricted, but some did not take the news well.

A video originally posted to TikTok by zy.ptso and later reposted to X, formerly Twitter, with the caption “Usatf keeps athletes off track,” shows event staff and a few police officers trying to corral people who appear to be trying to get into the venue outside the gates. Later, the video pans to a person jumping the fence. Another person says “he’s an athlete” as the person is approached by event security staff.

The USATF’s full statement on the incident can be found below:

“At all of our events, USA Track & Field (USATF) has adhered to the safety protocols implemented by each venue, and we expect parents, coaches, athletes and fans to respect the rules established by the facility. On Wednesday, July 24, Texas A&M University determined that the crowd had exceeded capacity and therefore prohibited entry to the facility. The actions of a small group of people resulted in injury to a Texas A&M University employee, a USATF official and others. We strongly condemn this conduct and will take disciplinary action against those involved.”

The Junior Olympics, hosted this year at Texas A&M University, will be held July 22-28. The event was marred by rain delays, which were a welcome relief for those looking for the Lone Star State’s historically sweltering summers, but were not as celebrated by competitors in attendance at the Junior Olympics, as their competitions were postponed.