By Nick Butler

The IAAF Kids' Athletics scheme will feature on Broadway on Thursday ©IAAF/NestléYoung athletes in New York City will have an opportunity to show off their skills alongside some of the best athletes in the world as part of the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) Kids' Athletics/Nestlé Healthy Kids programme tomorrow. 


A combination of world-leading athletes and youngsters will compete in The Big Apple in Herald Square on Broadway, just one block away from the Empire State Building in the heart of the city. 

The demonstration is one of the lead-in promotions to the adidas Grand Prix, the sixth leg of the 2014 IAAF Diamond League series due to take place on Saturday (June 14) in Icahn Stadium.

Among those taking part will be Australia's Sally Pearson, the Olympic 100 metres hurdles gold medallist, as well as Yohan Blake, a member of Jamaica's 4x100m relay team that won at London 2012. 

Blake's Jamiacan team-mate Warren Weir, winner of London 2012 200m bronze medal behind Blake and winner Usain Bolt, will feature, along with the United States' Olympic pole vault champion Jenn Suhr.

Also taking part will be America's double Sydney 2000 gold medallist Maurice Greene will also compete.

London 2012 100m hurdles champion Sally Pearson is among high profile names due to take part in the  IAAF Kids' Athletics/Nestlé Healthy Kids programme in New York City  ©Getty ImagesLondon 2012 100m hurdles champion Sally Pearson is among high profile names due to take part in the  IAAF Kids' Athletics/Nestlé Healthy Kids programme in New York City 
©Getty Images





Since being set up in 2005 with the aim to make athletics a leading sport in schools, as well as to promote a healthy lifestyle among young people and to attract the next generation of top athletes, the Healthy Kids programme has become one of the biggest grassroots development projects in sport, spanning more than130 countries across the world.

In January 2012 a further boost was received after Nestlé signed a five-year deal to become the main sponsor of the programme, and this has led to a raised profile culminating in these higher profile events.

Proceedings are due to begin at 12.30pm with a women's pole vault competition featuring Suhr.

The six teams of New York City school children, aged between nine and 10-years-old, will then take part in a series of fun activities covering the core skills of athletics, run, jump, throw.

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