Several of the country’s premier youth racewalkers will be at the University of Maine’s Beckett Track and Field Complex in Orono on Saturday for a pair of USA Track and Field national junior (ages 14-19) racewalk championship events.

The National Junior Men’s 5K Racewalk Championship and the National Junior Women’s 3K Racewalk Championship will be the feature attractions during the second Maine Association USA Track and Field Racewalk Carnival.

The competition begins with the women’s 3K at 9:30 a.m., followed by the men’s 5K at approximately 10 a.m. It is the first time a U.S. Track national championship event has been held in the region.

Eleven racewalkers will contest the Junior Men’s 5K title, with Al Hepner hometownand Yariv Pomeranz of Miami among the favorites. Hepner placed second and Pomeranz took third in last weekend’s 20K national title race in Albany, N.Y.

Debbie Iden of Bayport, Long Island, N.Y., heads the eight-person women’s 3K field. Iden, last year’s national junior champion in the 5K walk, finished second in last week’s 10K national championship event in Albany.

Four Maine racewalkers are competing in the national junior races. They are Kevin Eastler, Mike Hersey and Caleb Simpson, all of Farmington, and Mary Coulombe of Poland Spring.

When the national championships are complete, the Maine Racewalk Carnival will begin. The event will include men’s and women’s competition in 10 categories, including ages 8 and under, 9-10, 11-12, 13-14, 15-16, 17-18, open, masters I (40-59), masters II (60-79) and Masters III (80 and over).

The 5K state championship is scheduled to be contested, with other races slated in the 400, 800, 1500 and 3000 meters.

A racewalk technique clinic will be held prior to the day’s racing. The clinic will begin at 8 a.m.