Crowdfunding open for JDL Fast Track's Camel City Elite Races

JDL Fast Track in Winston-Salem is inviting supporters of running and track and field to be a part of its crowdfunding for the Camel City Elite Races in February.

The 10th annual Camel City Elite Races, on Feb. 5, are scheduled in the mile, 800 and 3,000 for men and women.

Among the participants in previous years, and it's an impressive list:

• Athing Mu, who won gold in the 800 meters at the Tokyo Olympics and was part of the United States' 4x400 relay dream team with Sydney McLaughlin, Dalilah Muhammad and Allyson Felix.

• Raevyn Rogers, who won a bronze medal in the 800 meters in Tokyo.

• Matthew Centrowitz, who won gold in the 1,500 meters at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics in 2016.

• Two-time Olympic medalist Paul Chelimo, a former UNCG All-America who finished second in two NCAA championship 5,000 meters races.

• Craig Engels, a Winston-Salem native, a national champion and one of the sport's most popular figures.

• Ashton Eaton, a two-time Olympic gold medalist and former world record-holder in the decathlon, and his wife, Brianne Thiessen-Eaton, who won bronze in the heptathlon at the 2016 Games.

• Clayton Murphy, who won a bronze in the 800 at the Rio de Janeiro Games.

• Middle-distance legend Jenny Simpson, who won gold in the 1,500 meters at the 2011 world championships and bronze at the 2016 Olympics.

• Shannon Rowbury, a former world championships medalist who competed at Duke.

• David Oliver, a former world champion hurdler and Olympic bronze medalist.

• Plus Ajeé Wilson, who has won two bronzes at world championships in the 800, and 17-time NCAA champion Edward Cheserek.

Donations to the Camel City Crowd Fund are made through the Camel City Track Foundation and are tax-deductible. The foundation promotes health and physical fitness through track and field and provides opportunities for free track clinics for Winston Salem Recreation and Parks Department summer camp attendees.

Support levels are $50, $100 and $250, the latter of which includes VIP access to a post-race party with the athletes. Click here to learn more and to donate.

The elite races are part of the two-day Camel City Invitational, which will feature college teams from the NCAA, junior college and NAIA levels.

Spectator admission for the elite races is $10 for adults and $5 for ages 12 and under.