United States' Ashton Eaton celebrates winning the gold medal in the men's decathlon during the athletics competitions of the 2016 Summer Olympics at the Olympic stadium in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Thursday, Aug. 18, 2016.

Competing in the decathlon, Ashton Eaton has accomplished many things in his decorated track and field career.

That includes winning two Olympic gold medals and setting world records in the multi-event decathlon and indoor heptathlon.

His next task is something new: becoming the headline speaker at the Junior Olympic Track and Field Championships, which will begin on July 24 at Rock Chalk Park.

Eaton, who retired from competition in January, never competed in the Junior Olympics, but he’s excited for the chance to speak to younger athletes and participate in the opening ceremonies.

“Having opportunities for young people to develop and experience their skills and their interests is just super important,” Eaton said. “The Junior Olympics is just that. It’s some kind of goal that these athletes can shoot for.”

Eaton, 29, grew up in Oregon where he played football, wrestled and competed in track. He described himself as a “typical high school track and field athlete” because he didn’t compete on any track teams outside of school.

Once he chose to join the University of Oregon’s track team, he began to learn more and more about the sport. That’s what makes him excited to talk to youth athletes who are competing at a high level.

“I’m always inspired by young people who are kind of coming up and people always say, ‘Raw talent,'” Eaton said. “I think basically what that means is these young people are doing things that they don’t know they aren’t supposed to be doing yet.”

About 9,500 athletes are expected to compete throughout the week of July 24-30 in the Junior Olympics, and Eaton hopes to share a message of pushing themselves and others to do their best.

Eaton remembers the thrill from the first time he saw Usain Bolt run a race on YouTube.

The decathlon consists of 10 events ranging from the 100-meter dash, long jump, javelin, pole vault, shot put and nearly everything in between. Eaton said it’s a fun environment because all of the athletes bond over the competition.

After announcing his retirement, he’s still searching for his post-athletic career alongside his wife, Brianne Theisen-Eaton, who earned an Olympic bronze medal in the heptathlon.

“We all kind of have these assumptions, doubts or fears about what we’re capable of,” Eaton said. “I’ve never just been kind of the person to settle for the answer, even when I got it. I always pushed for more, if that makes sense. That along with just respecting everyone else who is doing the same thing and understands that it’s all kind of a team effort to push ourselves and each other.”

Eaton was a little disappointed when he attended the NCAA Outdoor Championships two weeks ago and didn’t see much interaction between opposing athletes.

“You didn’t really see a lot of other people congratulating each other or saying, ‘Good race’ and shaking hands, or things like that,” Eaton said. “So I hope more of that happens in Lawrence. It’s certainly been something that is important and one of the reasons I like the decathlon events so much.”

Eaton is expected to attend the first two days of the Junior Olympics, his first trip to Kansas, and is excited to see the next crop of talent from across the country.

Plus, a part of him wishes he had that same opportunity when he was younger.

“Honestly, I don’t even know if the Junior Olympics existed,” Eaton said, “until it was my senior year of college.

“I would love to go if I was to go back in time.”