Nineteen young athletes from the Southeastern Louisiana Roadrunners Track Club are competing in the 2022 AAU National Junior Olympic Games this week in Greensboro, North Carolina.
More than 62 teams and 1,200 athletes from ages 5 to 18 years old competed at the AAU Region 11 Qualifier Track and Field Meet that was held at Southeastern Louisiana University in Hammond June 15-18.
Athletes earned their spots in the AAU National Junior Olympic Games by finishing in the top eight in their age groups for each individual running event, field event or in the top four of multi-events.
The 19 young athletes who qualified for the 2022 AAU Junior Olympics are Presley Aycock (8U), Marlee James (8U), Mckenzie Murphy (9), Zoe Johnson (9), Morgan Johnson (11), Lexie Martin (12), Chelsea Clasen (12), Amish Holmes Walker (13) Sophia Agner (15-16), Shannon Alack (17-18), Reese Johnson (17-18), Hazel Hymel (17-18), Brayden Payne (8U), Cole Martin (10), Waylon Johnson (12), Denzel Maryland (14), Tanner Spears (15-16), Evan Allen (15-16) and Caleb Richard (15-16).
Two of the Roadrunners’ youngest athletes competing in the 8-and-under division will be representing their hometown of Ponchatoula at the Jr. Olympics.
Payne, 7, won the boys 8U 1500m run with a time of 6:26.08 and also finished second in the 800 meters at 3:08.47. Aycock, 6, came in second in the female 8U long jump event and has a personal record jump of 10-8 1/2. Both athletes attend Trafton Academy and will be in the second grade together this school year.
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