The Top Boy Athletes From The AAU Junior Olympic Games
08/10/2020
Check out MileSplits top 5 male athletes at the AAU Junior Olympic Games.
Article originally posted on MileSplit.
BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. - The AAU Junior Olympic Games Track and Field Championships may be over and done with, but there are some important distinctions still left to be discussed.
Mainly, which boys athletes had the best overall performances of the week?
There were some downright incredible efforts on the track and in the field from athletes all over the United States, and we have done our best to determine which athletes were best among them.
Check the links below or click in the navigation to find out our selections for top overall boys athletes from the past week
Victor Jaimez-Solorio
Pacific Coast Shockwaves, Apple Valley, CA
Jaimez-Solorio may be the most interesting under-10 athlete the AAU Junior Olympic Games has ever produced.
The 9-year-old has been a viral sensation for two straight years running now, and that only continued this week with the Apple Valley, California-native's wins in the 800m and 1,500m and his almost-triple in the 400m.
His victory in the 1,500m in a time of 4:42.97, in particular, set a new national record, and it thoroughly established the youngster as arguably the Games' top young runner ever. Jaimez-Solorio's time was a full 13 seconds faster than the previous record-holder's 4:57.
Later, in the 800m, the diminutive adolscent ran from behind early to claim another victory in the two-lapper, barely missing on another national record with his time of 2:21.
So what's this all mean?
Jaimez-Solorio will hit double-digits in age next year, but don't expect him to get any slower in the meantime.
Reese Vannerson
Houston Strake Jesuit, TX
Vannerson is no stranger to the AAU Junior Olympic Games.
This week marked the fourth straight year that the rising sophomore from Houston Strake Jesuit High School had earned at least one gold medal, and his performances at 1,500m and 3,000m went even further than that.
His times of 4:11.95 and 9:15.47, respectively, ultimately went down as the No. 1 performances of the Freshman Class for 2020.
More than that, they indicated just how much development Vannerson has been accruing over all these years. The Texan has improved in the 1,500m in every single year, cutting 23 seconds off from his 4:34 as a 12-year-old in 2017.
Sure enough, they didn't come easy, either.
Vannerson fought off a valiant challenge from Miguel Pantojas in the 1,500m, and he knew it. The young Texan kept looking behind his shoulder in the final 100m, though he had just enough in the tank to claim victory.
Vannerson should continue his ascension in the Texas distance running ranks this cross country season.
Auhmad Robinson
Klein Forest, TX
Robinson had himself a meet.
The Stephen F. Austin University recruit broke 21 seconds for the first time in his career -- in a race he didn't even win -- and then followed the next day with a US No. 1 time in the 400m.
So the week was an exremely successful one.
Robinson ultimately would finish second in the boys 17-18 division of the 200m to Robert Gregory, logging a fantastic and wind legal time of 20.91 seconds.
The next day, however, Robinson powered to the line and earned his gold medal, finishing with the nation's top time of 47 seconds in the 400m.
Just five boys nationwide broke 47.50 over the 2020 season.
Robert Gregory
Houston Wheatley/Greater Houston Track Club, TX
If not for Erriyon Knighton's historic efforts, Gregory's all-around performances may have gone down in their own right as among the best at the Games. It definitely was the most impressive effort from a 17-18 year-old.
The Texas Christian University athlete was among just a few triple-winners over the week, with an individual win in the 200m and two more in the relays.
His wind-legal 200m time of 20.65 seconds with a -1.4 wind pocketed a US No. 2 performance overall and it became his second sub-21 mark on the season. He was one of only four athletes over the 2020 season to break that elusive 21 second barrier.
But more importantly, Gregory was a willing teammate, anchoring both of Greater Houston Track Club's gold-medal performances in the 4x100 and 4x400 relays.
In the latter race, in fact, Gregory took the baton and culminated the performance with a sub-47 second split on the carry.
Erriyon Knighton
Tampa Hillsborough, FL
Knighton currently has the world's eighth fastest time for 200 meters.
Now that's impressive.
Granted, there has been less track and field this spring and summer due to concerns over COVID-19, but the point remains: What Knighton accomplished this week at the AAU Junior Olympic Games will be remembered for a long time.
One AAU national record, two other clas marks, two US No. 1s, and some very fast times. Few would question his performance as the best from the Games this week.
The 16-year-old Tampa Hillsborough High School rising junior ran a wind-legal time of 20.33 seconds for 200 meters, flying into the homestretch like some rocket-powered vessel. His performance ultimately set new sophomore class and 16-year-old age group records. But it also set in motion some interesting comparisons.
His 200m time was just 0.20 seconds shy of Usain Bolt's World U18 record of 20.13 that was set in 2003. To some, that's a lot of time. But Knighton is also just 16 years of age, so he has one more year to potentially surpass that mark.
He wasn't done, either. Knighton would also go on to set a US No. 1 time for 100 meters, racing across the finish in a wind-legal 10.29 seconds.
HONORABLE MENTION:
BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. - The AAU Junior Olympic Games Track and Field Championships may be over and done with, but there are some important distinctions still left to be discussed.
Mainly, which boys athletes had the best overall performances of the week?
There were some downright incredible efforts on the track and in the field from athletes all over the United States, and we have done our best to determine which athletes were best among them.
Check the links below or click in the navigation to find out our selections for top overall boys athletes from the past week
Victor Jaimez-Solorio
Pacific Coast Shockwaves, Apple Valley, CA
Jaimez-Solorio may be the most interesting under-10 athlete the AAU Junior Olympic Games has ever produced.
The 9-year-old has been a viral sensation for two straight years running now, and that only continued this week with the Apple Valley, California-native's wins in the 800m and 1,500m and his almost-triple in the 400m.
His victory in the 1,500m in a time of 4:42.97, in particular, set a new national record, and it thoroughly established the youngster as arguably the Games' top young runner ever. Jaimez-Solorio's time was a full 13 seconds faster than the previous record-holder's 4:57.
Later, in the 800m, the diminutive adolscent ran from behind early to claim another victory in the two-lapper, barely missing on another national record with his time of 2:21.
So what's this all mean?
Jaimez-Solorio will hit double-digits in age next year, but don't expect him to get any slower in the meantime.
Reese Vannerson
Houston Strake Jesuit, TX
Vannerson is no stranger to the AAU Junior Olympic Games.
This week marked the fourth straight year that the rising sophomore from Houston Strake Jesuit High School had earned at least one gold medal, and his performances at 1,500m and 3,000m went even further than that.
His times of 4:11.95 and 9:15.47, respectively, ultimately went down as the No. 1 performances of the Freshman Class for 2020.
More than that, they indicated just how much development Vannerson has been accruing over all these years. The Texan has improved in the 1,500m in every single year, cutting 23 seconds off from his 4:34 as a 12-year-old in 2017.
Sure enough, they didn't come easy, either.
Vannerson fought off a valiant challenge from Miguel Pantojas in the 1,500m, and he knew it. The young Texan kept looking behind his shoulder in the final 100m, though he had just enough in the tank to claim victory.
Vannerson should continue his ascension in the Texas distance running ranks this cross country season.
Auhmad Robinson
Klein Forest, TX
Robinson had himself a meet.
The Stephen F. Austin University recruit broke 21 seconds for the first time in his career -- in a race he didn't even win -- and then followed the next day with a US No. 1 time in the 400m.
So the week was an exremely successful one.
Robinson ultimately would finish second in the boys 17-18 division of the 200m to Robert Gregory, logging a fantastic and wind legal time of 20.91 seconds.
The next day, however, Robinson powered to the line and earned his gold medal, finishing with the nation's top time of 47 seconds in the 400m.
Just five boys nationwide broke 47.50 over the 2020 season.
Robert Gregory
Houston Wheatley/Greater Houston Track Club, TX
If not for Erriyon Knighton's historic efforts, Gregory's all-around performances may have gone down in their own right as among the best at the Games. It definitely was the most impressive effort from a 17-18 year-old.
The Texas Christian University athlete was among just a few triple-winners over the week, with an individual win in the 200m and two more in the relays.
His wind-legal 200m time of 20.65 seconds with a -1.4 wind pocketed a US No. 2 performance overall and it became his second sub-21 mark on the season. He was one of only four athletes over the 2020 season to break that elusive 21 second barrier.
But more importantly, Gregory was a willing teammate, anchoring both of Greater Houston Track Club's gold-medal performances in the 4x100 and 4x400 relays.
In the latter race, in fact, Gregory took the baton and culminated the performance with a sub-47 second split on the carry.
Erriyon Knighton
Tampa Hillsborough, FL
Knighton currently has the world's eighth fastest time for 200 meters.
Now that's impressive.
Granted, there has been less track and field this spring and summer due to concerns over COVID-19, but the point remains: What Knighton accomplished this week at the AAU Junior Olympic Games will be remembered for a long time.
One AAU national record, two other clas marks, two US No. 1s, and some very fast times. Few would question his performance as the best from the Games this week.
The 16-year-old Tampa Hillsborough High School rising junior ran a wind-legal time of 20.33 seconds for 200 meters, flying into the homestretch like some rocket-powered vessel. His performance ultimately set new sophomore class and 16-year-old age group records. But it also set in motion some interesting comparisons.
His 200m time was just 0.20 seconds shy of Usain Bolt's World U18 record of 20.13 that was set in 2003. To some, that's a lot of time. But Knighton is also just 16 years of age, so he has one more year to potentially surpass that mark.
He wasn't done, either. Knighton would also go on to set a US No. 1 time for 100 meters, racing across the finish in a wind-legal 10.29 seconds.
HONORABLE MENTION:
- Jackson Cantwell, Blue Thunder Track Club, Nixa, MS: Cantwell set a national record in the 12-year-old shot put and also claimed a win in the discus.
- Marcus Ford, Peak Performance Warriors, Homestead, FL: The 8-year-and-under athlete won the 100m, 200m and 400m.
- David Foster, Katy Tompkins/Greater Houston Track Club, TX: Foster won the boys 17-18 division 100m and was a member of his club's 4x100 win.
- Bryce McCray, George Ranch/Greater Houston Track Club, TX: Foster won the 400mH, medaled in the 400m and contributed to his team's gold in the 4x400.
- Brooklyn Ross, Long Beach Sprinters, CA: The 11-year-old won the 100m, 200m and 400m.
- Cooper Mack, Watertown, SD: Mack was the only shot putter to break 60 feet, winning the event with a mark of 61-5.75.
- Zane Forist, Carson City-Crystal, MI: He won the discus with a throw of 187-7.
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