Day 2 At The AAU Junior Olympic Games Was On Fire

* Blue Thunder Track Club's Collin Wise won the 14yo 3K racewalk by an astounding three minutes

Photo Credit: Cory Mull/MileSplit

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HUMBLE, TEXAS -- Just a day had gone by since Collin Wise completed the five-event spectacle that was the 14yo pentathlon at the AAU Junior Olympic Games. He finished fourth. 

On Sunday at George Turner Stadium, he was ready to go after his own title. 

And that's precisely what the Blue Thunder Track Club athlete did, securing his fourth title in the 3K racewalk since 2017 as he strode to the line in a winning time of 16:27.30. 

"I felt really good," Wise said. "It was close to my PR. I was pushing the entire race." 

Wise was just five seconds off his 3K racewalk best of 16:22.58, which he had produced in June at a Team Missouri meet.

However, Wise believes he has plenty more to give as time goes on. 

"I just look forward to going out here every year and hopefully getting first," he said. 

Remarkably, Wise won by over three minutes. 

"It (felt) like a time trial," he said. "I've been doing it for awhile. I've been with myself since I've started the 3,000m, because it's longer. I'm definitely used to it. But it feels like I'm chasing the clock." 

Of course, this was just a part of Wise's journey at this year's Games. 

The 14-year-old is actually just getting started, with individual efforts in the high jump, javelin and pole vault waiting later in the week. 

Maturation in all of his events will ultimately prepare Wise for a strong future, he said on Sunday. 

"I'm chasing a lot of medals," he said. "I suppose the best way to go about it is to stay calm, stay stretched out and not overthink things."

3,000m Girls 13yo Racewalk: Zara Samples-Nadal won in a time of 18:47.32, while Cora Nielson was second in 19:46.02 and Laci Guadian was third in 19:57.36.

3,000m Boys 13yo Racewalk: While Jack Clement finished second overall, he was the top 13yo in the combined race, securing a time of 19:48.95. Brock Schweikert was third in 19:56.53.

3,000m Girls 14yo Racewalk: Bella Teply was the only athlete to dip under 20 minutes, winning in a time of 19:47.57. Aoi Barnes was second in 20:13.58, while Gabriella Zapata was third in 20:45.03.

3,000m Boys 14yo Racewalk: Collin Wise won his sixth championship in the racewalk all-time at AAU, securing a winning time of 16:27.30. Corey Scott was second in the 14yo category in 21:15.24.

3,000m Girls 15-16yo Racewalk: Elgin's Heather Durrant was just five seconds off a new national record, finishing in a time of 15:06.96. It was Durrant's third title since 2018. Madison Morgan, who doubled back from the racewalk at USATF, was second in 15:33.62. Hannah Durrant, Heather's sister, was third in 17:51.40.

3,000m Boys 15-16yo & 17-18 Racewalk: In a combined race between the two oldest age group categories, a pair of brothers swept the top two spots on the podium. Blue Thunder Track Club's Kevin Schweikert and Kaleb Schweikert were dominant out front, producing the only two times under 17 minutes. Kevin won the overall race in 16:38.40, while Kaleb was second in 16:56.41. KT Express' Garrick Griffy was third in 17:09.12 while Judah Edwards, of Texas Independent Lonestars, was fourth in 17:32.23.

Girls 9yo Triathlon: Brielle Hudson surprised even herself with a new national record, scoring a total of 1,134 points. The Cornwall, New York native went 32.20 seconds in the 200m, among other accomplishments. Sakeenah Odom-Pollard was second and Ayla Cromedy was third.

Boys 9yo Triathlon: Jahmaikel McKenzie scored a big win with 664 points while George Johnson was second in 563 and Jakoby Clukey was third with 505.

Girls 10yo Triathlon: Kennedy McCarter posted a big win -- matching her sister's effort -- with 1,112 points. Mylan Clay was second and Kyndall Spruill was third.

Boys 10yo Triathlon: Columbus, Georgia native King Hinton had a day. The experienced youngster scored 930 points to secure victory, while Jonathan Johnson was second with 848 points and Chance Fresch was third with 730.

Girls 11yo Pentathlon: Khloe Washington was first with 2,611 points, while Eleanor Kazanjian was second with 2,232 and Nia Armstrong third with 2,227.

Boys 11yo Pentathlon: Joseph Leslie Ford III won with 2,133 points, while Jonathan Greene was second with 1,973. Jahmai McKenzie was third with 1,837.

Girls 12yo Pentathlon:  Natori Williams notched the win with a score of 2,577, while Mia Schuller was just 27 points behind with 2,550. Interestingly enough, one less second in the 800m would have netted Schuller the win. Keylee Baker was third with 2,519.

Boys 12yo Pentathlon: Isaiah Bland secured a narrow 5-point victory over James Hawkins, netting 2,352 points. Hawkins generally had a very good effort, scoring 2,347 points, and ran 13.11 in the 100mH and went 8.75 in the shot put. Joshua Bergkamp was third with 2,258 points.

Girls 15-16yo Heptathlon: Sky Schuller may be the next great athlete to watch over the next few years at the AAU Junior Olympics. The Coppell athlete won her age category with 4,864 points -- and had the second-highest points across the entire competition -- as she netted impressive performances of 14.90 in the 100mH, 5-5 in the HJ, 25.96 in the 200m and 5.46m in the long jump. She secured her performance with the category's top 800m time of 2:21.87.

Falyn Lott, competing in just her second heptathlon all-time, was second with 4,350 points. Lott was sixth at the Texas Class 6A Track and Field Championships in May in the 300mH and looks to be one of DeSoto's future stars. Abigail Elmore was third with 4,314 points. 

Girls 17-18 Heptathlon: Ariel Pedigo's eyes were on 5,500, and she was ever-so-close. The Parkview Baptist (LA) graduate and University of Oklahoma signee finished with 5,493, tying the sixth-best performance all-time as she closed with a 2:23.70 -- just three hundredths of a second off her personal best. Pedigo secured a big personal record of 143-10 in the javelin to set up her final race and also was impressive in the 100mH (14.45), 200m (26.54) and long jump (18-10.75). Patasha Bryan finished second in the scoring with 4,730 points while Sydney Johnson was third with 4,564.

Boys 15-16yo Decathlon: Brayden Richards won the overall points table with 5,481, while Aiden Carter was second with 5,410 and Jey Brown was third with 5,201.

Boys 17-18yo Decathlon: A competition that went deep into the night ended with Boerne, Texas native Brock Lewis claiming victory with a total score of 6,767 points, just about 100 points more than Jaden Schilling's 6,676. Javin Richards was third with 6,511. The decathlon was the last event on the track and finished around 8:30 p.m. CST, roughly 12 hours after it started. Lewis ran his final 1,500m in 4:26.33, clinching the win with his last race.

TOP PERFORMER OF THE DAY

Ariel Pedigo, 18, Parkview Baptist, Louisiana

Girls 17-18, Heptathlon, New National Record-Holder

5,493 points, No. 6 all-time

Long Jump: 5.76m

100mH: 14.45

HJ: 1.70m

Javelin: 43.85m

200m: 26.54

Shot Put: 12.27m

800m: 2:23.70

NOTEWORTHY

Heather Durrant, Elgin Sharks

Girls 15-16 3K Racewalk

Durrant won her third racewalk title since 2018, claiming her latest age category with a winning time of 15:06.96. That performance was just five seconds off the national record, though it was roughly 30 seconds shy of Durrant's all-time best of 14:29.42, which she scored earlier in July at the USATF Illinois All-Comers meet. 

INTERVIEW OF THE DAY

Falyn Lott, DeSoto, Texas

QUOTE OF THE DAY

Columbus, Georgia-native King Hinton claimed the 10yo Triathlon win on Sunday

"Man, I just kept working hard. And then when I got here I pushed it. And then I got first."

- King Hinton, 10yo

WHAT'S NEXT

Day 3 of the AAU Junior Olympic Games will feature finals of the 3,000m in the older groups, where 13yo athletes up to 17-18 performers will look to compete for championship medals. First round races for the 400mH, the 200mH, the girls' and boys' 800m races and the 200m will also be run. In the field, a total of 19 events will be contended.