by Rana Cash
Youth athletes from every corner of the country convened at the USATF National Junior Olympic Track & Field Championships in Humble, Texas.
It was impossible to miss one in particular – the Charlotte Flights Track & Field Club, based in Charlotte, NC.
With 46 athletes competing, the Flights were well represented on the biggest stage the sport has to offer for young runners, from ages 8 and under to 17-18-year olds.
The long, arduous track season that began with conditioning in the winter culminated July 21-27 at Turner Stadium. Numerous Flights athletes turned in their best performances of the season, peaking at the right time and place. The 46 participants who traveled to Texas combined for 58 Top 25 finishes.
Four athletes walked away with Top 8 finishes and All-American status:
Khayla Dawson was outstanding in the 15-16 year old division, posting a third-place finish in the shot put (13.79 meters; 45-03) and a sixth-place finish in the discus (38.82; 127-04).
The 13-14 year old boys saw long jumper Twan Flip record an eighth-place leap of 18-10.75. He was also on the 12th place 4 x 100-meter relay team.
Returning from a season where she finished as the 2013 7-8 girls 100M National Champion, Cheyla Scott competed in the 9-10 year old Triathlon (200M, High Jump and Shot Put events). She finished 7th overall with 1,038 points.
Finally, young Maddon Muhammad was fifth among all competitors in the 3000 meters, posting a time of 10:10.85.
