Denise Spann - This past week was the 20th AAU Club Outdoor Track and Field National Championships in Orlando; where clubs from all around the world come together with their teams to compete. With 52 Club National records broken this week and over 5100 athletes competing, Florida was well represented in the winner’s circle.

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Here’s a look at our #FloridaFast athletes that came home with medals, National Championships and Meet records.

Miami Elite Girls take over Distance Events, Break Away Track with top finishers

The girls of Miami Elite TC had top finishers in all the distance events over the week from the 14 to 18 years old age groups. Valerie Lastra, was the MVP of this group of girls with 2 National Championships and top finishes as she placed in the 3000m (1st – 10:20.92), 1500m (2nd – 4:38.57), 800m (3rd – 2:17.67) and a leg of the 14 year old 4x800m (1st – 9:59.67). Jordan Shapiro placed 4th in the 14 year old 3000m, running 10:56.99. In the 15-16 year old age group, Luisa Adjouadi had top finishes in both the 3000m (4th – 11:20.46) and 1500m (4th – 5:08.73). Sabrina Perna also did a double by competing in both the 17-18 1500m and 3000; she placed 4th in both events running 5:17.75 and 11:56.65.

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Break Away Track Club was the birthplace of young sprint sensation, Kaylin Whitney, but this past week they showed that sprints aren’t their only specialty.  Cadi Rowe placed 3rd in the 3000m (11:20.46) and 6th in the 1500m (5:11.44).  Adrianna Weaver was in the 3000m with her teammate Rowe and placed 7th, running 11:55.69. The Quintana Brothers led the Break Away TC boys to some top distance finishes. Liam Quintana placed 7th in the 15-16 3000m (9:53.61) and 4th in the 2000m steeplechase (6:58.98). The older Quintana, Noah placed 3rd in the 17-18 3000m (9:24.03) and 6th in the 1500m (4:16.36).

Teamwork makes the Dream Work

The AAU Club Outdoor Track and Field Championships is all about teams coming together in sight of one common goal, winning. Relays play a huge part in the meet, and they definitely get the audience pumped no matter what age group.  In the Boys 10 year old 4x100m Florida Elite Matrix placed 2nd running 54.04. In the 12 year old Boys 4x100m, MGX came out on top running 50.07, just missing their own record in the event. The 14 year old girls of Teon Elite demolished the old Club National record of 48.07, by running 46.46. Their relays wasn’t short of perfect, with the two sprint stars Tamari Davis and Danielle Bess pushing the team to the win. In the 15-16 Girls 4x100m the girls of Teon Elite placed 3rd running 49.09. Seneca Milledge, and the boys of Olympia TC took home the crown in the 15-16 4x100m, just missing the record by running 42.07. In the 17-18 Women’s 4x100m E.O.T.O. Elite made the medal stand, placing 5th running 49.07. In the last age group of the 4x100m, the Men of E.O.T.O. Elite placed 2nd by running 41.28.

The most exciting relay of the final day was obviously the 4x400m. To start off the reign of #FloridaFast relays, the MGX boys came to win! In the 12 year old 4x400m Miami Gardens Xpress took 1st and 3rd (3:49.82 & 4:08.26). In the 14 year old Girls 4x400m, West Pembroke Pine Optimist took the win running 3:53.51; and placing 7th were the girls of Lauderdale Lakes Overtake TC running 4:17.48. The next age group is the 14 year old Boys 4x400m, the Olympia TC guys were the only representation of Florida placing 6th running 3:52.37. The 15-16 girls of E.O.T.O. Elite powered home with the win, with Destiny Charles splitting 53 on last leg to bring it home. It’s not the last event of the day, if there’s no fight to the finish. In the Men’s 17-18 4x400m, E.O.T.O. Elite battled it out with Elite Speed (GA), after a disqualification, E.O.T.O Elite guys came out on top with a new record of 3:11.53.

Winners Circle, Top Finishers & Record Breakers

Our sprint sensations took over the speed filled side of the meet, with several records broken on the final day. The MVP of the meet was Tyrese Cooper of MGX, who drove the fans absolutely crazy with his record breaking performances all week long. In the 100m, Cooper broke the record in the prelims by running 10.63, then again in the finals with a record shattering 10.48. The game plan in the 200m, must have been the same as Cooper broke that record in the prelims as well running 20.66. In the 400m Cooper smashed yet another record, running 45.86 to win all 3 of his individual events. In the 15-16 100m, Anthony Schwartz placed 2nd in both the 100m and 200m, but also broke the existing meet record running 10.59.

Photo by AAU Athletics

Ka'Tia Seymour broke the 17-18 100m record in the prelims running 11.64, she came close to breaking it again with her winning performance in the finals (11.67). But, after the 100m she apparently wasn’t done, as she ran 23.26 to destroy the record and come away with 2 Club National Championships.

In the Girls 14 year old, Ken’Naria Gadson breaks the 400m record running 54.57; in the 800m Gadson came away with another win running 2:16.37.

In a close 2nd in that 14 year old girls 400m was Danielle Bess of American Heritage running 55.13. Bess came back with vengeance in the 20m, capturing the win with a time of 24.49.

Jatana Folston (Ransom Everglades) dropped down from the 800m to the 400m, and placed 2nd in the 15-16 400m running a new personal best of 55.45.

Tennessee signee, Janae Caldwell broke the record in the Women’s 17-18 400m running 54.19, and right afterwards a top finish in the 200m (6th – 24.57).

Jamal Walton used the AAU Club Championships as a tune up for World Juniors, as he left right after this meet was over for the competition overseas. In the 400m, Walton got 2nd and broke the record with a time of 46.08 and in 200m he placed 3rd running 21.40.

In the 1500m, Katie Pinnell was the highest Florida placer in her age group running a new personal best of 4:48.18. Pinnell conquered the 800m, winning the event running 2:15.02, which seemed like a pretty easy race on her end.  

In the Men’s 17-18 High Jump, the University of Miami signee, Tristan Schultheis tied the national record by jumping 7-0 feet to win the competition.