The third day of the AAU Club Championships was one for the record books, and it's only the first day of prelims.
In the first boys running event of the day, Joshua Gammage of Miami Gardens Xpress (MGX) won the 11-year old boys 3000m (10:27.69). Gammage is the reigning AAU Junior Olympic Champion in the 1500m running 4:54.65; he'll be running that event and the 800m this week as well.
In the 13-year old girls 3000m, Valencia Wright set a new record running, 10:20.38 to break 2015 champion, Ashley Klingenberg's record of 10:28.63. Following Wright's performance, Jaleel Gelin of MGX won the 13-year old boys 3000m with a time of 10:06.44, leading the pack by more than 10 seconds.
In the premiere event of the day, the 100m dash, there were three age group records broken by six different athletes.
Demi Dunbar, Juliah Bolden and Destyni Devine. These three girls each broke the 9-year old girls 100m dash record during the prelims. Dunbar from Florida Express won heat 5 running 13.97, which initially broke the of 13.99 set in 1999. Bolden, who holds the 8-year old club championship 100m record (14.27), ran two heats after Dunbar and broke her record with a time of 13.59. In the final heat of the prelims, Devine ran a time of 13.57 to secure the age group record until the semifinals on Thursday. Devine not only took down a 19-year old record but broke a 14-year old record for the national title in the 9-year old long jump, jumping of 14-04.75.
That same instance happened in the boys 11-year old 100m prelims. In heat 6, Evan Boykin of Charlotte Heat ran 12.36 to break Willie Washington's record of 12.49 (2014). In the following heat, Da'Vekio Ruffin of La Kream Elite ran 12.32 to hold the record. If both boys advance to the finals it will be a showdown you don't want to miss!
In the final 100m prelim, the 17-18-year old boys, Taylor Banks (Miramar Optimist) broke Cameron Douglas' record of 10.52 running 10.40! The second qualifying spot was Tyrese Cooper, who holds more than a handful of records across all age groups. Cooper holds records in the 100m, 200m, 400m and 4x400m in the 15-16 age group alone. For his first year in the age group be sure to keep an eye on him. In the following days he'll be running the 100m, 200m, 400m, and he's registered for the 400mh.
The sprint medley is a relay that is unique to the AAU Club Championships in the summer track circuit. Setting the final record of the day in the 17-18-year old girls sprint medley was Florida's E.O.T.O Elite. The young ladies ran 4:00.91, breaking 2006's record of 4:01.74 from Metropolis Track Club. The record-breaking team consisted of Destiny Charles, Jadea Barrett, Jatana Folston and Daishon Spann.
Folston and Spann are no stranger to the AAU Club Championships. In 2015, they both were a part of the record setting 14-year old girls 4x400m running 3:47.68 (the record still stands). Folston placed third in last year's club championship 400m dash running 55.07. She is now Florida's 2A girls 400m champion running 53.42. She topped her personal best shortly after at the New Balance Outdoor Nationals in 53.04. Spann finished second in the 17-18-year old girls heptathlon this year with 4,284 points. She will be competing in the 100mh and 800m this upcoming week. With this win in the sprint medley, Spann is a 16-time AAU Club National Champion.
There are four days left of competition so, be prepared for some record setting performances! Remember you can watch this event live from flotrack.org. For all things AAU Club Championships, be sure to follow FloTrack and MileSplit on Twitter (@FloTrack, @Milesplit).
