It has been a busy summer and athletes across the country have been competing well past the end of the 2026 outdoor track & field season.
Pensacola welcomed athletes from 8 to 18 years of age during the final week of June to compete at the AAU Region 9 (1) Qualifier in preparation for the AAU Junior Olympic Games in Des Moines, Iowa, beginning August 1st through the 8th.
Here are a few athletes you need to keep an eye on as the summer's biggest track & field extravaganza nears.
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Luke Lomoriello, Golden Elite - 13 Boys
Lomoriello continued his dominant summer by winning both the 1,500m and 3,000m at the AAU Region 9 Qualifier. The distance standout remains undefeated in the 800m this season as well, posting a personal best of 2:20 and winning the regional race by an impressive 22 seconds.
The Florida native set personal best times of 4:36 and 10:06 in the 1,500m and 3,000m, respectively, and finished seventh in the 3,000m at last year's AAU Junior Olympic Games. With another year of experience and continued improvement, he'll be one of the top distance runners to watch in Des Moines next month.
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Aiyana Jones, FL - 13 Girls
Jones swept the hurdle events, winning both the 100m hurdles and 200m hurdles while setting personal bests of 17.01 and 31.35. She enters the AAU Junior Olympic Games undefeated across both hurdle events this summer.
The Region 9 champion has shown steady improvement throughout the summer season, continuing to drop time in both events at the perfect time. If that trend continues, she'll have an opportunity to challenge for an All-American finish on the summer's biggest stage.
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Dominic Rodriguez, FL - 13 Boys
Rodriguez repeated as the Region 9 champion in both the shot put and discus, successfully defending the two throwing titles he claimed a year ago. The rising standout has established himself as one of the nation's premier young throwers after adding more than 34 feet to his discus personal best, which now sits at 164-0.5.
Although he did not compete at last year's AAU Junior Olympic Games, Rodriguez would enter this summer's national meet with some of the strongest marks in his age group, and his considerable progression in the discus makes him a legitimate contender for a national title.
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Zamari Purifoy, Golden Elite - 17/18 Boys
Purifoy produced one of the top performances of the Region 9 Qualifier, winning the 100m, 200m, and 400m dashes. The sophomore clocked a 21.89 in the 200m, marking his third performance under 22 seconds this year.
The veteran sprinter has enjoyed success on the national stage before, winning the AAU Junior Olympic 400m title in 2021 before returning to place third in 2022. With his combination of championship experience and impressive early-season form, Purifoy will once again be among the favorites in the quarter-mile while also posing a threat in the shorter sprints.