The Tallahassee Trailblazers Track & Field Club had an outstanding week at the 2017 AAU National Jr. Olympic Games (AAU JRO) in Detroit, Michigan (July 29th - Aug 5th), representing the city of Tallahassee and the state of Florida quite well bringing home the most Gold Medals (4) in the history of the program.

Galen Johnson - 14 Year Old Boys was a main highlight at the event maintaining his status as #1 status in both the 100m & 200m dashes winning the Gold (1st place). He competed every day (July 31st - August 5th) through quarter finals and semi finals (winning as well) to win both in the Finals! [100m (11.19) and 200m (22.61)]

However Yevaisa McKnight - 14 Year Old Girls got the team's Gold medals started on Sunday, July 30th by winning the 3000m Race Walk (20.17) improving on her seed time entering National competition by 2 full minutes.

Tonie Morgan - 13 Year Old Girls was a major upset to her peer competitors winning the Gold in the High Jump event. She was seeded at 35th going into the competition due to injury during qualifying. However she was in full competition mode, injury-free and jumped 5'1" to win 1st place!

In addition to the Gold Medals, the team won 2-4th place medals, 1-5th place medal and 1-6th place medal. (Top 8 athletes/teams are recognized and receive medals at the AAU JRO.)

2 - 4th Place Medals

• Kayla Sapp: 15-16 Year Old Girls - 3000m Race Walk
• 10 Year Old Boys 4x100m Relay Team - Lance Ware, Benjamin Henry II, Kameron Hightower & Eugene Ware III

1 - 5th Place Medal

• 14 Year Old Boys 4x100m Relay Team - Jahaz Morgan, Rajauhn Sancho, Christopher Hightower & Galen Johnson

1 - 6th Place Medal

• Tonie Morgan, in addition to her Gold medal, also won 6th Place in the 100m Hurdles.

Additional Trailblazers who competed at the AAU JRO: Megan Henry, Taryn Henry, Darrah Jones, Joseph Jones, and Sean Parnell III.

The Tallahassee Trailblazers, Inc. is a community-wide summer youth track and field program completing its eighteenth year of competition in developing interest and participation in the sport of track and field among youth ages 7 to 18. Teaching and promoting sprinting, middle-long distance running, field events for competition in invitational, state and national track meets. Current members of the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU).

Coaching Staff: Calvin Sancho, Head Coach; Teresa Sancho (race walk), Tony Morgan (long jump), Simone Clark (hurdles), Whitney Austin (distance), LaToya Sampson (relays) and Xavier Mackey (shot put, discus, turbo javelin).