WATCH THE AAU JUNIOR OLYMPIC GAMES LIVE ON FLOTRACK
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In 2017, Miami Gardens Xpress's Cha'iel Johnson officially arrived at the AAU Junior Olympics.
But interestingly enough, the then-12-year-old -- who was the daughter of former NFL Pro Bowl wide receiver Chad Johnson -- scored an impressive double in an area most didn't even expect.
The distance events.
Johnson would win the 800m in 2:13.72 and the 1,500m in 4:43.83, doing so in wildly entertaining fashions (see the 1,500m win below).
Later, she would add a fourth-place in the 400m in 59.06 seconds.
But more than the wins, Johnson's performances signaled the beginning of a career that would ascend in youth track and field.
In two straight years following that big performance in 2017, she would continue earning more accolades, authoring two more victories in the 800m in the 2018 and 2019 -- the latter season, in fact, she scored a triple, also taking victories in the 400m and 1,500m.
This past year, as a high school freshman, she moved to St. Thomas Aquinas -- though that first year was mostly erased due to COVID-19.
Looking back on where that big climb upward came, it's hard to look away from the 2017 AAU Junior Olympic Games.
2017 Girls 12yo 800m Results
Event 63 Girls 800 Meter Run 12 years old
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National: N 2:13.30 8/3/2011 Daesha Rogers, Miami, FL
Name Year Team Finals H# Alternate
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Finals
1 Cha'Iel Johnson 05 Miami Gardens, FL 2:13.72 7
2 Serenity Brazell 05 Tampa, FL 2:15.34 7
3 Krianne McBride 05 Elgin, TX 2:20.63 7
4 Tai Sheppard 05 Brooklyn, NA 2:21.85 6
5 Jenai Berry 05 Fanwood, NJ 2:23.22 7
6 Emoni Saxton 05 Westerville, OH 2:24.38 6
7 Jaellene Burgess 05 Homestead, FL 2:26.08 3
8 Emma Hoang 05 Flower Mound, TX 2:27.29 7
Photo Credit: USA Today Sports
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2017 Girls 12yo 1500m Results
Event 81 Girls 1500 Meter Run 12 years old
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National: N 4:41.14 8/3/2010 Danae Rivers, Derby, CT
Name Year Team Finals H# Alternate
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Finals
1 Cha'Iel Johnson 05 Miami Gardens, FL 4:43.83 3
2 Krianne McBride 05 Elgin, TX 4:44.32 3
3 Isabel Conde Frankenberg 05 Cedar Park, TX 4:54.86 3
4 Rainn Sheppard 05 Brooklyn, NA 4:55.23 3
5 Juliette Salazar 05 Cornwall, NY 4:59.74 3
6 Brienne Trumpower 05 Mansfield, OH 5:00.26 3
7 Leah Jordan 05 Houston, TX 5:03.89 3
8 Chesney Wilke 05 Tecumseh, MI 5:04.02 3 Related Links:
