* Frisco, Texas native Aiden Jessie earned a fifth-place finish in the boys 13yo 800m championship on Wednesday
- - -
HUMBLE, TEXAS -- Every now and then, there are moments at the AAU Junior Olympic Games that will make your heart soar.
And this week, look no further than 13-year-old Aiden Jessie.
Often, we see athletes who succeed within their races, amid their own age categories. They medal, record personal bests and sometimes even earn the elusive national record.
But sometimes, especially in youth meets, competing at the highest level is less about where you place. Instead, young athletes are sometimes faced with difficult questions. How do you respond when life knocks you down?
Which brings us to Jessie.
In 2018, he was knocked down once after he was diagnosed with epilepsy. The condition manifested in various ways -- such as a speech impediment forming -- and often led to painful moments.
Then in 2019, he was given another gut punch when he was handed a diagnosis of Sever's disease, which is a condition where the growth plate of the heel is inflamed.
That realization happened just as he was preparing to compete at the AAU Junior Olympic Games in Greensboro.
At that point, at important age of 12 -- as young children are beginning to mature and coming of age -- Jessie began to wonder about purpose. Why was he competing at all? Should he have just stayed home?
"I almost gave up on everything because I wondered why this was all happening to me," he said. "I kept on asking myself if every day 'Does God hate me?'"
But Jessie's mother, Tamicka Rodriguez, who also doubles as his coach, impressed upon him a valuable lesson: Life sometimes will knock you down, but you have to keep believing. You have to keep fighting.
Jessie did just that.
Three years later, on Wednesday at the AAU Junior Olympic Games, he finished fifth in the 13yo boys 800m championship in 2:08.59.
It was his best performance to date. It was also a promising indicator of his future.
"It's amazing because at district and region, I really have no competition," he said. "But here at [Junior Olympics], it's the next level. I always have someone to push me in my races. It's more difficult."
Jessie will continue to run this week, with performances left in the 400m and 4x400.
But perhaps that won't matter so much.
Success won't ultimately be marked with whether he wins or loses, but in that ever-persistent-fight to get to the line.
And once there, he'll race his heart out for one more race.
* The boys 13yo 800m championship
Related Links:
