* Akala Garrett (Harding University, NC) wins the 100mH title at the North Carolina Class 4A Outdoor State Championships in May.
Photo Credit: Doug Hague/MileSplit North Carolina
- - -
With the 2022 AAU Junior Olympic Games quickly approaching, we continue to look back and examine which current high school stars began making names for themselves while middle schoolers competing at the club level.
Just three years ago, some of the current top high school hurdlers began finding national-caliber success as eighth graders competing during the summer AAU season.
The 14-year-old Girls 200mH final at the 2019 AAU Junior Olympics featured two athletes that would go on to excel at the USATF U20 Championships just a couple of weeks ago, including Harding University (NC) junior talent Akala Garrett, who booked her trip to Colombia for the World U20 Championships in August. Garrett won the final in 26.86, making her the only athlete in the field to dip under 27 seconds and solidify her position as a hurdle talent to watch going into high school.
It's also worth noting that one of the top current high school hurdlers found herself toward the back of the field in 2019 -- Myla Greene, the star junior from Bullis (MD), who finished fifth in the 200mH final prior to beginning high school. Greene certainly improved from that fifth-place finish and has molded into one of the nation's most consistent high school hurdle performers.
Both her and Garrett competed at the U20 Championships in the long hurdle event in June, with Greene finishing just off the mark to make the US world team in third place.
Other athletes of note from that talented 200mH field include Oak Park's (MI) Nonah Waldron in fourth and West Catholic's (PA) sixth-place hurdler Taleea Buxton, both of whom have state titles and top finishes at national meets under their belts.
2022 Season Breakdowns:
Akala Garrett, Harding University (NC): First in the 400mH at the USATF U20 Outdoor Championships to qualify for the World U20 championships; North Carolina Class 4A Outdoor 100mH and 300mH state champion; US No. 1 in both the 300mH (40.62) and 400mH (57.47).
Brittney Jennings, Sandalwood (FL): Third in 100mH at the Florida Class 4A Outdoor State Championships and NSAF Outdoor Nationals.
Lashavia Barclay, Atascocita (TX): First place in the 300mH at Texas 6A District 21 outdoor meet.
Nonah Waldron, Oak Park (MI): New Balance Indoor Nationals 60mH champion; MITS Indoor 60mH state champion.
Myla Greene, Bullis School (MD): Third in the 400mH and fourth in the 100mH at the USATF U20 Championships; first in the 400mH and second in the 200mH at New Balance Outdoor Nationals; US No. 2 58.27 in the 400mH.
Taleea Buxton, West Catholic (PA): First in the 100mH and triple jump at the Pennsylvania 2A Outdoor State Championships.
Talicia Fair, Lancaster (TX): First in the 100mH at the Texas 5A District 11 outdoor meet.
Jada Donahue, Red Oak (TX): Third-place finish in the 300mH at the Texas 5A District 14 Championships.
AKALA GARRETT, HARDING UNIVERSITY (NC)
2019 Result: 14-year-old Girls 200mH champion
AGE 14 GIRLS 200 METER HURDLES FINALS PLACE ATHLETE TEAM RESULT WIND H# 1 Akala Garrett 9 Purpose Driven NC Elite 26.86 -1.2 1 2 Brittney Jennings 8 4Life Track Club 27.17 -1.2 1 3 Lashavia Barclay 9 Atascocita Titans 27.30 -1.2 1 4 Nonah Waldron 9 Motor City Track Club 27.35 -1.2 1 5 Myla Greene 9 The Sprint Club 27.46 -1.2 1 6 Taleea Buxton 9 Infinity Track Club 27.90 -1.2 1 7 Talicia Fair 8 Cedar Hill Blaze Track Club 28.61 -1.2 1 8 Jada Donahue Cedar Hill Blaze Track Club 28.82 -1.2 1