Before They Were Stars: Anavia Battle Broke Through At AAU

Jul 18, 2023

* Anavia Battle during her collegiate run for the Ohio State Buckeyes

Photo Credit: Joseph Cress/Hawk Central

- - -

It takes hard work, it takes patience and it takes execution to reach the highest levels of track and field.

Anavia Battle, 24, a graduate of Ohio State, an Olympian and one of the U.S.'s top sprinters, is currently in her prime. But six years ago, before her professional career formed, she found her breakthrough at the AAU Junior Olympic Games.

In 2017, during her final season competing at AAU, she clocked times of 11.70 and 23.60 seconds in the 100m and 200m to win consecutive national titles.

That performance -- her first wins at AAU -- would be the beginning of an esteemed career working its way up the ladder, from Battle's youth track success in Michigan, to more at Wayne Memorial High School, and then over to Ohio State, where Battle was a Big Ten champion and a multiple-time NCAA All-American.

WATCH LIVE: THE 2023 AAU JUNIOR OLYMPIC GAMES

BEGINS AIRING LIVE JULY 29-AUGUST 5

Battle reached the Olympics in 2021 after finishing third at the U.S. Olympic Trials in the 200m, where she ran a career best time of 21.95 (+1.3) seconds.

Most recently, Battle competed at the USATF Outdoor Championships, authoring a time of 22.49 seconds in the 200m prelims before following with an effort of 22.76 seconds in the semifinals.

Battle could feature for Team U.S.A. in an international competition in the next few weeks, as opportunities exist with the Thorpe Cup (August 12-13 in Germany) and the Pan Am Games (October 22-29 in Chile).

* Battle's 200m performance at the 2017 AAU Junior Olympic Games