LPJ Sports Report
DES MOINES, Iowa — Showtime Track Club closed out its inaugural season with an impressive showing at the AAU National Junior Olympics, held Aug. 1-8 at Drake Stadium, producing three All-American finishes and multiple personal-best performances against some of the top youth track and field athletes in the country.
For a first-year, Ruston-based club competing at a national championship for the first time, the week delivered both immediate success and experience the program can build on.
“This was a tremendous experience for our athletes and for Showtime Track Club as a whole,” Head Coach Morgan Smith said. “To be in our first season and have athletes qualify for the Junior Olympics, travel across the country and compete at Drake Stadium against some of the best athletes in the country is something we are extremely proud of.”
Noah Millien, competing in the 13-year-old boys division, led the way for Showtime with two third-place finishes and two personal bests. In the 800 meters, Millien ran a personal-best 2:07.02 to win his semifinal heat, then returned for the final and lowered his time again to 2:04.14, good for third place and All-American honors. He added a second All-American finish in the 1,500 meters, running a personal-best 4:26.30 for third place in a timed final.
“Noah showed tremendous composure throughout the 800,” Smith said. “Winning his semifinal heat and then coming back and dropping another three seconds in the final shows how much confidence and racing maturity he has developed. He competed with the best athletes in the country and never backed down from the moment.”
Dallas Smith, competing in the 12-year-old boys division, continued his breakout season with personal bests in both the 800 meters (2:22.12, 10th overall) and 1,500 meters (4:52.07, 21st overall).
“Dallas has made tremendous progress this season,” Smith said. “One of the biggest things we’ve seen is his confidence in racing. He isn’t afraid to take control of a race, respond when another athlete makes a move and compete all the way to the finish.”
Butter McGehee, racing in the 11-year-old girls division, posted personal bests in both the 800 meters (2:56.11, 65th overall) and 1,500 meters (6:05.09, 54th overall).
“Butter continued to improve throughout the year, and finishing the Junior Olympics with two personal bests is a great accomplishment,” Smith said. “Being able to compete on this stage gives her an experience she can build on for the coming seasons.”
Maddie Lu McGehee earned Showtime’s third All-American honor with a fourth-place finish in the 14-year-old girls pole vault, clearing a personal-best 2.60 meters (8 feet, 6 1/4 inches). She also competed in the 100-meter hurdles, three-stepping every hurdle en route to an 18.53 finish, 54th overall.
“Maddie Lu has shown tremendous versatility this season,” Smith said. “To set a personal best and finish fourth at a national championship is a tremendous accomplishment.” Smith also pointed to McGehee’s hurdles race as a sign of her growth, noting she recovered after clipping the ninth hurdle to finish close to her personal best.
Showtime’s first trip to the Junior Olympics produced three All-American performances — two national third-place finishes and a fourth-place finish — along with several personal bests across the roster.
“I’m proud of the performances, but I’m even more proud of how these athletes competed,” Smith said. “They were willing to step outside of their comfort zones, race athletes they had never seen before and learn from every experience. We saw what national-level competition looks like, and now we know what it takes to get there and compete. This gives us something to build on. The future of Showtime Track Club is extremely bright, and I’m excited to see what these athletes accomplish in the years ahead.”
