USATF Junior Olympics 2023
Posted: October 07, 2023 | Author: Rix Brown, Yorkshire Academy 5th Grader
Hello. My name is Rixford Brown, and I am attending fifth grade at Yorkshire Academy. I am ten years old and have been running since I was three. I started running as a hobby because I had friends to talk with, and they supported me. I run track and cross country. My favorite race is the fifteen hundred meter run, because it is not too short and not too long. The fifteen hundred meter run is three and three-quarter laps long around the track.
This summer, I competed in the Junior Olympics, and it was an amazing experience. I had worked hard to reach this level of competition after two qualifying rounds at the district and regional levels.
Junior Olympics this year was held in Eugene, Oregon at Hayward Field, the greatest track facility in the world. Running on the same track where the World Championships were held this year, and where the U.S Olympic trials are held was an incredible honor.
My family and I flew to Oregon. The flight was four hours long. We stayed at a Vrbo house for the night. When I woke up on race day, I felt nervous but reassured because I had run in Junior Olympics the past four years, having placed in the top eight at Junior Olympics three times before, resulting in being a three-time All American.
I arrived at Hayward Field and started my warmups with my friends, who also qualified. After we finished our warmups, we checked into the race. When we entered the stadium, my stomach did a flip. It was massive. The size of at least fifty houses. On the starting line, a cameraman flashed a camera at each contestant as each athlete was introduced. Some athletes struck a pose. I just beamed a huge smile to show how happy I was to be there. The race was broadcast domestically and internationally. We lined up on the starting, and the gun went off. As the race was going on, I didn’t think about anything track related. I thought about miscellaneous stuff, like "What’s for dinner? and so on. I felt tired, but running feels really nice, like the wind in your hair and the speed that you are going. I put all my thoughts into my legs. At the end of the race, I felt exhausted and relieved that the race was finally over. I placed eighteenth. While my goal was to place in the top eight, the entire experience was awesome, and I hope to build on this for next season.
Throughout the season, my teachers and students at Yorkshire Academy encouraged me as they always do. Running is a big part of my life and I like to encourage others to give it a try.
This article was also featured in Buzz Magazine.