Pridgeon Wins Three Titles at National Junior Olympic Championships in Oregon

Results 

The 2023 USATF National Junior Olympic Track & Field Championships concluded on Sunday (30-Jul) in Eugene, Oregon. The championships were held at Hayward Field on the campus of the University of Oregon.

7719 athletes competed during the seven days of competition that began on Monday (24-Jul).  USATF Virginia was represented by 34 athletes who competed in 74 individual events.  

USATF Virginia clubs represented at the championships were (# of athletes):
Dale City Lightning (8), Loudoun Legacy (15), MVP League (3), Virginia Pride TF (5), Virginia Raptors TC (1).

The Virginia athletes won four national titles and earned an additional three all-American honors.

The headliners for the Virginians were Elise Pridgeon (MVP) and Clayton Stoil (unattached) winning national titles and Nana-Akyaa Owusu-Ansah (Loudoun Legacy) earning two all-American honors.

Elise Pridgeon, competing in the 9-10 Girls division, arrived in Eugene with the top seeds in the 100m, 200m, and 400m and to form she left Eugene as one of only two athletes to win three individual gold medals. Her first title came on Saturday (29-Jul) as she won the 200m stopping the clock at 26.55 to defeat Morgan Doggett of Georgia by .35 seconds. On Thursday, in the semi-finals Pridgeon set a new personal best of 26.51. On Sunday she first won the 400m running 1:00.03 to once again defeat Doggett (1:02.58). Less than two hours after her 400m victory she took to the track to complete her triple as she won in 13.34; defeating Baylor Freeman of Florida by .21 seconds. On Thursday, in the 1st round heats she set a new personal best of 13.27.
  Clayton Stoil (pictured above), the 10,000m Race Walk runner-up at the USATF U20 Championships earlier in the month, won the 17-18 Boys 3000m Race Walk in a time of 13:34.08. He defeated Colin Graham of New Jersey by 1 minute 21 seconds. He also finished 25th in the 2000m Steeplechase. Next up for Stoil is the Pam Am U20 Championships in Puerto Rico; where he will represent Team USA. Nana-Akyaa Owusu-Ansah (pictured above) had a busy week as she competed in four events; including the Triathlon. She started the week off on Tuesday with a second place finish in the 9-10 girls Triathlon. Her score of 1193 points was a personal best by 196 points and just 83 points behind the winner, Malia Lopez of California. On Friday, she earned her second all-American honor as she finished eighth in the Shot Put with another personal best of 6.74m (22-1¼). In between she found time to finish 17th in the 100m (14.20) and 19th in the 200m (29.53).

Rounding out the all-American performances for the Virginians was Cameron McDuffie (Dale City Lightning) who finished eighth in the 15-16 Boys 1500m. His time was 4:09.54 was a new career best.

FULL LIST OF VIRGINIA ALL-AMERICANS

FIRST PLACE
 • Elise Pridgeon (MVP League) 100m 9-10 Girls
 • Elise Pridgeon (MVP League) 200m 9-10 Girls
 • Elise Pridgeon (MVP League) 400m 9-10 Girls
 • Clayton Stoil (unattached)3000m Race Walk 17-18 Boys

SECOND PLACE
 • Nana-Akyaa Owusu-Ansah (Loudoun Legacy) Triathlon 9-10 Girls
 
EIGHTH PLACE
 • Nana-Akyaa Owusu-Ansah (Loudoun Legacy) Shot Put 9-10 Girls
 • Cameron McDuffie (Dale City Lightning) 1500m 15-16 Boys

To see the complete Virginia Resutls Scoreboard click here.

The 2024 national championships are scheduled for College Station, TX July 22-28.

The 2023 USATF National Junior Olympic Cross Country Championships will be held in Louisville,, KY on December 9
 

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DAILY HIGHLIGHTS

DAY 5 HIGHLIGHTS

Top 40 Finishes

8.  Nana -Akyaa Owusu-Ansah (Loudoun Legacy) 9-10 Girls Shot Put
11. Sydney Taylor (Virginia Pride TF Club) 13-14 Girls Long Jump
16. Zuri Gatson (Loudoun Legacy) 9-10 Girls Shot Put
17. Nana -Akyaa Owusu-Ansah (Loudoun Legacy) 9-10 Girls 100m
19. Connor Allen (Unattached) 11-12 Boys 100m
24. Abraham Warui (Loudoun Legacy) 15-16 Boys 3000m
26. Layla Younes (Loudoun Legacy) 11-12 Girls Shot Put
27. Courtney Johnson (Dale City Lightning TC) 8U Girls 400m
29. Shaun Hadley (Virginia Pride TF Club) 15-16 Boys 400m
29. Ayush Patel (Virginia Pride TF Club) 13-14 Boys 800m

Advanced to 100m Hurdles Semi-Finals

Sydney Taylor (Virginia Pride TF Club) 13-14 Girls

Advanced to 400m Semi-Finals

Elise Pridgeon (MVP League) 9-10 Girls

Day 4 Highlights

Top 40 Finishes

9.  Connor Allen    (Unattached) 200m 11-12 Boys
19. Nana -Akyaa Owusu-Ansah (Loudoun Legacy) 200m 9-10 Girls
22. Abraham Warui (Loudoun Legacy) 1500m 15-16 Boys
26. Ayush Patel  (Virginia Pride TF Club) 1500m 13-14 Boys
26. Isaac Preston (Dale City Lightning TC)  80m Hurdles 11-12 Boys
28. Layla Younes (Loudoun Legacy) 80m Hurdles    11-12 Girls
31. Christabel Agyeman-duah (Loudoun Legacyv) 1500m 13-14Girls
32. Zuri Gatson (Loudoun Legacy Javelin Throw)    9-10 Girls
38. Joseph Blanks Jr. (Loudoun Legacy)    100m 8U Boys
39. Mame-Akyaa Owusu-Ansah (Loudoun Legacy) Javelin Throw 8U Girls

Advanced to 200m Finals

Elise Pridgeon (MVP League) 9-10 Girls

Advanced to 1500m Finals

Cameron McDuffie (Dale City Lightning TC) 15-16 Boys

Advanced to 100m Semi-Finals

Elise Pridgeon (MVP League) 9-10 Girls
Nana -Akyaa Owusu-Ansah (Loudoun Legacy) 9-10 Girls
Connor Allen (Unattached) 11-12 Boys

Advanced to 100m Hurdles Semi-Finals

Sydney Taylor    (Virginia Pride TF Club) 13-14 Girls

Day 1-3 highlights
 

Top 40 Finishes 

 ​2. Nana -Akyaa Owusu-Ansah (Loudoun Legacy) Triathlon 9-10 Girls
12. Chase Berisha (Dale City Lightning TC) 800m 9-10 Boys
16. Sydney Taylor (Virginia Pride TF Club) 200m Hurdles 13-14 Boys
17. Cameron McDuffie (Dale City Lightning TC) 800m 15-16 Boys
23. Layla Younes (Loudoun Legacy) Pentathlon 11-12 Girls
25. Christabel Agyeman-duah (Loudoun Legacy) 800m 13-14 Girls
25. Aria Ibiezugbe (Loudoun Legacy) Shot Put 17-18 Girls
28. Rudolf Kovats (Loudoun Legacy) Triathlon 9-10 Boys
29. Ayush Patel (Virginia Pride TF Club) 800m 13-14 Boys
32. Isabella Martinez (Loudoun Legacy ) Pentathlon 11-12 Girls

Advanced to 200m Semi-Finals

• Elise Pridgeon (MVP League) 9-10 Girls
• Nana -Akyaa Owusu-Ansah (Loudoun Legacy) 9-10 Girls
• Connor Allen (Unattached) 11-12 Boys
• Olivia Friends (Loudoun Legacy) 11-12 Girls

The Virginia Results Scoreboard can be found here.