Track and Field will be in full force next weekend at C.C. Moore Stadium in McComb.
The local track club, the Southwest Mississippi Roadrunners will host the USA Track & Field Southern Association Junior Olympic Track & Field Championships, which is slated for June 22-25.
As of Saturday morning, more than 1,100 athletes have registered to compete in the event, according to coach Victor Montgomery.
The Roadrunners, which is a sanctioned track club through USA Track & Field, has 35 athletes this season ages 8-18.
The group has competed in three meets so far, all in Louisiana.
“We have kids from Terry, Raymond, Hazelhurst, Brookhaven, Tylertown, McComb, Magnolia and Summit,” Montgomery said. “The goal is to make the podium and have kids qualify to go to nationals and finish in the Top 8 to be an All American.”
The top eight finishers in next week’s meet will qualify for the Region 6 Championships to be held July 5-8 at Alabama A&M University in Huntsville, Ala.
Denmam Junior High School student Kendrick Matthews Jr. is in his first season with the group and competes in the 3000-meter run, the 1500 and the 800.
Matthews has been consistently successful so far this season, including two first-place finishes in one meet earlier in the year.
“It’s going good,” he said with a smile. “The best thing is meeting new people and making new friends.”
McComb High track athlete and state champion Shayla Felder said she competed with the Roadrunners after her freshman year, but took a two-year hiatus from the team.
“This is my senior year, so I decided I should go all out and do my very best,” she said. “I competed my ninth grade year, then I got lazy over the summer. This year I decided I have to go all out.”
Felder said she is able to compete against the best during the summer.
“In 4A we don’t have a lot of competition,” she said. “When we get out here, we’re going against the best of the best. I kind of like being out here more than high school.”
Felder, who runs in the 200-meter dash, 400-meter dash and relays, said she has steadily improved over the summer.
“My times have dropped,” she said. “I ran a 24.3 in the 200 and a 56.9 in the 400. I just hope I continue to drop and get better.”
Montgomery, Kristie Mitchell-Robinson and club founder Charlie Floyd coach the team.
He said he wants to keep track and field relevant in the state.
“We’re looking for people to come out and support the sport and just trying to make it well known in Mississippi,” he said.
