Closing off the track and field season, Mission Valley Track and Field (MVTF) have been on a high attending the AAU Junior Olympic Games.
The AAU Junior Olympic Games was held in Greensboro, North Carolina from July 29 to August 3.
A highlight for Mission Valley Track and Field was Kaylani Sison. On the sixth day of the Track and Field Junior Olympics, Sison competed in the 9-year-old division of the 1500-meter distance race. Sison won first place in her event which had a total of 60 other runners from all around the US. Sison completed the long distance race with a time of 5:16.47. Although the second-place spot was on her heels, her time was 15 seconds ahead of the third through sixth place runners.
Sison has been a member of Mission Valley Track and Field Club for two years and according to MVTF Head Coach Lee Webb, and was an All-American in Cross Country this past year.
“She is a great student, great leader by example, extreme dedication and has a huge heart, on and off the track,” shared Coach Lee Webb about his athlete. “Liked by all a true diamond in the world and has incredible desire and competitiveness.”
The 1500 wasn’t Sison’s only race of the meet. The day prior, Sison says, she also ran the 800-meter. She won fifth place in the 800-meter with a time of 2:40.89 according to the MileSplit website of AAU results. When asked about what Sison’s goals for the meet was, Coach Webb replied, “Winning her race was the goal.” Her goal was certainly achieved.
MVTF has had more than one talented athlete. Below is a list of some of the season’s highlights in several different events.
All National Runner Up
USATF
Shaunak Vichare – Javelin 8 Under
Kishan Paschapur – 3000 Racewalk 13-14
Aviva Neal 1500 – Racewalk 9-10
Ania Wong 3000 – Racewalk 17-18
Saish Gondhali 1500 – Racewalk 9-10
AAU
Shaunak Vichare – Javelin 8
