It has been a busy summer and athletes across the country have been competing well past the end of the 2026 outdoor track & field season.
Rockford welcomed athletes from 8 to 18 years of age during the final week of June to compete at the AAU Region 13 Qualifier in preparation for the AAU Junior Olympic Games in Des Moines, Iowa, beginning August 1st through the 8th.
Here are a few athletes you need to keep an eye on as the summer's biggest track & field extravaganza nears.
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Gabrielle Mckinney, Solo Elite Track Club - 15/16 Girls
McKinney turned in one of the top performances at the AAU Region 13 Qualifier, sweeping the 100m, 200m, and 400m dashes while setting personal bests of 24.01 in the 200m and 54.78 in the 400m. The three victories continue an outstanding season for one of the region's top sprinters.
This summer will mark Mckinney's fifth consecutive appearance at the AAU Junior Olympic Games, giving her plenty of experience competing against the nation's top athletes, and she'll arrive in Des Moines in peak form with multiple opportunities to contend for All-American honors.
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Zoei Johnson, Legacy Runners Athletic Club - 14 Girls
Johnson put together one of the most impressive all-around performances at the AAU Region 13 Qualifier, winning the 100m and 200m hurdles, and the high jump, while adding a 3rd-place finish in the long jump. She also cleared a personal best in the high jump, adding another highlight to an already impressive weekend.
The Legacy Runners Athletic Club standout has already proven herself against elite competition this summer, finishing runner-up in the 100m hurdles at the adidas Middle School National Championships before placing 3rd in the event at last year's AAU Junior Olympic Games.
Johnson heads to Des Moines as one of the top returning hurdlers in the '14 Girls division and will have multiple opportunities to add to an already impressive national resume.
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Ari Thompkins, Gately Park Athletic Club - 14 Boys
Thompkins continued his dominant summer at the Region 13 meet, winning both the 800m and 1,500m to remain undefeated in each event this season. His victory in the 800m marked his fifth win of the summer in the event, while his 4:29 personal best in the 1,500m has established him as one of the top middle-distance runners in the division.
The Gately Park Athletic Club standout has been in control in both distance events throughout the summer and now heads to Des Moines with a chance to carry that success onto the circuit's biggest stage.
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Ellyse Walden, IN - 17/18 Girls
Walden added another big win to an already remarkable season at the AAU Region 13 Qualifier, winning the shot put with a throw of 44-7.75, while also finishing runner-up in the discus. The victory was her 16th win in the shot put this season, further cementing her place among the top throwers in the region.
This year's state champion in the Hoosier State has consistently delivered throughout the outdoor season and now has an opportunity to test herself against the nation's best. If she makes the trip, this will mark Walden's first appearance at the AAU Junior Olympic Games, where she'll look to bring home the summer's biggest prize.
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Kaleb Johnson, Rockford Fire - 14 Boys
Johnson punched his ticket to Des Moines with a strong showing at last month's qualifier, capturing the 400m dash title in 53.41 while also qualifying in the 100m and 200m dashes. The Rockford Fire standout has continued to drop his times since the regional meet, setting personal bests in all three sprint events at the Boatright in Flight Track & Field Classic.
Johnson enters the final weeks of the summer season carrying some of his best performances of the year and will now have the opportunity to compete at the AAU Junior Olympic Games, where he could make an impact in the '14 Boys division if he arrives in Des Moines next month.