Four Rockdale kids will get the chance to run at the TAAF Regional Track Meet in Waco on July 12-13 and Canaan Miles will get an opportunity at a gold medal when he competes in the 400-meter run at the Junior Olympics in Greensboro, NC from July 29-Aug. 3.
“Canaan’s really excited,” said Charles Miles, coach of the local AAU-track team 100 Miles and Running. “He’s particularly motivated because his brother Jaylen made it to the junior olympics last year but didn’t have the chance to qualify this year since he found he had menangitis.
“So Canaan really wanted to do make it for his brother.”
Canaan, a seven-year old who runs in the eight-and-under division, qualified for the prestigious event after placing second in the 400-meter run with a second place finish and a time of 1:12.92 at a qualifier meet this past weekend in Converse.
The Junior Olympics take the top six medalists in every event. To qualify for the TAAF Regional Meet, a participant must place in the top 16.
Miles also placed 11th in the 100-meter dash with a time of 15.83.
His teammate Chloe Miles qualified in two events with a 14th place finish in the 100 with a time of 16.36, and 13th in the 200 with a time of 33.65. She also placed 20th in the 400 with a time of 1:26.45.
Jaelah Green qualified in the 100-meter dash and also ran in the 200 with a time of 36.74 placing 17th.
T’Niyah Miles was the only member to make it regionals in a field event. She placed ninth in the discus with a 60-09 and 7th in the shot put with a 24-10-50.
“It was great for T’Niyah,” Miles said. “This was her first time throwing, period.”
Unlike last season, Charles Miles says they haven’t spent a lot of time practicing on an actual track.
“Last year, we weren’t able to practice in Rockdale with the new track and field being constructed,” Miles said. “So we would drive up to Thorn-dale a couple of times a week to work on our running.
“But this year, we planned to use the track but as soon as school ended they started shutting down the track for maintenance. So we’ve just worked out behind the weight room on the grass. I thought about going to back to Thorndale like we did but we tried working out over there and it’s worked out pretty well for us.”
Miles also said with his team having a year under their belt, that they’re a lot more comfortable competing.
“For Jaelah, it was her first year last season doing summer track,” Miles said. “Canaan and Chloe had competed a little bit before last year but now that they’ve been doing it a while they know what to expect.
“And it’s great working with these kids. You have to teach them stuff like how to finish a race and how much of an impact every step has. It’s cool because we’re taking them throuh that at a very young age.”
Miles also said the program has grown to about 13 kids.
“It’s great because last summer we just had a few out but now a lot more are coming, Miles said. “But we definitely want to get to the point where we have a real club and press it more with the schools so we can help them build their program up.”
Chloe, Canaan, Jaelah and T’Niyah will compete next on Friday, July 12-13 in Waco. If they advance, they will run at the TAAF State Track and Field Championships from July 25-28 in College Station.
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