Hawaii high school track athletes win national gold medals at Junior Olympics

News admin August 12, 2026 0 Comments

Hawaii high school track athletes win national gold medals at Junior Olympics

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – Two of Hawaii’s emerging high school track and field athletes made their mark on the national stage last month.

Punahou senior Penelope Stay and Leilehua freshman Avery Elgin took home gold medals after standout performances at the USATF National Junior Olympic Track & Field Championships in California.

Stay placed first in the 1,500-meter run for girls ages 17 to 18, setting a personal record of 4 minutes and 47 seconds. Elgin earned the girls ages 13 to 14 high jump national champion title with a jump of 1.65 meters.

Competing against the best

The USATF National Junior Olympics is one of the largest and most competitive stages for track and field athletes ages 7 to 18.

“It felt pretty different than what I’m used to,” said Elgin. “For the meets here, there’s only like two girls that I’m going against. But when you get to nationals, in the pentathlon, you’re going against 20 other girls and then in high jump, 40 other girls.”

The event was the first out-of-state meet for both athletes, which they said added to the excitement.

“Of course, because it’s new, you don’t know what to expect or you’re nervous,” said Stay. “But because you put so much into it beforehand, you know you can do it, and you know you can do it well. At the end of the day, it’s just you and your event.”

Club notches record-setting season

Stay and Elgin represent Hawaii’s Spartan Track Club, a premier program known to produce top track and field talent across the islands.

This season was the most successful in the club’s history, recording its highest number of personal records, league finalists, state finalists, state qualifiers, All-Americans, and national champions.

“We’re emerging each and every year, and I think going to these big meets proves that we belong and can compete on this national stage,” said Spartan Track Club head coach Michael Harvey. “To see it happen is really such a rewarding thing for me.”