The 2026 USATF National Junior Olympic Track & Field Championships concluded Sunday after seven days of competition at Falcon Stadium on the campus of Cerritos College in Norwalk, California. More than 6,308 athletes from all 50 states competed in the nation's premier youth track and field event.
The Utah Association enjoyed an outstanding week on the national stage as 43 athletes and one relay team combined for 83 performances, earning two national championships and five All-American honors against the nation's top young competitors.
Utah's two national champions, Crew Mower (Cool Running) and Jace Cook (Unattached), led the way in Southern California. Mower captured the boys 11–12 800m title in 2:09.40 before adding a seventh-place All-American finish in the 400m, while Cook claimed the boys 17–18 shot put crown with a winning mark of 18.93 meters.
The Mower family enjoyed an especially memorable week in Southern California. In addition to Crew's national title, siblings Palmer Mower and Cort Mower represented Utah in multiple events. Palmer competed in the girls 11–12 long jump, 200m, and 400m, while Cort raced in the boys 9–10 400m.
Utah athletes continued to add to the association's impressive medal haul as Charlotte Mathews (Cool Running) earned an eighth-place All-American finish in the girls 11–12 80m hurdles while also competing in the 200m and 400m. Miles Bohm (Roni's Elite TC) also secured All-American honors with an eighth-place finish in the boys 13–14 long jump.
Several athletes came within a few places of earning All-American honors, including AJ Leonard (Soelberg TC), who finished ninth in the boys 15–16 high jump; Kaidin Sullivan (Cool Running), who placed 10th in the boys 11–12 100m; Graciela Valenzuela (Drive Athletics-Utah), who finished 10th in the girls 9–10 400m; Alema Chu Shing (JJ ATHLETICS), who placed 10th in the boys 15–16 decathlon; Jax Bills (Cool Running), who finished 12th in the boys 9–10 long jump; Leighton Johansen (Unattached), who placed 12th in the girls 15–16 javelin; and Dylan Dye (Unattached), who finished 12th in the boys 17–18 decathlon.
Several other athletes recorded multiple strong performances during the championships. Valenzuela added 18th- and 27th-place finishes in the 100m and 200m, respectively, while Sullivan competed in the 100m, 200m, and shot put. Christoph Blankenau (Rising Sun RC) contested the 800m, 1500m, and 3000m, and Brooke Burke (Unattached) represented Utah in the girls 11–12 800m, 1500m, and 3000m.
The Cool Running club once again demonstrated its strength, accounting for both of Utah's individual national champions while placing numerous athletes on the national stage. Drive Athletics-Utah, Roni's Elite TC, Soelberg TC, JJ ATHLETICS, Rising Sun RC, Fast Running Blog, Race Cats Kaysville, Cheetahs Utah TC, and several unattached athletes also represented the association with distinction.