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.
Baltimore welcomed athletes from 8 to 18 years of age during the final week of June to compete at the AAU Region 3 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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Eleana Fountain, The Bravehearts - 13 Girls
Fountain completed a distance sweep at the AAU Region 3 Qualifier, winning the 800m, 1,500m, and 3,000m while adding a third-place finish in the 400m. The Bravehearts distance star has remained unbeaten in the 1,500m this summer, which is highlighted by a victory at the AAU Club Championships, where she ran 4:39. Before that, she ran an impressive 11:07 in the 2-Mile at New Balance Outdoor Nationals.
She returns to the AAU Junior Olympic Games after finishing inside the top 10 in all three distance events a year ago, including a third-place finish in the 3,000m and finishing fourth in the 800m. With another year of national-level experience, Fountain will once again be one of the favorites in the distance events.
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Donald Greene III, Southern Sprinters Elite T&F - 14 Boys
Greene claimed regional titles in both the 400m and 800m, continuing a breakout season with personal bests of 49.55 and 2:01. The seventh grader also showcased his talent on the national stage earlier this summer, placing 14th in the 800m at New Balance Outdoor Nationals.
Already producing times that rank among the best in the country for his age, Greene has established himself as one of Maryland's brightest young talents. If he makes the trip to Des Moines, he'll be a serious contender in both the two middle-distance events.
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Morgan Eades, Glenarden TC - 9 Girls
Eades won both the shot put and javelin at the AAU Region 3 Qualifier, adding another pair of throwing titles to an already impressive summer season. She set a personal best of 60-7 last month in the javelin, continuing her ascension towards the top of the leaderboards in the event.
The Glenarden standout returns to the AAU Junior Olympic Games after earning a bronze medal in the shot put last summer. With success coming in multiple throwing events, Eades will once again be among the top competitors in her age division.
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Arthur Wester, Clarksburg Coyotes - 17/18 Boys
Wester captured the discus title and finished runner-up in the shot put at the AAU Region 3 Qualifier, continuing a breakout summer in the throwing events.
After narrowly missing the Maryland State Championships, Wester has responded with the best performances of his career entering the postseason, unleashing a massive personal best of 186-5 in the discus, the second-best throw in Maryland and one of the top marks in the nation. If he makes his third trip to the AAU Junior Olympic Games, he'll arrive in Des Moines as one of the top contenders in the discus after placing 21st nationally in the event two years ago.