RECAP: 55th AAU Junior Olympic Games

08/16/2021


After 11-days of tough competition, the 55th AAU Junior Olympic Games drew to a close in Houston, Texas on August 7, 2021. The event, which brought more than 15,000 participants to Houston, unified the sports creating the nation’s largest multi-sport event for youth in the United States.

55th AAU Junior Olympic Games
Dates: July 28 - August 7
Location: Houston, Texas
Results | Photo Galleries
 
HOUSTON, Texas - After 11-days of tough competition, the 55th AAU Junior Olympic Games drew to a close in Houston, Texas on August 7, 2021. The event, which brought more than 15,000 participants to Houston, unified the sports creating the nation’s largest multi-sport event for youth in the United States.
 
Thousands of athletes, parents, coaches and spectators filled the halls at the George R. Brown Convention Center, Cy-Fair Natatorium, Houston Sports Complex and Turner Stadium at Humble High School. Turner Stadium itself saw 12,345 participants from the AAU track and Field portion of the Games, marking it the third largest track and field event in the history of the AAU Junior Olympic Games.
 
Overall, the AAU Junior Olympic Games hosted 10 different sport competitions, and the event has brought in more than $50 million each year in economic impact to previous host cities including Hampton Roads, Va.; New Orleans, La.; Houston, Tex.; Detroit, Mich.; and Des Moines, Iowa.
 
In Baton Twirling, approximately 280 athletes competed for the title on AAU Junior Olympic Games Champion. Some of those lucky individuals and teams included Mickey’s Majorettes in the Small Senior Advance Dance Twirl, Sue’s Stepper-ettes in the Large Junior Beginners’ Novelty, Emma Roberts in the AAT 13-15 year old Beginners and Kaylynn Lambert in the AAT 16-18 year old Elite division.
A full list of results can be here: https://www.aauresults.org/jogames/re_jogames_dnk.php?s=7&lkid=&y=2021
 
In Field Hockey, 160 estimated athletes from six teams battled it out at the Houston Sports Complex. Dream left the field ranked No.1 after 18 games. They were undefeated through regular play before calling a draw on the championship match due to weather delays. Team Pride took the second place spot and Team Trust third.
A full list of results can be here: https://www.teamusa.org/USA-Field-Hockey/EVENTS/2021/August/02/AAU-JO/Schedule
 
Jump Rope hosted approximately 140 athletes and crowned 32 overall AAU Junior Olympic Games Champions. Athletes also saw competition in a Speed, Freestyle and Team Show division. John Moses from Kangaroo Kids walked away as the Male 13-14 Individual Overall Champion and Mishel Choudry from Youth Sports Jump Rope was crowned the Female 10 year old Individual Overall Champion. In the Pairs division, Ashlyn Gill and Izzie Robinson from Heartbeats were crowned champions, and in the four-person Double Dutch, team Kangaroo Kids of Sam Scott, Cassie Baldwin, Isla Gleeson and Foster Sariscak, took home the gold.
A full list of results can be here: https://www.aauresults.org/jogames/re_jogames_dnk.php?s=31&lkid=&y=2021
 
Karate saw almost 200 athletes on their mats competing in three different forms: Kata, Kobudo and Kumite. AAU Karate also held their Team Trials on the final day of competition. Several winners included Lawrence Muhat in Kata and Kumite, Liam Lumia in 8 year old Advance Short Kobudo, Long Kobudo, Kata and Kumite, Mia Lumia in 10 year old Advance Short Kobudo, Long Kobudo, Kata and  Kumite, and Christina Cassie in both Flag Kata and Mandatory Kata.
A full list of results can be here: https://www.facebook.com/AAUKarateNationalProgram
 
Pickleball played host to 40 athletes, ranging from eight to 19 in boys and girls single and doubles, as well as mixed doubles.
A full list of results can be here: https://www.pickleballtournaments.com/schedule.pl?tid=4800
 
Sport Stacking saw its ninth year at the Games and had more than 150 athletes participate in this year’s individuals, doubles and relay competition.
A full list of results can be here: https://www.thewssa.com/tournaments/aau-junior-olympic-games-sport-stacking-championships/2808/st-results
 
Swimming, the second largest event this year, had more than 500 participants racing for the best time in the pool. Races included short 50m sprints to as long as the 1500m Freestyle for the older kids (13-18 year olds). Some meet standouts included, Paulina Chavis, gold in the Girls 13-14 200m Freestyle, JP Giglio, gold in the Boys 13-14 200m Breaststroke, Bella Answeeney, gold in the Girls 15-18 100m Butterfly and NE-NE relay team of David Del-Rio, Henry Lease, Jeremy Cheng and Brian Hixson, gold in the Boys 15-18 400m Medley Relay and new national record of 4:08.94.
A full list of results can be here: https://image.aausports.org/sports/JO_Games/2021/ScheduleResults/SW/allresults.pdf
 
Taekwondo had two days of competition. The first being filled with Individual Traditional Forms, Team Forms, Creative Forms, Creative Musical Forms, Padded Weapons Sparring, Weapons Forms & Self Defense. Day Two consisted of Demo Team Open Board Breaking, Jump/Flying Board Breaking, Speed Board Breaking/Power Hand Breaking & Power Foot Breaking. Roughly, 300 athletes competed for the title this year. Team Trials for the 2021-2022 AAU Taekwondo National Teams were also awarded. Congratulations to all participants.  
A full list of results can be here: https://www.facebook.com/AAUTaekwondo
 
Track and Field was once again the largest event at the AAU Junior Olympic Games. 12,345 participants took to the oval over eight days of competition. Thirty-three (33) records were smashed this year, well and above the only five records broke in 2020. Outstanding performances in track and field were Ariel Pedigo, from Baton Rouge, LA, won 17-18 Years Old Girls’ High Jump (5-7), Javelin (143-5) and Heptathlon (5493) National Record; Brock Lewis, from Boerne, TX, won the 17-18 Years Old Boys’ Decathlon (6767); Jackson Cantwell, from Columbia, MO, won the 13 Years Old Boys’ Shot Put (57-11) and Discus (177-6) (Both were National Records); Brielle Hudson, from Cornwall, NY, won 9 Years Old Girls’ Triathlon (1134) National Record, Javelin (86-9) National Record, High Jump (4-3.25) and Shot Put (27-8.5); Omar Thomas, from Pompano Beach, FL, won the 10 Years Old Boys’ 400m (55.74) National Record, 200m (25.44) and 2nd in 4x100m Relay; Kaila Jackson, from Detroit, MI, won the 17-18 Years Old Girls’ 100m (11.51), 200m (23.34) and 400m (44.79).
A full list of results can be here: https://www.aauresults.org/jogames/re_jogames_dnk.php?s=207&lkid=&y=2021
 
Trampoline and Tumbling hosted more than 230 athletes in three days of competition. Athletes had either tumbling passes or trampoline routines. Some of the standouts included, Autumn Cortesi with a gold medal in the SM Intermediate Girls 13-15 year olds division, Lexalynn Tavey with a gold medal in the TRAMP Sub Advance Girls 7-10 year olds and Landon Lewis with the gold in the Tumbling Boys Beginner 5-7 year olds.
A full list of results can be here: https://www.aauresults.org/jogames/re_jogames_dnk.php?s=51&lkid=&y=2021
 
Full list of results for each sport:
Baton Twirling
Field Hockey
Jump Rope
Karate
Pickleball
Sport Stacking
Swimming
Taekwondo
Track and Field/Multis
Trampoline & Tumbling
 
Congratulations to all participants in this year’s AAU Junior Olympic Games and a big thanks our partners the Houston Sports Authority for a fantastic event. Next year the 56th edition of the Games will take place in Greensboro, North Carolina on July 27 - August 6, 2022.