U.S. Olympians to Sign Autographs at AAU Cross Country National Championships

Knoxville, Tenn. – Two U.S. Olympians will be signing autographs and meeting athletes at the AAU Cross Country National Championships, which will take place Saturday, December 3 at Victor Ashe Park in Knoxville, Tennessee.


Jose “Tony” Parrilla competed in the 800m at the 1992 Barcelona Olympic Games and 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games. He also won four NCAA titles in the 800m while at the University of Tennessee, winning three consecutive outdoor championships in 1992, 1993, and 1994, and also winning the indoor championship in 1994. In addition to signing autographs, Parrilla will be an official at the event.

“This has been a really big family for me,” Parrilla said. “AAU is a great organization that starts at the grassroots and can take you all the way up to the highest levels. And I thank AAU for everything they have done for me.”


LaMont Smith won a gold medal with the 4x400 relay at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. In his youth, he competed in four AAU Junior Olympic Games and won nine state championships while at Willingboro High School in New Jersey. While at Blinn College in Texas, Smith became a four-time NJCAA national champion, winning the title in the 4x400 relay twice, as well as indoor and outdoor 400m titles.

"AAU is really what motivated me into being the athlete I am. When I think about AAU, it makes me think about my journey of how I got to the Olympics. AAU played a major part in it,” Smith said.

Around 2,000 athletes compete at the AAU Cross Country National Championships each year. The event is hosted by the Amateur Athletic Union in conjunction with the Visit Knoxville Sports Commission. This is the fourth time Knoxville has hosted the event.

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