Green Country Athletes Headed To USA Olympic National Championships This Week

Many Green Country athletes are headed to Lawrence, Kansas for the USA track Olympic National Championships this week. 

A club in Jenks has many standouts with a chance to win a title. 

From as young as six, the Jenks America Track Club has produced national championship level athletes. 

"These kids had to reach Top 5 in their region. It's a big achievement for them, one to work so hard during the summer and to compete against those kids from the other state and to do that well," said track coach Mike Barber. 

This week, many of them will head to Lawrence with a legit shot at a national title. All the hard work under the hot sun is paying off. 

"Patience, working hard every day, coming out here almost every single night, just putting in the work. It's been great," said Drake Ellen. 

And the young ones are already veterans at competing at the national level.

"I did this last year, but I'm pretty excited. My friends give me confidence before I run," said 9-year-old Zion Rush. 

"Try your hardest. Don't quit. Never give up and keep on going," said 12-year-old Jayden Johnson. 

Caleb Peterson added, "God's given me a really good talent and I'm using my talent to move my way to nationals and try to win it." 

And distance runners like Kate Barber, who won a national championship last year in the 1500 meter run. 

"You have to take your time but you can't run really slow the first lap. You have to pace yourself and on the last lap, you have to go really fast," said Kate Barber. 

This week, it's seeing the hard work come to fruition to peak at the right time. 

"It's so exciting seeing the kids reach a goal and then potentially reach it. This young group is as hard working as I've ever seen and they're reaping the rewards for that," said Mike Barber.