Oscar Smith is no stranger to hurdle greatness or winning national titles and nor is Shakayla Lavender a thirteen year old headed there in 2021. This past weekend Lavender won two national titles down in Florida at the AAU Junior Olympic Games.
Shakayla Lavender's Athlete Profile
First up, in the pouring rain was the 200mH. In that race Lavender clocked a 28.16 to win the event by over two full seconds. That type of margin of victory is unheard of, especially in pour racing conditions.
Just a few days later she followed it up with a 14.69 in the 100mH. That type was wind-legal and just shy of the national record of 14.42.
Shakayla just finished her 7th grade year and will be rising to the 8th grade this upcoming 2020-21 school year. That means we can expect a potential new hurdle queen starting in 2021. Interestingly enough that is exactly when 400mH and 100mH stars Michaela Rose and Na'Taja Ballard graduate.
Of course we would have loved to see them battle in the high school ranks but it is at least some good news from our current state of affairs to know VA's top level hurdle talent isn't going anywhere.
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