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July 17, 2008 issue

Local 11-Year-Old Runner Qualifies For 2008 AAU Junior Olympics Nationals


Story by Sam CalhounTJ Poulos, an 11-year-old Boone native and rising 6th grader at Valle Crucis Elementary, is the only local youth runner to qualify for the 2008 AAU Junior Olympics Nationals, scheduled from July 23 to August 2 in Detroit, Mich. Amazingly, Poulos started running in April, moving up the ranks to the top of his sport in just four track meets. Photo courtesy of Debbie Poulos

“I didn’t know I’d be that good,” said TJ Poulos speaking about his breakthrough performance at last weekend’s 2008 AAU Junior Olympics Nationals Regional Qualifier in Knoxville, Tenn.

Poulos, an 11-year-old Boone native and rising 6th grader at Valle Crucis Elementary, gave a surprise performance at the regional qualifier on Saturday, July 12, when he won the boys 3000-meter run, took second place in the boys 1500-meter run and finished sixth in the boys 800-meter run. Because Poulos finished in the top four in both the 3000-meter run and 1500-meter run, he qualified to compete at the 2008 AAU Junior Olympics Nationals, scheduled from July 23 to August 2 in Detroit, Mich. Poulos will run his events at nationals on Monday, July 28, and on Tuesday, July 29.

TJ Poulos, an 11-year-old Boone native and rising 6th grader at Valle Crucis Elementary, is the only local youth runner to qualify for the 2008 AAU Junior Olympics Nationals, scheduled from July 23 to August 2 in Detroit, Mich. Amazingly, Poulos started running in April, moving up the ranks to the top of his sport in just four track meets. Photo courtesy of Debbie Poulos Poulos’s performance can be characterized as “breakthrough” because he only started running in April. Over the past four months, Poulos—with the help of his mother/coach Debbie Poulos and coach Don Wood—trained and competed in four track meets. He is the only local qualifier in running for the 2008 AAU Junior Olympics Nationals.

“It’s amazing. It happened so fast and now I can’t even get a hotel room in Detroit,” said Debbie Poulos. “It’s all been great. I grew up doing AAU, so I know the ins and outs and about the competition. But I never expected this to happen.”

AAU stands for the Amateur Athletic Union and is an American-based organization dedicated to the promotion and development of amateur sports. The AAU running team in Watauga County is called Tailwind. Poulos runs for Tailwind in the AAU Midget division.

In April, Poulos decided that he didn’t want to play baseball during the summer, so his mother suggested he try running. Having watched his mother run and his brother compete in The Bear, Poulos took up the sport. After doing well in two track meets, Poulos finished first out of all North Carolina Midget division runners in the Region 3A AAU Qualifiers on June 28, advancing him to the 2008 AAU Junior Olympics Nationals Regional Qualifier in Knoxville, Tenn. where he qualified for the 2008 AAU Junior Olympics Nationals.

Poulos must finish in the top eight at the 2008 AAU Junior Olympics Nationals to receive a medal.

“I like running,” added Poulos. “Yeah, I’m definitely going to do this again next year.”


Can You Beat Poulos?


Eleven-year-old Boone native TJ Poulos qualified for the 2008 AAU Junior Olympics Nationals last weekend, posting some of the fastest times for his age group in the Southeast. Can you beat Poulos?
Boys 3000-Meter Run—11:18.05
Boys 1500-Meter Run—5:16.70
Boys 800-Meter Run—2:43.34