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By Marcia Ra-Akbar
VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — On February 22, the Flying Angels took 23 of their rising stars to the AAU National Indoor Championships, where they went head-to-head with some of the top young track and field athletes in North America. In a meet packed with talent—over 135 heats in the 400m and over 40 heats in the 60m— The Flying Angels didn’t just show up, they made their presence known.
From sprint finals to podium finishes, personal bests to hard-fought battles, Flying Angels athletes delivered standout performances on one of the biggest stages in youth athletics.
The jump squad, led by Paul Johnson made Flying Angels a dominant force on the runway, with multiple top finishes across the age groups. Divine Oriakhi and Jesiah Nias delivered silver medal performances in the 17-18 Triple Jump, asserting themselves among the top in their division. For Jesiah Damptey, who also finished 8th in the 17-18 Long Jump, the performance was as much a test of mental strength as it was physical ability. Competing through discomfort, he relied on the energy around him to push through.
"There was a bit of a strain on my quad, so it was a mental game—just making sure I didn’t think too much about the pain and focused on my jumps," Nias said. "A lot of why I did well was the energy from my supporters—the crowd, the people back home. They wanted me to do good, and all the work we’ve been putting in the last few months just started to show today."
On the track, Hudson Ryan and Zoe Nicholls turned heads, winning both of their heats in both the 60m and 200m and advancing to the finals as top contenders. Ryan finished 7th in the 15-16 Boys 200m and was forced to pull out of the 60m finals after suffering an injury during the 200m. Zoe Nicholls took 6th in the 17-18 Girls 200m and 4th in the 60m finals with a 7.90 time.
In the hurdles, Isaiah Brown and Jackson Baeumler dominated their heats. In the finals, Baeumler crossed the line finishing 5th and Brown’s 2nd place finish impressed everyone who watched him clip the last hurdle, regain and regain his composure to lock in his silver medal.
Head coach Earl Letford was quick to praise his athletes’ performances and their ability to compete at such a high level. "This was a meet that tested us in every way," Letford said. "Some of our athletes reached the podium, others reached the finals, and some learned just how tough it is at this level. But every single one of them walked away better. This is what development looks like, and we’re only going to keep building from here."
For some, this meet wasn’t just about competition—it was about experiencing the pressure and intensity of a national championship for the first time.
Nine-year-old Christina Pudova stepped onto the track for her first international competition and walked away with a fifth-place finish in the 800m and a medal to show for it.
"I had butterflies in my stomach, and my throat felt dry," Pudova admitted. "It was my first time, so I just pushed and pushed, and at least I got fifth. It felt so different from Toronto meets because there were 29 people in my race. But I made friends from the U.S., and I got a medal. I wasn’t expecting that, so I’m really happy."
Her performance was a glimpse into what could be the start of a promising career, and she left Virginia Beach with a clear goal in mind. "I can get faster, I can get better times. My goal for the next meet is to get first, second, or third—and get a PB."
For Mackenzie Hardjana, the experience was just as rewarding—though not just for the competition.
"The best part? When my parents caved and bought me the souvenir with my name on it because I got a medal." As the final races were run and the last jumps were measured, one thing was clear—Flying Angels is here to stay. For some, this weekend brought medals. For others, it brought valuable lessons. But for everyone, it was a step forward. "We came here to compete, and we did exactly that," Letford said. "Now, we take what we learned, get back to work, and come back even stronger. This is just the beginning."
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