Oakdale High School hosted the United States Amateur Athletic Union’s Region 22 National Qualifier Track and Field Meet June 13 through 16, with nearly 600 young athletes competing to qualify for the AAU National Track and Field Meet. That event is scheduled July 28 through Aug. 4 on the campus of Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa. Athletes from the ages of eight to 18 participated in the qualifier.

A trio of Oakdale High School athletes earned gold medals and secured their spot in Iowa. Kayden Legan, Dean Dodge and Jessica Jericoff all took first place in the fierce competition.

Legan earned a gold medal in the 15-16 year-old 3000 meter run in under 12 minutes. She ran the race in 11:19.27, 47 seconds faster than the second place runner. Dodge won the 15-16 year-old boys pole vault event with a height of 9-0 and Jericoff defeated four other competitors in the 15-16 year-old discus throw with a heave of 108-8.

The next major event for AAU will be the AAU West Coast National Track and Field Championship. This will take place at Reed High School in Sparks, Nevada beginning June 28 and running through July 1.