Clinton finishes fast on the national stage
Special to The Clinton Courier
When they left Clinton, they were billed as “The Fastest 7th Grade Girl and Boy in Mississippi.” When they left Drake Stadium on Saturday, August 8, Clinton Junior High School and Trust The Process Track Club’s Zandon Perkins and Paris Fortenberry were officially among the fastest in the nation.
The two Class of 2031 Clinton sprinters represented Mississippi at the 2026 AAU Track and Field Junior Olympic Games, held July 31 to August 8 at Drake University, and both battled through six days of prelims, semis and finals to reach the national stage.
Perkins earns All-American honors
For 13-year-old Zandon Perkins, the meet was about execution under pressure. He opened Tuesday in the Boys 14-year-old age group 100-meter dash with a statement, finishing seconnd in Heat 5 of 11 in 11.28 (+2.2 wind) to automatically advance.
Two days later, Perkins returned for the semifinals with another electric second place finish and clocked 11.55Q (-0.9 wind) in Heat 2, punching his ticket to the national finals for the first time in his young track career.
In the final on Saturday, Perkins lined up against the top eight 14-year-olds in the country and crossed in 11.58 (-1.6 wind) in eighth place overall, earning All-American status and his first Junior Olympic medal. He also showed his range in the 200, winning his preliminary heat earlier in the week in 23.66 to advance before his coach opted to save his legs for the 100 final due to calf issues.
Fortenberry blazes to national final
On the girls side, 13-year-old Paris Fortenberry proved just as dangerous in only her first year running track. Fortenberry won her opening heat of the Girls 13U 100-meter dash, stopping the clock at 12.33 (2.0 wind) at the line — a mark celebrated back home as one of the fastest ever for any Clinton Junior High girl athlete in school history — and moved on.
In the semifinals, she ran 12.54 (-0.8 wind) to qualify for the national final, where she finished fifth in the nation crossing the finish line at 12.34 (0.5 wind), earning All-American status and her first Junior Olympic medal. She doubled up in the 200-meter dash, taking second in her preliminary heat with a time of 25.97 (-2.4 wind) to advance to the semifinals, where she ran 25.17 (0.3 wind). She then capped off the two-event national run with a final finish of fifth place clocking in at 25.49 (1.4 wind), boosting her to a second All-American honor.
“Zandon and Paris were fun to watch this week as they competed and supported each other through every race. Mississippi, watch out for these two Class of 2031 sprinters,” said Johnathan Perkins, who serves as the Trust The Process Track Club and Clinton Track and Field Programs Head Coach.
Other Trust The Process Track Club athletes competing included:
• Alohan Ekunwe of Clinton, who ran 52.76 in the 15-16-year-old Boys 400m Dash
• Kristian Chambliss of Gulfport, who jumped 21’4.25″ in the 17-18-year-old Boys Long Jump and 43’7.75″ in Triple Jump
• Emily Fortenberry of Clinton, who ran 1:02.46 in the 15-16-year-old Girls 400m Dash
• Morgan Milton of Clinton, who ran 16.34 in the 15-16-year-old Girls 100m Hurdles
• Kamiah Mounger of Clinton, who ran 57.92 in the 17-18 year old Girls 400m Dash
• Jurnee Nash of Clinton, who threw 30’4.75″ (4kg) in the 15-16-year-old Girls Shot Put and 100’10” (1kg) in Discus, and
• Makenzie Perry of Clinton, who threw 34’6.25″ (6lbs) in the 14-year-old Girls Shot Put and 99’11″(1kg) in Discus.
