North Carolina athletes opened the week with several notable performances Monday at the AAU Junior Olympic Games. Kyleigh Bryant led the way with a runner-up finish in the 11-year-old girls 3,000, clocking 10:42.63 for Charlotte Panthers Track, while athletes from across the state competed in distance races, hurdles, sprints and field events. Here are the top North Carolina performances from Aug. 3.
Boys
Jonas Haygood - 17-18 200, 21.55
Haygood delivered North Carolina's best boys performance Monday, posting the second-fastest time in the 17-18 200-meter preliminaries. The Run U Xpress athlete won his heat in 21.55 despite running into a 1.4 meters-per-second headwind.
Kaiden Curtis - 15-16 200, 22.27
Curtis placed 13th overall in the 15-16 boys 200 preliminaries for Run U Xpress. His 22.27 came into a strong 3.5 meters-per-second headwind, and he won his heat to advance from the opening round.
Stephen Carter - 15-16 200, 22.74
Carter gave Run U Xpress another solid performance in the 15-16 boys 200. He finished 34th overall in 22.74 while racing into a 0.7 meters-per-second headwind.
Hudson Chiu - 13-year-old 200, 25.86
Chiu represented High Point Blaze in the 13-year-old boys 200 preliminaries, clocking 25.86. He competed into a 2.6 meters-per-second headwind and placed 45th in the national field.
Avery Matthews - 10-year-old 200, 28.68
Matthews finished 31st nationally in the 10-year-old boys 200 for Run U Xpress. His 28.68 performance came into the strongest headwind of his competition section at 3.5 meters per second.
Girls
Kyleigh Bryant - 11-year-old 3,000, 10:42.63
Bryant earned North Carolina's highest finish Monday, placing second nationally in the 11-year-old girls 3,000. The Charlotte Panthers Track runner finished in 10:42.63, less than four seconds behind champion Avari Dunbar.
Cassidee Fraser - 17-18 200, 24.18
Fraser recorded the fourth-fastest time in the 17-18 girls 200 preliminaries for Run U Xpress. Her 24.18 came into a significant 2.9 meters-per-second headwind, and she won her heat to move forward.
Ndanu Pope - 15-16 800, 2:16.25
Pope qualified fifth overall in the 15-16 girls 800 preliminaries. The High Point Blaze runner won her heat in 2:16.25 and finished less than three seconds behind the overall leader.
Annabelle Hanson - 15-16 800, 2:23.07
Hanson finished 24th overall in the 15-16 girls 800 for High Point Blaze. The North Carolina runner crossed in 2:23.07, adding another solid middle-distance performance for the club.
Leae Eugene - 15-16 800, 2:28.72
Eugene represented Run U Xpress in the 15-16 girls 800 preliminaries, finishing in 2:28.72. She placed 41st overall in the deep national field.