On the far left, Jesslyn Bush (’31) runs in an event during this year’s Amateur Athletic Association Junior Olympic Games in Houston, Texas. Bush has been running since she was eight years old and said she hopes that she can further her track journey in and outside of school. (Photo courtesy of Jesslyn Bush)

As the first gunshot went off, runners sprinted off in a track and field event on a hot summer day in Houston, Texas July 20. Amongst these runners was Jesslyn Bush (‘31), competing in this year’s AAU Junior Olympic Games from July 20-24. She qualified for a mixture of relay and individual events before the games that she competed in.

Bush said that participating in the Junior Olympics helped her grow as a runner and learn perseverance outside of track. Bush previously competed with the LA Jets before moving to the West Coast Elite club this year. 

The Oracle sat down with Bush to discuss her future as a runner and her goals as she progresses.

How did going to the Junior Olympics help and challenge you as a runner?

[JB]: The Junior Olympics [helped] me because now I have more experience in doing school sports. If I want to do a sport [at Archer], they will know that I have done Junior Olympics and I have experience. It was pretty challenging for me because we had to travel a lot, and I had to get acclimated to the weather, especially the heat. It was also really competitive because the other teams [from California] that were there are really competitive, but overall, it was a good experience.

When did you start track and why? 

[JB]: I started track when I was 8 years old in 2020, and my parents wanted me to try out a sport. My dad thought track was a really good sport for me, and the more I did it, the more I fell in love with it. 

What does your practice schedule look like during the week?

[JB]: My practice schedule is usually pretty busy. I have practice on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays. On Thursdays, I usually have a track meet or an event. On Sundays, my dad and I run six miles for my endurance and pacing. 

What is the most challenging part of doing track?

[JB]: The most challenging part would probably be the mentality and trying not to break down in the middle of a race. The more you do [track], the more you feel some pressure and get a little bit more competitive. For me, I’m harder on myself when I do badly in a race, so it’s really just trying not to be too hard on myself. I have to remind myself that every practice is to get one percent better 

What are your future goals for your track career?

[JB]: Definitely to run 59 [seconds] in my 400 meter-race. It’s something that I have been trying to accomplish in my years of running, and I think I can do it this year.

What was a highlight from the Junior Olympics?

[JB]: I’m able to hang out with my friends, and we get to go out and see places that we’ve never seen before. I loved just spending time with my teammates and my coaches, it’s really just like a sisterhood within my team. Being able to run with them and being able to be on the podium sometimes was nice. We all just felt like family.

What do you look forward to the most? 

[JB]: I’m really looking forward to meeting new people along my journey. I’m excited to do new things [and] travel to new places. The one thing that I love is that wherever I go, I will be able to meet new people who also have the same interests and goals as I do. I really do love track.