VIRGINIA BEACH, VA (WTKR)- Hampton Roads has a strong history when it comes to track and field. Names like Grant Holloway, LaShawn Merritt and Francena McCorory hail from the 757 and the next generation of stars is already taking shape.
It was less than three years ago when now-12-year old Jeremiah Rodgers realized his need for speed.
"When I was kind of on the younger side, I was really fast," he recalled.
Autumn Gregory is really fast, too. The 10-year old got interested in running with her mother, who is a track and field coach, and had some other family reasons for gravitating to the sport as well.
"My brother is fast, too, so I just wanted to get fast like him one day," she smiled.
Both of these up-and-coming stars have the fast part down pat. Autumn is a five-time national champion in the 100, 200 and 400 meter dashes. Jeremiah has three national titles on his resume and set the national record in the long jump for his age group at 17'5".
"It's just really cool," Jeremiah said of the record. "I can't even put it into words."
"I just do it because God is always with me when I run," added Autumn. "I just love doing it."
The two young stars compete for the Virginia Beach Flames, fitting seeing how they burn the competition on a regular basis. Team head coach and president Nicholas Mayers enjoys feeling the heat.
"Hard work, hard effort and they try very, very hard," he said of his two standouts. "I tell a lot of the kids that are in the program and stuff 'they lead by example so try and follow some of things that they do and you may have that same success.'"
That success is catching plenty of eyes and turning plenty of heads. Jeremiah, a sixth-grader at Norfolk Academy, is an 11-time All-American in the long jump and sprinting events. He's run the 60-meter dash in 7.9 seconds, the 100-meters in 12.75 seconds and the 200-meters in 26.32 seconds
Autumn, who is in fourth grade at Grassfield Elementary School in Chesapeake, has 14 All-American honors to her name. Her 60-meter time is 8.4 seconds, she's run the 100-meters in 13.5 seconds, the 200-meters in 27.51 seconds and the 400-meters in 1:05.
"Keep trying your best and never give up, whatever people say," she said of her mindset and advice to others. "If they just try to get in your head, don't pay them no mind. Just keep doing what you've got to do."
"I just know every time I come to practice, every time I do anything, I try to get better and improve my times, improve my jumps," Jeremiah noted of his attitude.
Autumn has her eyes on following in the footsteps of her track and field idol, Brianna Selby, who is a national champion and senior at Indian River High School. Selby will compete for the University of Southern California next season. Meanwhile, Jeremiah may only be in sixth grade, but he's already hopeful that he can turn track and field into a college opportunity. Both are shining bright in the sport, with brighter futures coming well before their respective finish lines.
"My goals are to become famous one day," Autumn noted. "My idol is to become Brianna one day."
"I'm hoping I can get a scholarship with it, don't have to pay for college," said Jeremiah. "I hope that will take it very far."
Their head coach thinks they can accomplish those goals and beyond.
"They're touching the surface right now, so I really think there's an opportunity for them," Mayers pointed out. "If they actually want to continue with track in high school, college, possibly Olympic Trials and so on, I really believe that with these two guys right here for sure."
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