Youth Spotlight

Each month, the USATF Youth Programs department recognizes our youth athletes, coaches, and other contributors throughout the nation.

This month we are highlighting three of our premier Youth athletes from North Carolina: Shawnti and Bershawn Jackson, Jr. and Kayla Davis.

  

Shawnti (15) and BJ (8) are the children of 400m Hurdles Olympian Bershawn “Batman” Jackson and members of the Run U Xpress Track Club founded by their father and mother Shannon Jackson.

On December 19, 2020 at the Galleria Games in the Birmingham, AL Crossplex facility, Shawnti clocked times of 7.39 in the 15-16 Girls 60m dash beating the previous meet record of 7.66 and 55.61 in the 400m dash beating the previous meet record 56.53!

In the same meet, BJ clocked a time of 9.58 in the 8 & Under Boys 60m dash while running blind-folded because his headband fell over his eyes while running! He also clocked an amazing time of 1:07.98 in the 400m dash.

Kayla Davis, also of the Run U Xpress Track Club, claimed the number one best U.S. times in the 17-18 Women’s 200m dash (23.92) and the 400m dash (55.00), breaking the 200m meet record.

USATF Youth showcasing our future!

Bershawn Jackson
Event: 400m Hurdles
DOB: 05/08/1983
Current Residence: Raleigh, North Carolina
Birthplace: Miami, Florida
High School: Miami Central (Miami, Fla.) '02
College: St. Augustine College '06
Sponsor: Nike
Instagram: @irunfast4700
Athlete Profile
 
Nicknamed "Batman," Bershawn Jackson fell victim in 2012 to a loaded American 400m hurdles field that included four of the top eight men in the world in missing the London Olympic Games. In 2010, Jackson turned in one of his better seasons as a professional, winning the inaugural IAAF Diamond League championship, the Visa Outdoor championship and recorded the fastest time in the world. After missing the Olympic Games in 2004, Jackson went on to Beijing where he won the bronze medal, completing an American sweep of the event with teammates Angelo Taylor and Kerron Clement. Jackson's victory at the 2005 World Outdoor Championships was the first for an American in the 400m hurdles at a World Outdoor Championships since Derrick Adkins mined gold at Gothenburg in 1995 (47.98). With fellow American James Carter finishing second, it marked the first time Americans had finished 1-2 in the men’s 400m hurdles since Rome in 1987 when National Track & Field Hall of Famer Edwin Moses won the gold and Danny Harris brought home the silver medal. His 12 worldwide wins in 2005 made him an easy choice for the coveted 400m hurdles world #1 ranking that year from Track & Field News. The 2002 USA Junior champion and World Junior bronze medalist, Jackson planned to be part of the University of South Carolina track powerhouse, but he instead competed on the circuit. In 2004 he joined the St. Augustine’s College track and field roster. While it took him a while to receive his diploma, on May 8, 2010, Jackson became the first in his family to receive a college degree. He has two daughters, Shawnti, who was born May 2, 2005, and Shari, who was born August 3, 2009. He enjoys speaking to youth athletes and is active with USATF’s Run Jump Throw program. Jackson coaches Run U Xpress with both of his daughters a part of the team.

• Five-time USATF Outdoor champion - 2003 (49.01); 2008 (48.17); 2009 (48.03); 2010 (47.32); 2015 (48.29) 

• Two-time USATF Indoor 400m champion - 2005 (46.05); 2010 (45.41) 

• 2011 USATF Outdoor runner-up (47.93) 

• 2013 USATF Outdoor bronze medalist (48.09) 

• 2002 USATF Junior champion (50.33)

International Championships

• 2005 World Outdoor Championships gold medalist (47.30) 

• 2011 World Outdoor 4x400m gold medalist (2:59.31) 

• 2008 Olympic Games bronze medalist (48.06) 

• 2009 World Outdoor Championships bronze medalist (48.23) 

• 2010 World Indoor Championships 4x400m relay gold medalist (3:03.40) 

• 2002 World Junior 400m hurdles bronze medalist (50.00) and 4x400m gold medalist

Awards and Honors

• 2010 IAAF Diamond League champion 

• 2010 Visa Outdoor champion

If you have a Youth Athlete, Youth Coach, or Youth program Contributor that should be recognized in the Youth Spotlight area, please submit information and photos to youthprograms@usatf.org for consideration.