Freshman track runner Rikita Saunders has made it her goal to compete at the 2016 Olympics. Saunders has been working in the Amateur Athletic Union, (AAU) for two years. The AAU consists of professional athletes who help teenagers prepare for the Olympics.

On April 22, she took part in a record-breaking relay at Washington High School for West. It was her track team’s first record broken. Collectively, the team all achieved a time of 13:13, shattering the previous record of 13:26. Saunders attributes her success to the AAU.

“It feels really good to break that record because I want to put my name out there and I want to make it to State this year. I also want to go to the 2016 Olympics and hopefully I’ll get a scholarship,” Saunders said.

The AAU allows aspiring athletes to compete in outdoor and indoor events such as the 100, 200 and 400-meter races year-round.

“I can travel anywhere for AAU. For indoor, I went to Arkansas. In the summer we’re going to Florida and Detroit,” Saunders said.

Her team of 12 trains three days a week at Hazelwood Central with two coaches assisting them.

“I like how AAU is very competitive and you get to experience who’s really fast around the world. The indoor and outdoor are very different, because with outdoor you run against people in the same age group, like 13 through 16. With indoor, you run against all the people in high school, so I get nervous,” Saunders said.

Currently, Saunders is not partaking in the AAU because of her commitment to the high school track team, but she practices at home on a treadmill. To qualify for the 2016 Olympics, Saunders must qualify in the AAU Junior Olympic Games, which are held in July. She hopes to compete in the 400-meter race.

“Rikita is a talented athlete. She definitely sets goals for herself, which is great. You always want kids to do that. She’s a good model for younger kids. It’s nice to see that she has goals and she’s hard working, and she’s only a freshman, so I’m pretty pleased with her,” track coach Nancy Sachtleben said.