In 2016, Jonathan Simms made the trek from his Dallas area home to Houston for the AAU Junior Olympic Games.
It was a short and sweet trip, but he made it count big time! Simms would end up winning three national titles and go on to set the 9 year old 400m AAU Junior Olympic record with a 59.41 and the 800m record with a 2:19.43.
Last year, he was back at it doing he same thing. He repeated the three peat by winning all three events once again. He just missed setting another 400m national record as he ran 59.00, narrowly off the 58.91 mark set by Tyler Mapson Jr. in 2013.
Nevertheless, Simms would get another national record in 2017 as he scorched the Eastern Michigan University track in 2:16.44 in the 800m obliterating Brandon Miller's 2:18.52 age group record by over two seconds.
While it is no longer surprising, Simms' run for three national titles is still just as impressive and it looks like he is going for it again.
As he gets older, taller, and stronger, it is just as important for him to get faster -- and that, he is doing.
This weekend, at Abilene Christian University, Abilene, TX, Simms dazzled the crowd as usual with his performances in the three events. He ran PRs in all three events and looked as prepared for the AAU Junior Olympic national meet as ever.
| 2017 Times | 2018 Times | Improvement | |
| 200m | 26.28 | 25.62 | -0.66 |
| 400m | 58.76 | 55.2 | -3.56 |
| 800m | 2:16.44 | 2:12.43 | -4.11 |
Simms rolled with winning times of 200m - 25.62, 400m - 55.20, 800m - 2:12.43. His 200m performance is a second behind the AAU Junior Olympic national record. However, his 800m time is only a half second behind and his 400m time is already almost half a second faster than the current 400m record of 55.83.
The only event, that Simms has yet to break a national record just might be the key event. His 400m and 800m will continue to get faster if his 200m improves. And it does (See 200m performance graph below).
