Gloucester High School rising junior Joshua Shackelford won the 3,000 meter race at the 2017 AAU Junior Olympics at Eastern Michigan University in Ypsilanti, on Saturday. 

Shackelford had come off a stress fracture sustained during the high school spring season. At the Junior Olympics, he was ranked 13th in the last and fastest section of the boys’ (17-18) 3,000 meter race. 

Shackelford saw all of his training pay off by winning the 3,000 and becoming the national champion and an All-American with a new personal record of 8:58.46. He competed as a member of the Gloucester Youth TFXC Club. 

This was the second national champion for Gloucester this year with Aaron Shipe winning the 800 meter championship during indoor track season. 

In the past, Emily Webb in the 3,000 meter and Trey Bradley in the 1,500 meter were also crowned national champions and All-Americans from Gloucester youth summer programs. Eight GYTFXC Club members competed in the Junior Olympic...