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In the Fourth Update of the MileSplit Class of 2024's Top 50 Boys Recruits, Irondale senior Juriad Hughes Jr. cracked the top 50 again, this time ranking #29 overall going into the indoor track and field season.
Hughes Jr. is one of the premier long jumpers not only in Minnesota or nationally, but one of the top under-20 jumpers worldwide. This past outdoor track and field season, Hughes placed second at the USATF U20 Championships in the long jump, 1st at Nike Nationals Outdoor, 1st at Nike Nationals Indoor and 1st at the Pan American U20 Championships.
Before going to nationals and international meets, Hughes Jr. bulldozed his way through the competition in Minnesota, winning 11 long jump titles across the indoor and outdoor seasons in Minnesota and the surrounding areas.
During those 11 wins, he demolished both the indoor and outdoor records in Minnesota for the long jump with jumps of 24' 11".
Juriad Hughes Jr. 2023 Prominent Results
| Date | Meet | Mark | Place |
| 8/5 | Pan American U20 Championships | 24' 11.5" | 1st |
| 7/7 | USATF U20 Championships | 24' 10.75" | 2nd |
| 6/15 | Nike Nationals Outdoor | 24' 8.75" | 1st |
| 6/8 | MSHSL State Track and Field Championships | 24' 10.75" | 1st |
| 4/28 | Hamline Elite Meet | 22' 5.5" | 1st |
| 3/11 | Nike Nationals Indoor | 24' 11" | 1st |
| 2/18 | MVP Vibe Fest Chicagoland | 24' 0.25" | 1st |
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On top of his track and field accomplishments, Hughes Jr. also will be a part of a new program from the National Scholastic Athletic Foundation (NSAF) in partnership with USA Track & Field and Nike to create an elite athlete development program for some of the country's top prep track and field athletes.
The Nike Elite Program will support 40 high school athletes each year beginning with the 2023-24 school year. Each athlete will work individually with an NSAF support staff member and have contact points with various Nike-sponsored professional athletes.
Participating athletes will also receive Nike apparel and shoes, as well as support in gaining access to Nike Nationals and certain premiere NSAF events including the Millrose Games, Arcadia Invitational, Mt. SAC Invitational, USATF U20 Championships, and Oregon Relays.
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The only question now is, how will he follow up with historic 2023 in 2024?