BOISE, Idaho — As the Olympic Games continue in Paris, upcoming athletes around the world have their eyes set on a shot at competing on the stage in 2028.
In the Treasure Valley, a pair of standout runners recently took home All-American honors at the 2024 USATF National Junior Olympic Track and Field Championships in College Station, Texas.
KTVB went to witness a practice for Spike Up Athletics, a Nampa-based club that's training local runners to go on to compete in college and beyond.
Surrounded by high-level athletes, Lorenzo Washington saw the demand for a club track team – the first of its kind in Canyon County.
"You know, Nampa has always had great talent," Washington said. "We just kind of wanted to give the kids an opportunity to compete at something outside of their high school or middle school, preparing them mentally and physically for the next level."
Unlike other major club programs, Spike Up Athletics doesn't recruit athletes that are already at the top of their game.
"We don't look for instant gratification," Washington said.
The club will welcome any athlete who's willing to put the work in.
"We train six days a week, just like they're gonna get at the collegiate level," Washington said.
Since starting up five years ago, Spike Up Athletics has helped 14 local runners earn roster spots at college programs. A handful of runners are already doing big things while still in high school.
In late July, a pair of club athletes went to the USA Track and Field National Junior Olympic Championships.
North Star Public Charter School senior Everett Metier faced off with the top 17- and 18-year-old athletes in the country in the 3,000-meter race.
"I was seeded 10th, top eight get to All-American," Metier said. "I was like, 'I'm right there, that can happen.'"
It became clear Metier would do even better than that in the Lone Star State.
"I knew I had fast closing speed with how we train here," Metier said. "With 200 meters to go, I just let it rip."
Showing off that closing speed, Metier ended up finishing in first place, a full second ahead of the frontrunner to cement himself as a national champion.
"It was pretty crazy and I was just so shocked," Metier said. "It was just insane."
That same week, Metier's teammate – Sophia Krzemien – would finish fourth in the women's 2,000-meter steeplechase.
"It was just like a lot of adrenaline and a lot of happiness," Krzemien said. "It's really rewarding. Getting on the line and seeing how many girls are over there and then being able to place fourth, it was a really great feeling."
The feeling is becoming familiar for Krzemien, a former Skyview High School standout and Westminster University commit. She's now been named an All-American in the event three times, building an impressive collection of medals.
One piece of hardware might be the most special – showcasing the site of the U.S. Olympic Team Trials.
"It has Hayward Field on here, which is pretty cool. That is my number one dream," Krzemien said.
She went to see the stadium in person this summer, cementing her dream of one day competing.
"It hyped me up a lot," Krzemien said. "It like sparked something real deep inside me that I really wanted to be there and it was just really cool. It gave me so much confidence."
"She is very strong willed, she's dedicated to her craft and she wants to be the best," Washington said. "So, no doubt in my mind – if we don't see her at the Olympics, we'll definitely see her at the Olympic Trials."