CHARLES COUNTY, Md. — When Charles County resident Alijah Wallace first stepped onto the track with Southern Maryland’s XCELERATION Track Club, competing on a national stage was not part of the plan.
The 10-year-old Grace Christian School student simply wanted to become faster for football and wrestling.
Less than a year later, Wallace is representing Maryland at the 2026 AAU Junior Olympic Games in Des Moines, Iowa, where he is competing in the 800-meter run, 4×400-meter relay and 4×800-meter relay.
The games run July 27 through Aug. 8, with track and field competition scheduled from Aug. 3-8 at Drake Stadium on the campus of Drake University.
“I was really just trying to get faster,” Wallace told The BayNet. “It was for that and to give my energy up, so I have good stamina.”
That simple goal quickly developed into an opportunity to compete among some of the top youth athletes in the country.
Building a Foundation Across Multiple Sports
Wallace’s path to the national stage has been shaped by years of competing in multiple sports. He began playing soccer at 18 months old before eventually adding football, wrestling, basketball and track.
His grandmother, Pam Coleman, said Wallace’s success is the result of years of commitment, discipline and support from those around him.
“It’s just been an accumulation of years — diligence, dedication and determination,” Coleman said. “He’s very serious about everything he does.”
That dedication has helped Wallace transition quickly between sports. Wrestling became one of his biggest passions, and during only his second season, he won state championships while competing against older and more experienced opponents.
“He grew up playing soccer,” Coleman said. “He just transitioned into these other sports in the last two or three years.”
Finding Speed On the Track
Track became his newest challenge, but Wallace quickly found success.
The 800-meter run became his favorite event because it combines endurance and speed.
“Because while other people are getting tired on the second lap, I’m getting faster,” Wallace said.
During his first track season, Wallace improved his 800-meter time by about 10 seconds from his opening meet while also becoming a key contributor in relay events.
His performances earned him a qualifying spot at the AAU Junior Olympic Games. Wallace originally qualified in four events but selected three because athletes younger than 13 are limited in the number of events in which they can compete.
“It felt great,” Wallace said. “I wasn’t really sure that I was going to make it, but I did.”
For Coleman, receiving the news was a special moment.
“I was shocked,” Coleman told The BayNet. “They said he qualified in four events, but because he’s under 13, they can only go for a maximum of three events. I was really shocked and super proud.”
Part of a Growing Southern Maryland Program
Wallace is one of 28 athletes from Southern Maryland’s XCELERATION Track Club who qualified for this year’s AAU Junior Olympic Games.
Coleman said learning about the number of athletes from the program reaching the national stage was surprising.
“I honestly cannot believe that this has not been out in the public,” Coleman told The BayNet. “These kids are in our backyards going to the Junior Olympics, which is a national event.”
She later learned the club has consistently sent athletes to the national competition, making XCELERATION one of Southern Maryland’s growing youth athletic programs.
Although track has provided Wallace with a new opportunity, wrestling remains his favorite sport.
“If I could only pick one out of everything I have done, it would be wrestling,” Wallace said.
Coleman said one of Wallace’s biggest strengths is that he is constantly looking for ways to improve.
“For as amazing as he is, he doesn’t see it,” Coleman said. “It’s not good enough. He didn’t run fast enough. He doesn’t see what I see.”
Beyond athletics, Coleman said she is proud of the person Wallace continues to become.
“He’s very generous and conscious of other people and their feelings,” Coleman said. “If he has the last piece of candy or the last piece of his bagel, he’ll ask if someone else wants it. He always wants to help.”
As Wallace competes against athletes from across the country, his mindset remains simple.
“Just run harder,” Wallace said. “Put more effort in.”
The 2026 AAU Junior Olympic Games are bringing together thousands of young athletes from across the United States in Des Moines. Wallace is competing in the 800-meter run, 4×400-meter relay and 4×800-meter relay at Drake Stadium while representing Charles County, Grace Christian School and Southern Maryland’s XCELERATION Track Club.
For an athlete who started track with the goal of becoming faster for football and wrestling, the chance to compete on one of the nation’s biggest youth track and field stages represents a remarkable first season.
Now, Wallace will look to continue building on a journey that started with one simple goal — getting a little faster.
Keep up to date with his results at athletic.net.
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