Two athletes in the Roanoke Valley are getting special recognition.
On Wednesday (Oct. 19), the Virginia Commonwealth games announced the 2022 Athletes of the Year and two people in our area were nominated, including:
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- Micah Jones, of Roanoke - Youth - Male Athlete of the Year
- Jacob Jackson, of Vinton - Adult - Male Athlete of the Year
According to a press release, Jones is a familiar face in the games and has competed for many years, earning several medals in Track & Field.
According to his nomination, “Micah has challenged himself both academically and athletically. Micah is very determined to be the best version of himself in all facets of his life. While maintaining a tough academic schedule, Micah has still been able to succeed in Track & Field winning a National Championship, 4 individual state championships, and multiple district & regional honors. Still with all his accolades both academically and athletically, Micah has continued to remain down to earth and personable… He is an amazing young person and it has been a privilege to see him grow up and blossom into the person he is becoming.”
Jackson has had a love for bowling since he was just 8 years old and earned a gold medal for the sport in the 2022 Games. He hopes to inspire other youth bowlers and enjoys helping them with their games and drilling balls in the pro shop at Vinton Bowling Center.
According to his nomination, at the Games this year, “Jacob bowled 5 games of qualifying and averaged 225 per game then came back the second day and bowled 4 more games. After nine games of bowling he was in first place and averaged 232 for the 9 games.”
Here’s a look at other athletes selected outside of our coverage area:
- Haylee Moore, of Oakwood - Youth – Female Athlete of the Year
- Michelle Christine, of Leesburg - Adult - Female Athlete of the Year
These athletes will go on to the National Congress of State Games Athletes of the Year to represent Virginia. Winners of the State Games will be announced in late October.