Catching Up with Bellevue’s Jaiya Patillo, The Fastest Girl Around

Last year we interviewed and introduced Jaiya Patillo to the Bellevue community. Simply put, she’s a runner – but one of the best in the country, and she has the times, the medals, and the records to prove it.

The 4-Time National Champ and 14-Time Junior Olympian is just 14 years old and still in middle school. Despite that she makes history at nearly every college track meet she participates in. In fact, she placed second only -once- this year, in a field of 54 college athletes during her first indoor race.

Check out a small sampling of Patillo’s achievements over the last year:

• 2022 Nike Outdoor Nationals in Eugene, Oregon – June 16, 2022.  National Champion/Gold Medalist for Middle School Girls 400 Meter with a time of 56.13 secs.  Patillo was thirteen years old and the youngest competitor.
• 2022 USATF Junior Olympic Outdoor Nationals in Sacramento, California – July 28, 2022, 13 years old.  National Champion/Gold Medalist for Under 15 Girls 400 Meter with a time of 56.05 secs. 
• College Meet (Indoor):  Crimson and Gold Invitational in Pittsburg, Kansas – January 28, 2023, 14 years old.  Runner-up in the 400 Meter with a time of 56.38 secs.
• High School Meet (Indoor):  Concordia University Nebraska in Seward, Nebraska – February 12, 2023, 14 years old. 1st Place and New Meet Record in the 400 Meter with a time of 57.75 secs.
• College Meet (Indoor):  South Dakota State University Last Chance Meet in Brookings, South Dakota – February 18, 2023, 14 years old. 1st Place and New Meet Record in the 400 Meter with a time of 56.13 secs.
• High School Meet (Indoor):  Northwest Missouri State University in Maryville, Missouri – March 4, 2023, 14 years old. 1st Place and New Meet Record in the 400 Meter with a time of 55.99 secs.  I was 14 years old.
• 2023 Adidas Indoor Nationals in Virginia Beach, Virginia – March 18, 2023, 14 years old.  National Champion/Gold Medalist in 400 Meter with a time 56.07 secs.
• College Meet (Outdoor):  The Jim Duncan Invitational in Des Moines, Iowa – April 14, 2023, 14 years old. 1st place in the 400 Meter with a time of 54.96 secs. Patillo won this meet, running into a 25 mph headwind.

We caught up with Jaiya (figuratively, not literally) to see how this past year has been and what she is looking forward to in the future.

Questions & Answers with Jaiya

Q: How old are you and what grade are you in?

A: I am 14 years old and finishing up 8th grade

Q: Last year, you were running 19 mph on the treadmill. Have you attempted 19.5 mph or higher? 

A: For safety and developmental reasons, I have not yet attempted to run above 19 mph. However, due to the ease of reaching 19 mph, I know 20 mph is achievable.

Q: Earlier this year, you met with former Olympic runner and current Bellevue University Assistant Cross Country Coach Jose Luiz Barbosa. Could you share a little bit about how your meeting went?

A: Meeting with Coach Barbosa was such an honor.  He was so nice and shared his very inspirational story!  He also shared his wisdom and gave me very encouraging and motivational words.  It was a memorable moment, and I was so appreciative of him and his time. 

Q: Are the Olympics a goal of yours? If so, will you be working towards trying to qualify for the Paris ’24 Olympics or the Los Angeles ’28 Olympics?

A: Yes, the Olympics is a huge goal for me! I will be working to qualify for both 2024 Olympics and 2028 as well.

Q: Talk about your partnership with Walmart – what is it and how did it get started?

A: I was selected to model for Justice For Kids, and they are in partnership with Walmart. When they learned about my track career, they made me an Ambassador for the brand!

Q: What is the best way for interested people to follow your continued achievements? 

A: They can follow my Instagram @jaiyapatilloofficial and my website jaiyapatillo.net where you can also find my Merchandise Shop.

A Few of Jaiya’s Favorite Things

Favorite Song:  Die For You by The Weeknd and Ariana Grande

Favorite Book:   Ghosts by Raina Telgemeier

Favorite Movie:   Home Alone

Favorite Season:  Summer

Favorite Holiday:  Christmas

Patillo is a very challenging person to keep up with. During last year’s interview (found here), she was running 17.5 MPH on the treadmill when we initially interviewed. So we put that in the story. Right before we published, we heard she broke that record and saw a video of her running 18.5 MPH on the treadmill, so we quickly updated the story to show her new time. The day after the story was published, she shared a video on her Instagram page of her latest treadmill record – 19 MPH! (Video here).

Just like last year, we were getting ready to publish the other day but received some more information from the Patillo family right before we went to publish. Here’s the -very- latest on Patillo from her family:

“Coach Seth Turman, Head Track and Field Coach at Millard West, was able to get Jai registered for the middle school track championships this past weekend.  Although we had a passing in the family and traveled to Texas and Ohio on two weeks travel, Jai became sick with Strep Throat.  She arrived back in Bellevue two days before the Championship Meet in Gothenburg, Nebraska and decided to compete.  She broke the old middle school record which was 57.75 with a time of 56.56, taking the honors of State Champion on May 13, 2023.  Jai also broke the high school record which was set by Claire Nichols back in 2011 with a time of 55.05.  Jai participated against collegiate athletes April 14th at the coveted Jim Duncan Invitational in Des Moines, Iowa and won the entire meet with a time of 54.96.  Being a Nebraska Athlete, she broke Claire’s high school record and again, Jai is in eighth grade.”