Jackson Ivers

The Republic-Times Athlete of the Week is recent Waterloo High School graduate Jackson Ivers, who won the gold medal in the discus and took bronze in the hammer throw at the USATF Junior Olympics Region 9 competition this past weekend in Little Rock, Ark.

Ivers advanced to the Junior Olympics Championships taking place in North Carolina later this month. Ivers qualified for the discus by winning the USATF Ozark Association Championships at Belleville West High School on June 16. He did not have to qualify in the hammer throw at Belleville.

Ivers, who will attend Wichita State University this fall for an aerospace engineering degree, has not yet decided if he will participate in college track. While at WHS, he placed eighth in the discus at the IHSA Class 2A state track meet. He also starred in football and basketball at WHS and earned IHSA All-State Academic Honorable Mention recognition. (submitted photo)