Shadajah Ballard is a 2019 graduate of Western Branch High and is currently attending the University of Kentucky on a Track and Field scholarship.
While at Western Branch High School, Shadajah was a 4-year letterman on the girls indoor and outdoor track team.
As a freshman at the Virginia High School League (VHSL) indoor and outdoor state championship, she captured a gold medal as a member of the 800-meter relay team. Shadajah also won silver medals in the 55-meter, 100 meter, and 200 meter dashes.
As a sophomore at the VHSL indoor state championship she won gold medals in the 55-meter dash and the 800-meter relay. She also captured a silver medal in the 55-meter hurdles. Later that spring at the outdoor state championship Shadajah won a gold medal in the 400-meter relay. She also captured a silver medal in the 100-meter dash and placed 3rd in the 100-meter hurdles.
As a junior Shadajah continued to overpower the field at the VHSL indoor state championship, Shadajah won a gold medal in the 55-meter hurdles. She also captured two silver medals in the 55-meter and 300-meter dashes. That spring at the state outdoor track championship, Shadajah won two gold medals in the 100-meter dash and 100-meter hurdles. She also captured a silver medal in the 200-meter dash.
As a senior, Shadajah had a breakout year. She won three gold medals at the VHSL indoor state championship. That spring she continued her dominance at the outdoor state championship, she again won three gold medals in the 100-meter dash, 200-meter dash, and the 100-meter hurdles.
During her indoor and outdoor track career at Western Branch High, Shadajah captured 10 individual state titles and won 13 state titles overall. At the 2019 New Balance Indoor Nationals, Shadajah was a member of the “Bruins” national championship 1600-meter relay team and she won an individual national title in the 60-meter hurdles, running the fastest time in the country that season.
Shadajah recently completed her first semester at the University of Kentucky.
Congratulations for being the recipient of the Sports Club’s 2019 Female Athlete-of-the-Year, Shadajah Ballard.