North Miami Girls Earn All-American Honors at Junior Olympics

The teen was pronounced dead after he was transported to a local hospital.
According to police, they found the teen experiencing cardiac arrest when they arrived at the Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (JROTC) 5K at Everglades High School in Miramar, Florida. — Teen dies running 5K FILE PHOTO: A 14-year-old collapsed from an apparent cardiac arrest during a 5K run over the weekend. (Pavel1964/Getty Images/iStockphoto)

By Jade Alexander and Just Ben

September 04, 2025 at 7:56 am EDT

South Florida has a new reason to cheer — a group of young girls from North Miami’s Honest Runners Track Club just made a splash on the national stage.

Laila, Kalie, Summer, and Malia recently returned from the 2025 Junior Olympics in Houston, where their speed and teamwork carried them to a medal finish in the 4x100 meter relay. After placing fourth in the region to qualify, the girls held their own against the country’s best, finishing seventh in the finals and earning the title of All-Americans.

For the girls, the medals are exciting — but it’s the friendships and team spirit that mean the most. “They are the best friends that we ever had,” said 7-year-old Kalie Charles.

One familiar face is Laila “The Great” Whisby, already a three-time Junior Olympian who continues to shine for South Florida.

Now back home, the Honest Runners are already training for their next season — with their sights set on bringing even more medals back to Miami.

Jade Alexander

If you’re a native of South Florida, you know Jade from her many years on local radio as a Jock and on television as both an Entertainment Reporter and News Anchor. This Miami girl has hosted some pretty memorable shows, events, and parties in this town. She’s a hugger, the ultimate animal lover, and has never met a stranger.