One local track and field announcer gave over 200 track athletes the chance to compete after their season was cancelled due to COVID-19. Mike Jay, otherwise known as the Track Guy, has been the PA announcer for track and field events such as the Drake Relays, NCAA events, and even Olympic trials. With his passion in track and field, the Columbus Junction man knew athletes were devastated by the lack of a session, so he created the Track Guy Track and Field Carnival. It was held at BGM High School on Tuesday. While the weather was hot, track athletes from six midwest states broke personal and school records. Jay, with over 30 years of track and field announcing experience, gave athletes some advice for the future, “Look at these track kids, they never gave up. They never threw in the towel and pouted and said, ‘Well, the season is lost.’ They kept grinding and getting after it. And these are kids who play in baseball and softball this year too, and they wanted to come back and be a part of a track meet. I think that’s the biggest thing. You’re always going to get thrown some adversity in life. It’s a rollercoaster at best. If you decide you can’t do it and you’re going to give up, you’re not going to go very far. Just keep grinding and good things will happen. These track kids, they kept at it since the season was cancelled in March. Here it was July and they put out some outstanding performances and it paid off for them.” Jay says if registration was open for any students from middle school to 2020 high school graduates committed to running at Division I programs.  While COVID-19 still circulates across the state, Jay is hopeful that athletes will be able to compete in the fall.