Melanie Doggett competes at the Georgia Middle School State Championships
At just a middle schooler, Melanie Doggett (Landmark Christian, Fairburn, GA) is already redefining what's possible for youth sprinting talent in the United States. Though not yet eligible for high school competition, the Georgia native is putting up times that rival and often surpass many of the top prep athletes in the country - and she's doing it with remarkable consistency.
Doggett first gained national attention during the indoor season, running a blazing 7.17 in the 60 meters at the prestigious 117th Millrose Games, where she placed second overall. She followed that up with an equally eye-catching 23.33 in the indoor 200m, performances that placed her among the fastest high schoolers in the nation - despite still being in middle school.
She has been tabbed as a future star and has even earned a spot in the MileSplit Future Stars and has been ranked in the COROS MileSplit50 Indoor individual athlete rankings for high school.
Despite all of what she has already accomplished, Doggett could just now really be getting started. Now complete with middle school, she already has her eyes set on competing at the high school level.
"I hope to just keep PRing. I'm also really excited for high school....to get to run with some upperclassmen and get to see how much I get better by running against them."
Melanie Doggett
Outdoors, Doggett has continued her meteoric rise. She dominated the Georgia Middle School State Championships, winning both the 100m and 200m titles, and clocking performances of 11.52 (100m), 23.70 (200m), and even running 54.96 (400m) throughout the season- all elite high school-caliber marks. Then, competing for Major Impact Track Club at the 2025 Major Impact Track & Field Invitational this weekend in Dallas, she stepped into the spotlight once more, running 23.60 in the 200m. That performance currently ranks her US No. 13 among high school athletes, an extraordinary feat for someone who technically hasn't even started high school.
Doggett's name may have popped up sporadically over the past year, but that's changing as she begins competing more regularly at high school-level meets. While she isn't particularly excited about her upcoming 400m race, she understands the importance of versatility and views it as a stepping stone to further enhance her 200m performances.
With goals to drop her times in the 100m, 200m, and 400m, Melanie Doggett is setting herself up for a breakout summer. If she continues on this trajectory, she'll likely make an appearance at some of the most prestigious high school competitions in the country - and she won't just be participating, she'll be contending.
Middle School
| Outdoor | |
| Long Jump | 17-0.75 |
| 100 Meter Dash | 11.52 |
| 200 Meter Dash | 23.70 |
| 400 Meter Dash | 54.96 |
| Indoor | |
| 55 Meter Dash | 7.12 |
| 60 Meter Dash | 7.39 |
| 200 Meter Dash | 23.33 |
| 400 Meter Dash | 56.44 |
