Norfolk track champion carries Eastern Shore athletic roots

A young Norfolk track standout with deep family ties to Virginia’s Eastern Shore captured a national championship this month at the 2026 AAU Club National Championships in Jacksonville, Florida.

Autumn Gregory won the 12-and-under girls’ 200-meter national title at the University of North Florida, setting a meet record and a new personal best with a time of 24.74 seconds.

She also earned a bronze medal in the 100 meters and helped her 4-by-400-meter relay team claim a national championship during the competition, held July 7 through July 11.

Although Autumn lives in Norfolk, her athletic story is closely connected to the Eastern Shore through her mother and assistant coach, Wykia Ames Gregory.

Gregory grew up in Painter and graduated from Nandua High School in 1997. She was a standout basketball and track-and-field athlete known for her ball-handling ability and success on the track. Her accomplishments are recognized in Nandua High School’s athletic showcase.

Gregory said she now helps coach her daughter, continuing an athletic tradition that began during her own years on the Shore.

She was raised by her mother, Karen Ames Gunter of Whitesville, and her stepfather, Charles Gunter of Exmore. Both now live in Painter. Gregory is also the daughter of the late Linwood “Woody” Davis of Onancock.

Autumn’s recent national title adds to an already extensive youth track résumé. Her accomplishments include national championships in sprint events and relays, AAU All-American recognition and meet-record performances.

Her personal-best times include 12.24 seconds in the 100 meters, 24.74 seconds in the 200 meters and 57.60 seconds in the 400 meters.

Autumn qualified for the 2026 AAU Junior Olympic Games, scheduled for July 27 through Aug. 2 in Des Moines, Iowa. Although she will not compete in this year’s event, her family said she had been expected to be a strong contender.

For Gregory, her daughter’s success represents both Autumn’s dedication and the continuation of a family athletic legacy rooted in Painter, Onancock, Exmore and Nandua High School.