Ava Phrakonkham

Ava Phrakonkham, a standout sprinter from Bagley-Fosston High School in Minnesota, has etched her name in the history of high school track and field. Her exceptional performances have not only brought her individual accolades but have also shone a spotlight on her Lao American heritage.  

In the 2024 Minnesota Class A State Track and Field Championships, Ava delivered a stellar performance by clinching titles in the 100-meter dash (11.80 seconds), 200-meter dash (24.60 seconds), and anchoring the victorious 4x100-meter relay team with a time of 48.84 seconds. Her 100-meter time was the fastest recorded in Minnesota that year, surpassing competitors across all classes. Ava's journey to the top was marked by consistent improvement. Since her eighth-grade year, she has been a regular at state meets, steadily climbing the ranks and setting personal bests. She committed to run at the NCAA D1 University of North Dakota in the fall of 2025. 

Beyond the track, Ava has demonstrated leadership and academic prowess. Serving as Class President and participating in Student Council, she has been an active member of her school community. Her commitment to academics is evident in her 3.63 GPA and recognition as a "Good Student Award" recipient. She also played high school volleyball. Ava plans to major in business and pursue a career in real estate, following in her parents' footsteps.  

Ava's achievements are deeply intertwined with her family’s Lao heritage and her father’s refugee experience.  Her father, Saysana “Says” was born in Vientiane, Laos, and relocated to Winnipeg, Canada, at 18 months old. Winnipeg is a midsized city in Manitoba known for its frigid winters, giant mosquitos and ice hockey players. Like most kids in the area Says learned to skate when he was six or seven and started playing hockey at nine.  He became a local standout youth hockey player in the Manitoba Junior league and went on to play collegiately at Bemidji State University.  While at Bemidji he scored eight goals and had twenty-one assists. Says passed on his passion for sports and along with his wife Amanda, instilled in Ava the values of discipline and perseverance that it takes to be an elite athlete.