Lake Village native, Mississippi State athlete heading to World Athletics U20 Championship in Peru, has sights on Olympic future

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – A Mississippi State athlete with Natural State roots is set to compete on the world stage.

Roury McCloyen is a native of Lake Village, Arkansas, and has thrown his way to the World Athletics Under 20 Championship games in Peru. The games will start Aug. 27 and go through Aug. 31.

“Once I set my mind to something I want to go out there and do it,” McCloyen, who is a freshman track and field athlete at Mississippi State University, said.

McCloyen throws discus and shot put. In his first year at Mississippi State, he earned 2 ^nd team All-American honors for shot put.

At the USATF U20 Championships, McCloyen took home the gold medal in the discus to qualify for the U20 World Championships in Peru later this year.

According to Mississippi State University , McCloyen finished with a personal-record mark of 60.28m on his first attempt and currently ranks second on State’s all-time top five list.

Even while throwing for the Bulldogs, McCloyen said he always represents the Natural State.

“I don’t want to say it, but I guess I’ll go ahead and say it, I was born an Arkansas fan,” he said with a laugh.

Going to Peru will be his first time competing on a world stage.

“Competing on a world stage is going to be something I’ve never experienced but it’s going to be fun to compete against other athletes across the world,” he said.

The Lake Village native said he started participating in track and field when he was 9 years old and was introduced to discus and shot put at 12.

“I feel like this sport is my platform,” he said.

McCloyen said he wants to be an inspiration to kids by letting them know that coming from Lake Village, a town with a population of just under 2,000, doesn’t mean you can’t achieve your dreams.

“Lake Village has always been a big part of me.”

McCloyen said his dream is to make it to the Olympics, adding that he had a chance to go to the Olympic trials this year but couldn’t compete due to injury.

He said the next step toward that dream is to keep training for the 2028 Olympic trials.

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