It will be a family affair this week at the USA Track and Field National Junior Olympics in Lawrence, Kan.

Brothers Claude Clayton Jr., 13, and Curtis Clayton, 9, each qualified to run in the prestigious event.

“I’m very proud. I’m glad we’re both going,” Claude said. “It shows how good we can be working together and encouraging each other along the way.”

The Brandon natives serve as members of the Peak Performance Track Club. They are the grandsons of Natchez residents Jerry and Autry Clayton.

The brothers qualified for the national event after a strong showing at regionals in early July in Huntsville, Ala.

Claude won first place in the 100- and 200-meter hurdles in the 13-14-year-old division.

“That kind of means everything to me and shows me hard work really pays off,” Claude said. “I thought I was going to be in the top three or five, but to come in first showed me I could really something, and I can continue growing (in track). It really felt great.”

Curtis, meanwhile, had equally as strong of a performance.

Anchoring his team’s 4X100 meter relay team, Curtis’ stretch run propelled him and his teammates to the top spot of the 9-10-year-old division.

“I was just thinking that I couldn’t let my team down,” Curtis said of his final run. “It meant a lot to me. I can’t believe I made the nationals.”

The Claytons are not strangers to the national stage, with Claude having qualified for last year’s event and Curtis the previous two. Because of travel arrangement, however, the Claytons were not able to attend last year’s event in California.

Curtis did attend the national event two years ago in Jacksonville, Fla., and he said will lean on his experience then to help ease his nerves at this year’s meet.

“There’s going to be a lot of competition, and I’m going to have to try real hard,” he said.

Claude and Curtis are the sons of Claude and Mariam Clayton.