The RGV will be well-represented at the 2023 UIL state track and field championships, with 27 individuals and one relay team qualifying for the event. Here is a quick glance at the 12 boys and one relay team set to represent the Valley at state. Note: A * next to an event denotes the athlete won a regional title in it.
CLASS 6A
| Edinburg North’s Keyshawn Garcia. (Delcia Lopez | [email protected]) |
Name: Keyshawn Garcia
School: Edinburg North
Grade: Senior
State Appearances: 2023
Event(s): 400m*, 800m*
PR(s): 48.51 (400m); 1:52.72 (800m)
Favorite Meet: N/A
CLASS 5A
| Brownsville Veterans’ Gerry Gomez. (Courtesy Photo) |
Name: Gerry Gomez
School: Brownsville Veterans
Grade: Junior
State Appearances: 2023
Event(s): Triple Jump
PR(s): 46-01.75
Favorite Meet: The 2023 Regional Meet in San Antonio, TX was my favorite. I set a PR in the triple jump of 46’1” for 2nd place and qualified for the state track meet.
| Edinburg Vela’s Jacob Trevino. (Delcia Lopez | [email protected]) |
Name: Jacob Trevino
School: Edinburg Vela
Grade: Junior
State Appearances: 2023
Event(s): Long Jump
PR(s): 22-05.5
Favorite Meet: Regionals was my favorite meet. The atmosphere was unreal and I relive that moment before I jumped everyday.
| Edinburg Vela’s Kristopher Perez. (Delcia Lopez | [email protected]) |
Name: Kristopher Perez
School: Edinburg Vela
Grade: Sophomore
State Appearances: 2023
Event(s): Shot Put
PR(s): 54-07.25
Favorite Meet: Regionals because the competition was intense.
| Sharyland Pioneer’s Evan Thompson. (Delcia Lopez | [email protected]) |
Name: Evan Thompson
School: Sharyland Pioneer
Grade: Senior
State Appearances: 2022, 2023
Event(s): Shot Put*
PR(s): 60-10
Favorite Meet: The state meet because it is at UT and it is a great atmosphere.
| Sharyland High’s Chukwubueze Ikondu. (Delcia Lopez | [email protected]) |
Name: Chukwubueze Ikondu
School: Sharyland High
Grade: Senior
State Appearances: 2023
Event(s): Discus Throw*
PR(s): 193-02
Favorite Meet: My favorite race to watch is the 400m dash because it is a true testament of how generally lit someone is.
| McAllen Memorial’s Ayden Granados. (Delcia Lopez | [email protected]) |
Name: Ayden Granados
School: McAllen Memorial
Grade: Senior
State Appearances: 2022, 2023
Event(s): 1,600m*, 3,200m*
PR(s): 4:09.42 (1,600m); 9:08.91 (3,200m)
Favorite Meet: The Texas Distance Festival 5k because I raced against the best in Texas and got 4th best time in Texas history.
| Weslaco East’s Gael Romo. (Courtesy Photo) |
Name: Gael Romo
School: Weslaco East
Grade: Senior
State Appearances: 2023
Event(s): 100m*, 200m*
PR(s): 10.37 (100m); 21.28 (200m)
Favorite Meet: Favorite meet is the state meet because I will get to compete against the best in Texas and put respect on the Valley.
| La Joya Palmview’s Michael Hernandez. (Courtesy Photo) |
Name: Michael Hernandez
School: La Joya Palmview
Grade: Senior
State Appearances: 2023
Event(s): 110m Hurdles
PR(s): 14.53
Favorite Meet: My favorite race throughout the season had to have been my recent one in regionals. Seeing all the competition made me anxious when I first got there and it motivated me even more to achieve my goal at reaching state. Having all this pressure also caused me to pr on both prelims and finals.
| Left to right, Miguel Vega, Nick Moron, Jose Garcia, Alex Arias(Alternate), Jared Villarreal, Hector Andrade. (Courtesy Photo) |
School: McAllen Rowe
Names: Jose Garcia (Sr.), Nick Moron (Sr.), Jared Villarreal (Sr.), Hector Andrade (Fr.) and Miguel Vega (Jr.)
State Appearances: N/A
Events: 4×400 Relay
Favorite Meet: N/A
CLASS 4A
| La Feria’s Julian Dominguez. (Delcia Lopez | [email protected]) |
Name: Julian Dominguez
School: La Feria
Grade: Senior
State Appearances: 2021, 2023
Event(s): 800m*, 1,600m
PR(s): 1:55.61 (800m); 4:24.81 (1,600m)
Favorite Meet: District because I broke the meet record for the 800 and came back and ran a beautiful race with my talented freshman teammates in the 1600.
| La Feria’s Anthony Morales. (Delcia Lopez | [email protected]) |
Name: Anthony Morales
School: La Feria
Grade: Freshman
State Appearances: 2023
Event(s): 3,200m
PR(s): 9:27.24
Favorite Meet: The Meet of Champs because that’s where I got my PR for the 3200.
CLASS 3A
| Lyford’s Oscar Martinez. (Courtesy Photo) |
Name: Oscar Martinez
School: Lyford
Grade: Senior
State Appearances: 2023
Event(s): 200m
PR(s): 22.41
Favorite Meet: My favorite meet would have to be the one our school held at Lyford because it was the first track meet they’ve held there in a while and we had track and the football redone brand new so it was a great track meet. And of course we won that track meet and took the dub at our own place. My favorite race would have to be every event I did because I always got first on them.