Weslaco East’s Gael Romo didn’t make the permanent switch to track and field until last season. Prior to that, the senior sprinter had spent nearly 10 years dedicated to basketball before stepping away.
The move has paid dividends for Romo, emerging as one of the top runners not only in the Valley but in the state after refocusing his attention to track and field.
He took the next step in his track and field career Wednesday, signing his National Letter of Intent to run for UTRGV next fall during a ceremony at the Weslaco East gym.
UTRGV is an NCAA Division I program in Edinburg that competes in the Western Athletic Conference.
“I had gotten offers from bigger schools, but I like the Valley a lot,” Romo said during an interview April 25. “I think a lot of people overlook the Valley because it is on the tip of Texas. I feel like the impact I can have is to show that we’re up there with those bigger cities. That is why I chose to stay at UTRGV. I saw what the Valley can do, so I said instead of going to another team where you’re just another guy, I told myself to go to UTRGV and help try to put the whole Valley on the map. That is the whole goal. There is change coming to the Valley.”
Romo’s journey to sprinting stardom hasn’t come without any obstacles. The senior sprinter dealt with numerous mental and physical battles to get where he is today.
To read about Romo’s path to stardom click here.
Nothing could stop him from reaching his potential, however, advancing all the way to the Region IV-5A finals in the 100-meter dash after committing to the sport last season.
This year, Romo has taken it to another level, winning 20 of 21 races in the 100 and 200 combined. His lone loss came during the 95th annual Clyde Littlefield Relays, an event that features top athletes from across the nation.
Against local and regional competition, Romo has established himself as the best, winning 10 gold medals in as many tries in both events, including District 32-5A, area 31/32-5A and Region IV-5A crowns in each.
“My hunger of winning every race came from finishing second last year several times,” Romo said. “I was second in district and second in area. Just a lot of second. My offseason coming into this year was about getting first. I’d work out two-a-days and just pushed myself, and it paid off.”
Romo still has two races left in his high school career, as he is set to compete in both events at the UIL state track and field championships at Mike A. Myers Stadium on May 12 in Austin.
He enters the state meet ranked No. 4 in Class 5A in the 100 and No. 7 in the 200. Romo isn’t afraid of being the underdog, however, setting his sights on the gold in both events.
“I think I’m the most competitive person ever,” Romo said. “On the track, if the guy is next to me, I’m going to try to beat him. Same in the classroom, if someone has a higher grade than me, I’m going to try to beat him. I’ve always been competitive. I don’t want to lose. It has always been my nature. I’ve heard a lot of trash talk on the track every meet. I’ve gotten used to that. I let my results do the talking for me and, so far, I’ve been undefeated.”