By MARK MOLINA | Staff Writer
Brownsville Veterans Memorial Chargers long jumper Michael Garza couldn’t have asked for a better return to the sand pits.
After sitting out the past two weeks with a hamstring problem, Garza rejoined the team for Friday’s Brownsville City Meet and claimed victory in the long jump with a distance of 21 feet, 4 inches, helping the Chargers win the overall boys title.
The Brownsville Herald caught up with the junior jumper and got to know him a little more.
Q: How was it like to sit out for a couple of weeks and then come back to win gold in your first meet back?
Garza: It felt great to come back and jump again, because I didn’t think I was going to jump again.
Q: How frustrating was it to have to sit out those two weeks?
Garza: It was very frustrating because when I pulled my hamstring it hurt. I couldn’t walk when I pulled it and I thought I was done, but I guess not.
Q: When did you first take a liking to track & field?
Garza; I joined when I was in seventh grade.
Q: What made you want to take up track & field?
Garza: I just like running, and my coaches wanted me to try out the long jump. When I tried it I was good at it, so I just kept with it. It was pretty amazing; I liked it.
Q: What would you say the toughest part of preparing for an event like the long jump is?
Garza: The toughest part would have to be stretching a lot. That’s my hardest thing to have to do because I have hamstring problems, so I have to constantly be stretching.
Q: What is your favorite food and why?
Garza: I really like chicken fried steak. When you put the gravy on it it’s good, especially with the white gravy.
Q: What’s your favorite show and why?
Garza: My favorite show is The Flash. I just like it because he’s fast and he’s my favorite superhero.
Q: What’s your favorite subject and why?
Garza: I really like to learn about history.
Q: What’s your routine like on meet days?
Garza: I listen to music to get hyped. I listen to a bunch of different artists. My favorite is Sicko Mode by Travis Scott.
Q: If you could have dinner with one person, living or dead, who would it be and why?
Garza: It would Usain Bolt, he’s my idol.
Q: Who do you look up to in your personal life and why?
Garza: My brother. He’s accomplished a lot of things, and I just look up to him a lot.