By CONSTANCIO MARTINEZ, JR.
Special to the PRESS
On Friday, June 23, 2023 a handful of young Tarpon athletes traveled to Converse, Texas, to participate in the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) Region 19 Qualifier. The Track & Field meet had athletes competing in nine different age groups from the “Eight & Under” division up to the “17-18 Years Old” division. Athletes who finished in the top six of the running, field and relay events, and top three in the multi-event, qualified for the AAU Junior Olympics.
The following Port Isabel Summer Track athletes advanced to the Junior Olympics: Jayda Howard, Pedro “Tre” Loera, Miles Moore and Chelsea Gonzalez.
On day one, Howard competed in the nine-year-old shot-put event and came in first place. She was crowned Regional Champion in her event. Meanwhile, Loera came in second place in the 11-year-old discus event.
On the second day, Gonzalez competed in the 17-18 division shot-put and discus events. She earned a bronze medal in the discus event and came in third in the shot-put event. Moore threw his personal best in both the shot-put and discus throws in the 14-year-old division and made the top eight. Farooqui competed in the eight-and-under 800m run and finished 15th out of 26 runners, he also competed in the 100m sprint.
On day three, Loera placed fourth in the shot put event and came in fifth place in the Turbo Javelin qualifying for an impressive three events.
The AAU Junior Track & Field Olympics will take place from July 29-Aug. 5, 2023, at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa.
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