The best 1,638 athletes in a four-state region descend on Albuquerque for the 2011 USATF Region 10 Junior Olympic Track & Field Championships. Region 10 includes New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado and El Paso, TX.

More than 300 of those athletes are from New Mexico. They have sprinted, hurdled, jumped and thrown their way to victory at the State Championships, finishing within the top four in each event. They are the best of the best and have qualified to represent New Mexico at the Regional Championship.

“This will be a very competitive meet and there will be athletes qualifying out of this meet to the National Championship that have the potential to win Nationals or be All-Americans (top 8)” says USATF-NM President Shane Cleveland. “ NM athletes have some of the top talent and will be a force to be reckoned with at this meet and at the National Championship at the end of the month.”

Just SOME of the New Mexico athletes to watch:

2011 USATF ALL AMERICANS from New Mexico
  • HARRISON SMITH 5TH in MB (Midget Boy) 3000m run, USA Youth Nationals, Cougar Track Club
  • HARRISON SMITH 8TH in MB (Midget Boy) 1500m run, USA Youth Nationals, Cougar Track Club
2010 USATF NATIONAL CHAMPIONS from New Mexico
  • MORIAH CIONELO 1st in the YG (Youth Girl) 3000m Racewalk at USATF JO NATIONALS, Cougar Track Club
  • LUCAS JEPSEN 1st in the BB (Bantam Boy) 800m, 1st in the BB 1500m & 6th place in long jump at USA Youth Nationals, Albuquerque Athletics Track
2010 USATF ALL AMERICANS from New Mexico
  • CHRIS ACOSTA, JR 8th in YB (Youth Boy) Javelin, USATF JO NATIONALS , Albuquerque Olympette Club “Striders”
  • JORDON BYRD, 3rd in the BB 100m, 3rd in the BB 400m, USATF JO NATIONALS, Duke City Track
  • WARRICK CAMPBELL 7th in YM (Young Men) Triple Jump, USA JO NATIONALS, Big Red Express
  • NICHOLAS GURULE 7th in MB turbo javelin, USA JO NATIONALS, Valley Track Club
  • COLTER HOFFMAN 4th in the YB (Youth Boy) Pentathlon at USA YOUTH NATIONALS, Cougar Track Club
  • JACKIE KATZMAN 8TH in the IG (Intermediate Girl) 800M RUN, at USA YOUTH NATIONALS Cougar Track Club
  • CLARE MOOTS 5th in the MG (Midget Girl) Pentathlon & 5th in the MG turbo javelin at USA YOUTH NATIONALS, Cougar Track Club
  • GARRETT WADE B 7th in the BB turbo javelin at USA YOUTH NATIONALS, Cougar Track Club
Comparing the number of Track & Field athletes in New Mexico to that of other states, “we have a state with a low population density but our top athletes can run, jump and throw with the best” says Cleveland.
The prestige of hosting this Regional Championship also translates into tens of thousands of dollars for our local economy. “This gives us the opportunity to showcase ABQ for tourism and UNM for future track athletes coming to the Land of Enchantment. Gives us the opportunity to grow the local track and field community, especially youth track and field.”