News and Announcements
PSJA Race Walkers Excel in Maryland
PSJA Race Walkers Excel in Maryland
“I never though I could walk that fast,” said fifteen year old Amberly Melendez during last months 3K race walk trials in Pharr. Her 3K qualifying time was 16:43 and Coach A.C. Jaime assured her that she was going to do even better as she continued putting forth her best efforts in practice and that is exactly what happened this Sunday in Maryland. The PSJA Jefferson EC High School freshman’s time of 16:14 not only assured her of a gold medal but also earned her 4th place on the USA High School race walk 3K indoor rankings. Her father, Hector, accompanied Amberly to Maryland and Sofia, her mother, welcomed then back as they flew into San Antonio.
Amberly had been chasing after thirteen year old, Elite Race Walker Jonathon Aguilar of Alamo Middle School. The sixth grader was determined not to be caught as he registered a personal best time of 16:09 for first place and as a result earned 5th place on the USA High School Indoor Rankings at such a young age. Jonathon, the son of Juan and Rebecca Flores of Alamo, attracted so much attention with his excellent time that Coach Cason William of St. Andrews University in North Carolina thought he was a high school senior and advised Coach A.C. Jaime by e-mail that he had scholarship money for Jonathon to race walk for his school.
Fourteen and thirteen year old Kasandra Rodriguez of Alamo Middle School and Julisa Juarez of Liberty Middle School were going around all the other competitions as they followed Amberly and Jonathon. Kasandra finished in second place in her 14-15 year age category behind Amberly in a time of 16:34 while Julisa won a beautiful 1st place gold medal in her 13 year age category with a time of 16:43.
The girls would have earned a 9th, 11th and 13th place at the 2013 NAIA National Collegiate Championship held on March 1st in Geneva Ohio with the times they demonstrated at such a young age. They are part of the reason college coaches like to attend the Texas Winter Elite Race Walk Camp held in Pharr every December.
Geraldo Flores, PSJA Southwest High School five time All-American, led the race from beginning to end earning his gold medal in a time of 14:53. He is now ranked as the 3rd fastest high school race walker behind high school senior twins Anthony and Alex Peters of Chicago.
The New York indoor 200 meter armory tract proved too much for Amberly & Kasandra the previous day as they finished the mile competition in 22nd and 26th place against the top 35 milers in the country. They were the only freshman and 8th grader that had qualified to attend this race among the other 33 girls that were mostly experienced juniors and seniors from the east coast that participate in indoor races all winter long. On the other hand, Geraldo managed a 3rd place finish behind the Chicago twins to win yet another All-American honor. Coach Jose Rene Perez of Ford Elementary School in Pharr attended to the boys needs and served as their timer during the races.
Fourteen year old Kasandra Rodriquez of Alamo Middle School earned this coveted award for the second year in a row. Several college coaches have already contacted Coach Jaime inquiring about this two time Junior Olympic National champion who unfortunately is only an eighth grader but who has exceptional race walking form and technique that is admired by many ot those coaches. Kasandra has qualified to attend the upcoming New Balance National One Mile Indoor Race Walk Championship for the third year in a row. She and Julisa are two of only eight Texas athletes that have thus far qualified to attend this prestigious championship. Kasandra is the daughter of Romeo and Criselda Rodriguez of Alamo.
USA Jr. Pan-Am Cup Trials 10km and Largest Judged 5km in Texas
USA Junior Team Pan American Cup Trials and Open 10K Race Walk Results
Conducted by the South Texas Walking Club
Pharr, Texas -December 29, 2012
The South Texas Walking Club, in Pharr, Texas, conducted the USA Junior Pan American Cup Trials for young men and women race walkers ages-14 to may-not-turn-20 years old in 2013, today on the Ridge Road 2km course. The junior men’s and women’s team will include up to three members each for the Pan Am Race Walking Cup to be held in Lima, Peru, May 25 & 26, 2013. Seniors, over 20, will also compete at longer distances. The senior team selection will be concluded on March 17, 2013 in California.
Held in conjunction with the Seventh Annual Winter Race Walking Camp, open competitors joined the juniors for the 10 kilometer (6.2 mi.) race walk, competing for separate awards and recognition. Leading all finishers were Nicholas Christie and Nirvana Zalba of the strong NAIA Missouri Baptist University race walking team from suburban St. Louis.
Molly Josephs, Brittany Collins and Brenda McCollum will make up the USA junior women’s team in Peru. The three will be joined by Steven Washburn, and Alex Peters, the USA junior men’s team.
USA Junior Pan American Cup Trials 10K Race Walk-Men
1. Steven Washburn 18, California/Australia, 49:34
2. Alex Peters, 16, Elgin Sharks- Illinois, 49:52
3. Anthony Peters, 16, Elgin Sharks- Illinois, 50:41
4. Geraldo Flores, M-15, STWC-Texas, 53:06
5. Ian Rixon, M-18, Maine, 1:00:20
6. Matias Serna, 14, STWC-Texas, 1:01:05
USA Junior Pan American Cup Trials 10K Race Walk-Women
1. Molly Josephs, 18, Missouri Baptist Univ (MBU)-New York, 53:49
2. Brittany Collins, 18, WalkUSA-New York, 54:24
3. Brenda McCollum, 17, Kansas, 54:29
4. Holly Lindoe,17, WalkUSA- New York, 58:26
5. Cassandra Delgado, 17, Elgin Sharks-Illinois, 1:00:12
6. Fiona Dunleavy, 16, Rockwall Mustangs-Texas, 1:00:12
7. Alexa Klueptel, 16, WalkUSA-New York, 1:01:07
8. Jennifer Lopez, 16,Elgin Sharks-Illinois, 1:01:51
9. Moriah Cionelo, 16, Cougar T.C.- New Mexico, 1:04:37
10. Sarah La Porta, 17, WalkUSA-New York, 1:04:37
Open 10K Race Walk-Men
1. Nicolas Christie, 21, MBU-California, 43:33
2. Tim Seaman, NYAC-California, 43:33
3. Alejandro Chavez, 19, MBU-Texas, 43:44
Open 10K Race Walk-Women
1. Nirvana Zalba, 19, MBU-Mexico, 50:01
2. Jessica Ching, 25, MBU-Hong Kong, 50:43
3. Natalia Alfonzo,18, Venezuela, 52:10
4. Rachel Seaman, 26, Canada, 54:48
5. Leann Young, 23, St. Louis RWC-Missouri, 59:55
6. Mercedes Mancha, 20, Ill, 1:02:00
7. Aadrian McCollum, F-19, Kansas, 1:05:28
8. Silvia Cardiel, F-60, Mexico, 1:18:28
Youth Boys 10 K Race Walk
1. Nehemiah Cionelo, 12, Cougar TC-New Mexico, 59:55
Texas Largest Judged Race Walk 5K
Pharr, Texas-December 29, 2012
1. Jonathan Aguilar, M-12, Texas, 28:20
2. Kasandra Rodriguez, F-14, Texas, 29:17
3. Julisa Suarez, F-12, Texas, 29:18
4. Anali Cisneros, F-15, Texas, 30:26
5. Meghan Keetley, F-16, New York, 30:27
6. Amberly Melendez, F-15, Texas, 30:28
7. Camila Vicens, F-10, Texas, 30:51
8. Ellerie Lagerhausen, F-19, Arizona, 31:00
9. Gisela Flores, F-12, Texas, 31:36
10. Gina Bentley, F-13, California, 31:44
11. Itzel Gonzalez, F-12, Texas, 32:31
12. Nayeli Cisneros, F-14, Texas, 32:35
13. Emery Antuna, F-11, Texas, 33:08
14. Janessa Campos, F11, Texas, 33:09
15. Desiree Espericueta, F-14, Texas, 34:32
16. Karina Rodriguez, F-17, Texas, 35:02
17. Narda Garcia, F-11, Texas, 35:51
18. Jose Garza, M-60-64, Texas, 38:06
19. Rebecca Sanchez, F-11, Texas, 41:00
20. Noe Flores, M-10, Texas, 41:30
21. Fernando Gonzalez, M-11, Texas, 41:36
22. Benjamin Lopez, M-60-64, Mexico, 41:37
23. Jorge Herrera, M-70-74, Mexico, 41:56
24. Kenya Antuna, F-9, Texas, 42:22
Texas Race Walk Camp
Athletes from six countries, USA, Canada, Mexico, Venezuela, Australia and China, are competing in the Texas Largest Judged Race Walks in Pharr, Texas, on Saturday December 29, at Liberty Middle School, on the northeast corner of East Ridge Road and Fir St.
The U.S. Junior Team will be selected in the 10k (6.2 miles) for the Pam American Race Walk Cup being held in Peru in May 2013. Open athletes will join the Juniors in their trial on East Ridge Road at 7 a.m. Early entries point to this being one of the largest U. S. racewalk fields in recent memory. Also being contested is a 5k at 8:15, and a 5k run at 9:15.
In preparation for Saturday’s racewalks, 54 athletes have been participating in the 7th Annual Winter Training Camp hosted by the local South Texas Walking Club in Pharr.
Yesterday morning, December 27, the track at the PSJA Stadium was the site of two preliminary racewalks. The 3,000m race was won by two-time Olympian and National Champion Tim Seaman of San Diego, CA, in 12:24:52. Holly Lindoe and Brittany Collins of Long Island, New York were first and second respectfully, in 15:53:59 and 15:53:97.
3,000 meter race results:
Tim Seaman, M-39, California, 12:24
Holly Lindoe, F-17, New York, 15:53
Brittany Collins, F-18, New York, 15:53
Nehmiah Cionelo, M-12, New Mexico, 16:22
Alex Peters, M-16, Illinois, 16:22
Alexa Kluepfel, F-16, New York, 16:36
Steven Berry, M-13, Texas, 17:13
Anthony Peters, M-16, Illinois, 17:43
Leann Young, F-23, Missouri, 17:46
Mercedes Mancha, F-22, Illinois, 17:47
Cassandra Delgado, F-17, Illinois 17:47
Rachel Seaman, F-24, California, 17:48
Jennifer Lopez, F-16, Illinois, 18:11
Aadrian McCollum, F-19, Kansas, 18:14
Kaitlyn Loeffler, F-20, Kansas, 18:26
Anali Cisneros, F-15, Illinois, 19:00
Nayeli Cisneros, F-14, Illinois, 19:56
The One Mile race saw local racewalk hero Geraldo Flores, a three-time high school All-American from PSJA Southwest High School in Pharr, win the boy’s one mile in a time of 7:32.
Natalia Alfonso, Venezuela’s Junior Racewalk National Champion, took the girl’s one mile in 7:33.
One Mile Results:
Geraldo Flores, M-16, Texas, 7.32
Natalia Alfonzo, F-18, Venezuela, 7:33
Ian Rixon, M-18, Maine, 8:06
Matias Serna, M-14, Texas, 8:12
Brenda McCullum, F-17, Kansas, 8:24
Fiona Dunleavy, F-16, Texas, 8:29
Jonathon Aquilar, M-12, Texas, 8:29
Sarah LaPorta, F-17, New York, 8:30
Julisa Juarez, F-12, Texas, 8:31
Amberly Melendez, F-15, Texas, 8:35
Camila Vicens, F-10, Texas, 8:38
Kasandra Rodriquez, F-14, Texas, 8:46
Gisela Florez, F-12, Texas, 9:05
Itzel Gonzalez, F-12, Texas, 9:20
Desiree Espericueta, F-14, Texas, 9:21
Moriah Cionelo, F-16, New Mexico, 9:24
Gina Bentley, F-13, California, 9:27
Ellerie Lagerhausen, F-19, Arizona, 9:52
Emely Antuna, F-11, Texas, 10:01
Karina Rodriquez, F-17, Texas, 10:09
Meghan Keetley, F-16, New York, 10:39
Kayla Rodriquez, F-10, Texas, 10:48
Rebecca Sanchez, F-10, Texas, 10:49
Benjamin Lopez, M-66, Texas, 11:02
Noe Flores, M-10, Texas, 12:25
Fernando Gonzalez, M-10, Texas, 12:29
Here is the flyer for the 2013 Pan-Am Cup Trials for the Juniors that will be held in Pharr, Texas on December 29th, 2012.
