El Paso Hanks Sophomore Michael Abeyta had a very successful freshman year and was looking forward to the start of his sophomore year. His sophomore season has already begun, but it wasn't without it's challenges.
Abeyta had about a two week delay to his season because of eye surgery. He had a condition called pterygium. Abeyta has had issues with his eyes for years, but was misdiagnosed, "I have had it for 3 years. All of the doctors we talked to told my parents it was allergies until Dr Ramirez diagnosed my condition and said allergies were not the issue."
Pterygium is a growth that develops across the clear cornea of the eye that can affect people who spend a lot of time outside in the sun.The pterygium is usually pink and fleshy and forms on the side of the eye nearest to the nose. Other than appearance, sometimes it doesn't have any symptoms, but some cases it can cause discomfort, burning, gritty feeling, itching, sensation of a foreign body in the eye and interfere with vision if the growth is allowed to continue.
This is just the second part of the surgery for Abeyta. During last track season, he had the first surgery on his right eye. "My parents wanted the surgery done during spring break, they said my right eye was in bad shape and had to be done. During track season, it put me out two full weeks of training and 3 week competition. I was finally able to compete again one week before my district meet which helped."
Abetya was able to get back in shape enough to survive district, area, and regionals. By time he was done with the UIL season, he had won the 5A 1600m state title in a 4:17.29 PR. "Winning state was a true blessing, considering I was out three weeks in the middle of the season with eye surgery. I finished second at regionals but my dad who is my summer track coach told me that I just needed extra weeks to train to get back. My Hanks High School Coach David McKinney did a great job preparing me. I thought I would have a good race, but before I went out my dad pulled me aside and said I was going to win. I just went out and gave it my all. Once again a true blessing. Soon after, Abeyta ran at the Great Southwest Classic where he placed fifth in the mile and second in the 3200m against some of the nation's best runners.
Months after the first surgery, the other eye still had to be operated on. "I just got my left done in August, thats why I missed the first two weeks of this season. The two weeks I had off because of the surgery refreshed my legs a bit after summer track. I was hungry to get back out there. I had a great time this summer training with my friend Brandon Seagreaves from El Paso Catherdral who's the TAPPS 6A state champion. We had awesome summer practices together.
Perhaps either the time off, the workouts with Seagreaves, or both paid off, because Abeyta went for a 15:42.15 at the Rudy Alvarez Invitational in his first meet. Last year, at the same meet he went 16:15.00. "I am ready for this season and my coaches Coach Gomez and Coach Delk have really pushed me and the team very hard. I came out and ran a 15:42 over 30 seconds faster than what I ran on that course last year."
Coming into this sophomore season, Abeyta is trying to top what he was able to accomplish last season. "I had a great experience my freshmen year competing against some of the best the city and the state had to offer. Coming from running middle it was definitely a huge challenge. I thought I would do well, but to say I thought I would be on the podium at state would have been a bit much. It was my goal to medal at state but there are so many great runners that I knew I had my work cut out for me, it was blessed last year."
With a state medal from both cross and track state meets, he is definitely one of the El Paso area's top runners in the present and the future. "I feel honored to represent El Paso and the West Texas area. There is so much talent our here that I will have to be at my best week in and week out." Now that the surgeries are over, "I think I'll be better because I wont have my eyes so irritated all the time and wont be burning like before. I still have to wear sunglasses anytime I'm out in the sun but ill get used to that.
