Interview with El Paso Eastwood senior Alan Barragan
While there were lots of highlights this weekend in the world of Track and Field, there were some athletes that stood out amongst their peers. El Paso Eastwood's senior Alan Barragan. Barragan has been sprinting into this season on a mission. He is already knocking on last year's PR in the 100m and has already broke his previous record in the 200m with a time of 22.32 seconds. In Texas he is currently ranked #34 in the 100m and #51 in the 200m. When asked about what motivates him to work so hard he spoke about the relentless dedication of his coaches. "They put in mad hours and spend more time with us than their families sometimes," Barragan said of his coaches. He also attributes his work ethic and dedication to his team by what he described as a family oriented atmosphere. Their ability to keep each other focused and always having fun is what pushes their team to the limit. In an event where every inch and second count, he is sure to make waves in the upcoming weeks. See the video below for our interview with Alan.
Interview with El Paso Bel Air senior Sol Saenz
On the girls side was El Paso Bel Air's Sol Saenz. Saenz is a returning senior that is a dedicated distance runner who spoke well of her team and what it means to push yourself no matter the obstacle. She proved that when she was able to grit her way through heavy winds to edge out a very talented runner in El Paso Eastwood's Meadow Ortiz. While El Paso athletes are no strangers to these conditions, PR'ing or coming close to these times are very difficult to do. The race started out with some of Eastwood's top runners leading the way for the first three laps. Saenz wasn't about to let them slip away as her experience as a senior distance athlete played a big role in maintaining a smart distance from the girls ahead of her. Coming into the last lap she managed to pull into second place and at the last 100m she kicked her way into a first place victory. Part of her success is attributed to "her team being able to pick her up when she needs it" to help her stay motivated and focused. Below is Saenz's very wind filled interview.
