Speed Ratings Spotlight: La Joya Palmview Inv.

San Juanita Leal (5) gets ready to compete at the UIL 6A state championships in the 1,600m

Photo Credit: Chance Kirby/MileSplit TX

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There were many larger races throughout Texas last weekend, but the highlight of the week comes from the relatively small La Joya Palmview Invitational last Saturday.

Though Sharyland's Valdemar Meza led the top-rated RGV Boys team to victory at the small Palmview Invitational last weekend, all eyes were on San Juanita Leal of Edinburg North. With two monster wins (by 85 and 160 seconds) already showing she was racing in the high 130s for speed ratings, I was interested to see if she would take a race 'off.' Instead, whereas many of San Juanita's competitors ran slower speed ratings or adjusted times, compared with previous efforts, she posted a tremendous speed rating improvement of six points. Her margin of victory was astounding, over three minutes.

With one of the top marks in the nation, Leal is now ranked 2nd o...