SEGUIN, TEXAS - Seguin senior
Christian Ramirez has a goal to make the 2024 U.S. Paralympic Track & Field
team, but this week he is focused on the UIL State Track & Field meet at
the University of Texas on Friday.
Ramirez enters the State championships as the #2 seed in the 100m Wheelchair division and he has the top qualifying time in the 400m Wheelchair division. He posted times of 17.56 in the 100m and 1:01.60 in the 400m at the Region IV meet at Heroes Stadium a week ago and has his goal is to win gold in both events although he would admit that the 400m is his favorite and best event. He wants to post times of under 17 seconds in the 100m and 58 seconds in the 400m.
Ramirez started wheelchair racing in the seventh grade when his coach in middle school, Saul Mendoza, encouraged him to try it. Ramirez currently works out six times a week and follows the normal training schedule of any other 400m runner on the Seguin squad coached by Lisa Almarez. He said one of the toughest things about wheelchair racing is that people do not understand how long it takes to adapt to the track and the equipment that the racers use.
Ramirez will be entered in all three wheelchair division races at the State meet. In addition to the 100m and 400m, he will take part in the shot put. Over the past two meets, he has raced against Ephraim Tonn-Bourg of Boerne Champion and the two have put on four excellent races at the Area and Regional meets. Tonn-Bourg won both matchups in the 100m and he won the first 400m race, but Ramirez won the latest 400m race. They will not have a chance to race again since Tonn-Bourg will be competing in an archery competition in an effort to make the U.S. Paralympic team.
One of the biggest differences between the Regional and State meets for Ramirez will be that eight lanes will be in use rather than the two that have been used the past two meets. He will be in Lane 6 for the 100m right next to top seed Sammy Haynes of Manvel. Haynes posted a time of 16.85 at his Regional meet. In the 400m, Ramirez is in Lane 5 and his winning time from the Regional meet is 2.50 seconds faster than any other competitor.
Ramirez is scheduled to throw the shot put during Friday's morning session that begins at 9 a.m. and then he will compete in his races during the evening session that begins at 5 p.m.