They qualified by finishing in the top five of their respective events at the AAU Region 18 Qualifying Meet at Chisholm Trail High School in Fort Worth June 25-29.
“Overall, we did outstanding considering we have a lot of new runners to Mach I this year,” head coach Lupe Torres said. “It’s hard to advance to the Junior Olympics in your first year. That shows how much hard work the athletes really put in to be able to accomplish this.”
Leading the qualifiers was two-time national 3000-meter race/walk champion Josh Fink, who won the Boys 15-16 age group with a time of 15 minutes, 25.30 seconds. He moved up in age category after back-to-back national titles in the 13-14 division.
The athlete who qualified in the most events is Emmy Strathmeyer, who advanced in three events in the Women’s 17-18 age group.
Joining Fink at nationals once again will be his younger sister, Jenna Fink. She won the Girls 9-10 race/walk, clocking 11:02.88 and was second in the Girls 10 1500 run with a time of 5:58.
Also winning gold this past weekend were Malachi Dolan, Boys 10, 1500, 5:25; his older brother and former national champion Gannon Dolan, Men 17-18, 3000, 9:17.59; and Strathmeyer, Women 17-18, 3000, 11:39.64.
Other silver medalists were Miguel Martinez, Boys 8-Under, 800, 2:47.33; Strathmeyer, 2000 steeplechase, 7:48.69; and Cole Bettger, Boys 15-16, 3000, 9:37.10.
First-year competitors who qualified are Martinez, Reis, Elijah Lawrence (Boys 8-Under) and Nate Favela (11 age group).
Amateur Athletic Union Region 18 Qualifying Meet
At Chisholm Trail High School, June 25-29
Top five finishers in each event qualified for AAU Junior Olympics, July 22-Aug. 2 in Houston
Running distances in meters, field events in feet and inches
Mach I results
Males
8-Under
800: 2. Miguel Martinez, 2:47.33; 5. Elijah Lawrence, 3:00.56; 8. Ryker Reis, 3:12.20; 11. Liam Romero, 3:16.24.
1500: 3. Martinez, 5:46; 4. Reis, 6:11.
Long Jump: 9. Reis, 8-01; 11. Romero, 7-11.
Age 10
800: 6. Malachi Dolan, 2:45.63.
1500: 1. Dolan, 5:25.
Age 11
1500: 5. Nate Favela, 5:46.
3000: 3. Rafael Favela, 13:03.49.
Age 13
800: 8. Tryg Meshell, 2:29.03.
3000: 3. Meshell, 11:06.
15-16
3000 Race/Walk: 1. Josh Fink, 15:25.30.
1500: 4. Cole Bettger, 4:21.
3000: 2. Bettger, 9:37.10; 6. Fink, 10:09.45.
17-18
1500: 5. Gannon Dolan, 4:15.
3000: 1. Dolan, 9:17.59.
Females
9-10
1500 Race/Walk: 1. Jenna Fink, 11:02.88.
800: 7. Fink, 2:57.39.
Age 10
1500: 2. Fink, 5:58.
15-16
800: 8. Ella Persky, 2:34.01; 14. Victoria Lawrence, 2:43.13.
17-18
2000 Steeplechase: 2. Emmy Strathmeyer, 7:48.69.
1500: 3. Strathmeyer, 5:23.
3000: 1. Strathmeyer, 11:39.64.
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