COLLEGE TRACK AND FIELD: Wranglers’ Araujo chasing a national title

The way length runner Jose Araujo carried himself stood out when he was currently being recruited to Odessa Faculty by monitor and industry head mentor Rachel Keylon.

He was committed to difficult work, even when he observed himself battling at techniques or competitions.

Following seeing Araujo run a handful of times at Permian, Keylon found his determination to catch the runner in front of him and was sold.

Araujo, a 2018 Permian graduate, signed on to run for the Wranglers and is generating a identify for himself.

The Odessa native will contend in the three,000-meter steeplechase at the 2021 NJCAA Division I Men’s Out of doors Keep track of and Discipline Championships in Levelland on Wednesday.

He is the initial Wrangler to advance to the countrywide monitor meet up with in 8 years, Keylon mentioned.

Araujo just about superior to the countrywide competition as a freshman at Odessa Faculty, but he skipped the qualifying mark by about ten seconds. He only competed in a single meet up with during the 2020 time ahead of every little thing was shortened or canceled for the reason that of COVID.

Now in his 3rd yr with the method for the reason that of the pandemic, Araujo sought out to arrive at new heights and shorten his race time.

He skilled for this year’s countrywide meet up with in February when he ran the steeplechase in nine:26.02 at the Hardin-Simmons Invite in Abilene.

“This yr it was type of like a redemption issue for him,” Keylon mentioned. “It was amazing to look at him appear back and just go out and assault.”

Araujo’s monitor and industry beginnings go back to when he was a seventh grader. He didn’t acquire up the activity until he was 13 years old immediately after hoping his hand at other activities.

The runner mentioned he felt a blend of excitement and nerves when he realized he experienced skilled for the largest competition of his athletic profession.

Just before the countrywide meet up with, Araujo was on the lookout to improved his kind, speed and psychological fortitude.

Variety is the most significant component of competing in a race like the steeplechase, Araujo mentioned.

“The functioning section is just the functioning,” he mentioned. “It’s the kind, acquiring in excess of the hurdle thoroughly and acquiring in excess of it rapidly.”

By keeping his fundamentals, Araujo can prevent a reduction of time immediately after he clears the road blocks in his path. The steeplechase race consists of 7 laps, with 5 limitations for every lap, together with a water soar.

Araujo’s emphasis on fundamentals started out at Permian, exactly where Mentor Hilberto Ochoa taught him how to continue to keep paces. People capabilities have translated to the collegiate level.

“[Ochoa] would set up cones all in excess of the monitor and we’d have to strike a sure time at those people cones,” Araujo mentioned. “Now I just try out to strike that imaginary cone at the very same time.”

Keylon has noticed Arujo boost leaps and bounds considering the fact that he initial stepped foot on the monitor at Odessa Faculty. His progression consists of shaving down his time in the 5,000-meters, 8,000-meters and steeplechase races.

Araujo has also developed as teammate.

“It’s been genuinely entertaining looking at him expand as an athlete,” Keylon mentioned. “He’s a single of the most effective teammates that I could request for on my crew.”

At the countrywide competition, the head mentor would like to see Araujo depart every little thing on the monitor. She’ll even have him back to the auto immediately after the race is carried out, as extended as he gave it his all.

“There’s no subsequent meet up with, there’s no subsequent issue on our record,” she mentioned. “I never want him to have any vitality still left.”

Araujo believes qualifying and competing in an party at the countrywide level can assist open doors for him down the line. He would like to display other individuals what he’s able of and how difficult he worked to get exactly where he is.

The runner will continue to keep his approach simple when commences his race at South Plains Faculty.

“Just go out there and run,” Araujo mentioned. “One hurdle at a time.”

>> Observe Chris Amaya on Twitter at @OA_CAmaya