Carlos Angulo steps up to the starting block, takes a deep breath, and waits for the start of the race. At the signal, he’s off the block in the blink of an eye, racing ahead of the pack.
Since last May, Angulo has been training and racing for a shot at the track at the Hershey Nationals in Hershey, Penn.
Angulo, 12, won not one, but two gold medals last May, qualifying him for the Northern finals in San Jose. There he took first place in the 200- and 400-meter races.
After this event, Angulo had to wait for the results of the other races in Arizona, Hawaii, Nevada, and Utah to find out if his time was good enough to send him to Nationals.
Apparently, it was more than good enough: He beat out the contenders from the other states.
On Aug. 3, Angulo will make his way to Hershey, where he’ll compete in the 200-meter race against seven other contestants from the United States and Canada.
Angulo practices one to two times a week at Righetti High School or Hancock College with coaches Nicole Wilbert and Monte Nash, both of whom used to compete in track. He trains for the 200- and 400-meter races, though he also competes in relay races.
Angulo said his best time for the 200-meter is 26 seconds, while his fastest time for the 400-meter is one minute and two seconds.
For the upcoming Nationals, Angulo said he’d be training a little more so he can be fully prepared for the event.
He first started running track three years ago, after being inspired by one of his physical education teachers.
“I like running,” he explained. “You can do it when it’s hot, when it’s cold, when it’s raining. You can do it all the time.”
Angulo, who plans to continue running track through junior high and high school, said he’s won more than 10 races so far in his career.
“The training, the coaches, and getting first place are my favorite parts of track,” he said.
While he also plays soccer, he confirmed that he likes track more because it’s more for individuals.
“My mind is set to run my best, and when I win, I feel on top of the world,” Angulo said.
This article appears in Jul 28 – Aug 4, 2011.
