Zia Track Club sends runners to national meet

ALBUQUERQUE, NM (KRQE) – The Zia Track Club has been around since 2018 and has been continuously developing young New Mexico athletes since then. This year was arguably the club’s most successful year, as some of the fastest times ever recorded in New Mexico came from Zia athletes.

After a successful state meet, 55 children qualified for the regional championships in Aurora, Colorado, which begin on July 12. The state meet also saw the Zia Track Club set five new state records. Three records came from 13-year-old Anayjah Garza, while the other two were set in the 4×100-meter relay by the girls ages 11-12 and 13-14.

Both relay teams currently have the fastest time in the region. The 11-12 group also has the third fastest time in the country.

“It didn’t feel real, like we just put together this random 4×1 and didn’t think much of it, but in the end it was so big,” said 14-year-old Aliyah Mumba.

Because the club has so many high-performing athletes, training is more intense than in previous years. The girls have broken records in training and have become faster and faster over the course of the year.

“You know the old saying: iron sharpens iron, and that’s exactly what these kids are doing out here,” coach Cory Hall said.

“They push us to be better and we can do a lot together,” said Kiyah Cruz. “We’re basically like a family.”

Now that the girls have made it to the national championships, they will no longer just be running for the Zia Track Club, but also to represent the entire state of New Mexico. Athletes from the Land of Enchantment are few and far between at the national level, and Zia’s children hope to change that.

While the regional championships are the next stop for the Zia Track Club athletes, the ultimate goal is to make it to the USTAF national meet in late July on the Texas A&M campus. To qualify for the national championships, runners must finish in the top four in their respective discipline.

A GoFundMe campaign has been launched to support the relay teams for girls aged 11-12 and 13-14. The proceeds will go directly to the travel costs of the individual relay teams.