By Heritage Valley Blazers, Kenny Leighton

Ethan Leighton and Carlos Marin have both qualified for the USATF Junior Olympic National Championships in Savanah Georgia next week.

The T&F season has been a long one for these two athletes, starting in February here in Fillmore and culminating next week in Savannah GA.

Ethan who competes in the 13–14-year-old division will run in his favorite event the 800m, he is also scheduled to run the 4X800 meter relay with members of Valley United Striders out of Valencia.
Ethan has had a strong 800m season winning 5 of 6 league meets and placing 2nd in the Conference championships. Ethan’s post-season found him competing against some of the best 800m runners on the west coast, each week improving his time and gaining the experience needed to race in these large meets, lowering his personal best to a 2:11.09. Having qualified and receiving invites to the Nike Outdoor National Championships in the 400m and the New Balance Outdoor championships in the 800m. Ethan made the decision to attempt to qualify and take the USATF qualifying route which took him to Cerritos, Las Vegas and finally to Savannah. This will be his last race has a youth competing for HV Blazers, in the fall he will be attending St Bonaventure where he will run XC, Track and his first love acting for the Drama club.

Carlos, who competes in the 8U division and will be competing in the 1500m has had an equally successful year. The conference does not run the 1500m but rather the 1600m, he won 4 of the 5 meets and placed 1st in the conference championships. Once post season started Carlos moved to the 1500 where he competed against some of the west coast’s best 8u 1500 runners. Beginning his quest for a ticket to Savannah Carlos competed in Cerritos 3 times, at the West Coast Classic, the Jets invitational, and the USATF Association meet then to Las Vegas for the regional championships and ultimately getting that qualification to Savannah. With this being early in Carlos’s running journey with the Blazers his coaches are looking forward to continuing to help him grow and continue to be successful on the track.

Both Ethan and Carlos are also members of the Fillmore Condors Cross Country club, and both competed in the USATF Junior Olympic National Cross Country championships in December 2024 in Indiana with Carlos being a member of the team that took Overall 3rd place in the 8u division.
The Fillmore Condors are currently holding signups as they prepare for the 2025XC season.