Burnet High School senior Victor Aviles is making final preparations to fulfill a pursuit he’s had for awhile.
Win all three middle- distance state championships in the same meet.
He’ll get his chance Thursday, May 1, when he arrives at Mike Myers Stadium on the University of Texas at Austin campus for the Class 4A state meet.
Aviles is close, just like in 2024. But illness sidetracked him from his quest.
“After getting sick last year and not being able to compete in all three races as expected, Victor is more driven than ever,” middle-distance running coach Crystal Shipley said. “He is taking care of himself and working hard to stay healthy. He has waited an entire year to get this moment back – that is driving him.”
Most of the meets this season happened on Thursdays, the exact day of the Class 4A state meet.
The District 24-4A meet was Wednesday and Thursday, April 2-3.
Shipley noted the District 23 and 24-4A area meet was Wednesday, April 9, and the Class 4A Region III meet was Friday and Saturday, April 18-19.
“I don’t think the day of the week matters to Victor’s performance,” she said. “He has ran all three on many Thursdays with less rest, and on a Wednesday for the area meet. Workouts will be adjusted and he will be ready to roll as normal.”
Familiarity of the stadium, the routine surrounding the meet, and all the other nuances may be more helpful than the day of the week, the coach said.
“It definitely helps him prepare for what that stage feels like,” she said. “He has been there, he knows the feelings with being on that track, and he is more driven and prepared than ever.”
Aviles will step on the track at 9:45 a.m. for the 3,200 meters where he enters the race with the sixth fastest time at 9 minutes and 32.91 seconds. Canyon runners Lathan Lewter, Ryan Fernandez and Noah Cooper have the three fastest times at 9:26.41, 9:28.04 and 9:30.28.
The Bulldog enters the other two races with the fastest times: the 800 meters at 1:53.44 and the 1,600 meters at 4:20.31.
The other races won’t happen until after 5 p.m. Thursday. But Aviles knows how to take care of his body and ensure he is feeling his best when he returns to the track.
“He knows he hasn’t hit his top 3,200 time and while there are five faster times, they are within six seconds of his regional time,” Shipley said. “He is working hard every day to get that time down, and I don’t believe for a second that it will affect him not being the favorite in one out of three. He is the only one of those athletes entered in all three races and that alone says a lot about our Burnet boy. He is tough and he will fight in all three races.”
Jennifer Fierro publishes reports about area youth athletic events on her website TexasChalk-Talk.com. To send her a note, email fierrojennifer@ yahoo.com
