Navajo Pine’s Curley sets new 3,200 state record
Navajo Times | Ravonelle Yazzie
Navajo Pine’s Galvin Curley leads the 1600-meter run during the New Mexico Class 2A state track and field meet in Albuquerque on Friday. Curley set a new state record in the 3,200-meter run with a time of 9:37.84.
ALBUQUERQUE
Most student-athletes head into state competition thinking about what they want to happen, but not Galvin Curley.
The Navajo Pine junior was used to finishing second to Hagerman High’s Martin Flores, who swept the 1600-, 800- and the 3,200-meter runs last season.
But Curley broke the streak this season, winning the 3,200 at the 2019 New Mexico A-3A track and field state championships over the weekend.
Curley ran a 9:37.84 in the Class 2A 3,200-meter final, breaking the state record, which was set by Penasco’s Isaiah Rodarte in 2016 at 9:49.52.
Curley said he got what he wanted.
“My goal was just to not let him win all the events,” he said. “And that’s what I did.”
The two ran shoulder to shoulder throughout the race, unbothered by the cold, wet and windy weather the first day of the state meet.
For more than half of the race, the two ran side by side but with about 200 meters left Curley made his move.
Curley said he had a strong start and he actually made the move mentally after the first 1,600.
“That’s what I wanted because last year, I took off too fast. I had no kick at the end,” he said. “This year, my goal was just pace off him until I felt like I was ready. And when I got to the second mile, I felt like I was ready.”
Curley passed Flores but anticipated he would remain close behind and he did.
“He’s a great athlete and I already knew what to expect from him, and that’s what he did,” Curley said.
To read the full article, pick up your copy of the Navajo Times at your nearest newsstand Thursday mornings!
Are you a digital subscriber? Read the most recent three weeks of stories by logging in to your online account.
Highway 264,
I-40, WB @ Winslow