Racing with heart: Keiarra Martin breaks course record, honors family and community

By Robert Bettis
Navajo Times

WINDOW ROCK – With a big heart and a reason to win, Keiarra Martin, a sophomore at Whitehorse High School, set a new course record at the Stewart Foster Invitational on Tuesday.

The young runner from Montezuma Creek, Utah, who is of Hopi, Navajo, and Zuni heritage, finished the 3.1-mile course in a time of 19:22, breaking her own record set last year.

Martin, who clocked a 19:59 at last year’s Invitational, took first place in this year’s event with a stunning 37-second improvement. The race, held in Huntington Lake, Utah, drew the best 1A high school competitors from across the region, but it was Martin who stole the spotlight.

Martin holds family dear to her heart, and gives credit to her dad, Trevor Martin, as her first and foremost coach who trains her during the off-season. “Her dad is everything to her,” says her mother, Toni.

Keiarra Martin wears a blue and yellow ribbon on her uniform to honor her younger sister, who was born with Down syndrome when she was in the third grade.

“I feel proud and grateful to be a role model to all the little runners in my community,” Martin said in an interview after the race. “My younger sister copies everything I do. I want to set an example for what she can do by showing her what I can do.”

Her achievement not only solidifies her status as one of the fastest athletes in her division, but also highlights her authentic values of family, community, and pride.

The runner, known for her open heart, loving nature, and strong work ethic, has become an example to many, and an exceptional role model to other young athletes in her community.

As Keiarra continues her high school running career, all eyes will be on her next move, with all of us wondering just how far she can go.