“To all freshmen, not only in Yonkers but in the country, put in the work and don’t give up!!”
Anthony Cruz
By Derrick Touba Jr.
It’s been an amazing debut season for Anthony Cruz. As a freshman for The Yonkers Public Schools Track Team he’s proven to be a standout performer setting the teams freshman 600m record 3 different times. However, on Wednesday he outdid himself qualifying for New Balance Nationals in the freshman division.
On Wednesday, February 1, 2023 the Yonkers Public Schools Track Team competed at the Section 1 Novice Invitational. While not a novice athlete in any sense of the word, Cruz competed in the 600m in his last chance to qualify for Class AA Championships and extend his season. Cruz achieved greater than that, finishing second with a time of 1:34.60, not only becoming eligible to compete at Class Championships, but surpassing the 1:35.10 time needed to qualify for New Balance Nationals. The event will be taking place March 10-12 at The Track at New Balance in Boston, Massachusetts.
When asked about the moment Cruz said “I got off the track hopeful that I beat my time and I saw the team run to me yelling you did it Cruz, you made nationals. I was overjoyed and proud” New Balance Nationals doesn’t actually hold a 600m race, they use a conversion which enables runners to compete in the 400m dash through individual 500m or 600m times. Therefore Cruz will compete in the quarter mile at the event. His best individual 400m this year is 58.46. Cruz joins teammate and captain Ben Domingo as qualifying for the meet this season.
Cruz has large aspirations within track and field and wants others to know even though they may be young, they can still achieve greatness. “I don’t plan on stopping anytime soon because nationals is the first of many accomplishments I’m trying to achieve. To all freshmen not only in Yonkers but in the country, put in the work and don’t give up!!” Cruz concluded as a final message.
Cruz will next compete at Class AA Championships on February 13th at the Armory NYC in Manhattan.
