Photo courtesy of Ed Largaespada
Two Mountain Brook-area youth track and field athletes turned in strong performances at the 2026 USATF Junior Olympic Championships in Norwalk, California.
Mateo Largaespada won the national championship in the Boys 11-12 javelin with a throw of 43.77 meters (143 feet, 7 inches), breaking the previous age-group record of 41.95 meters set by Max Berger in 2017.
Ximena Largaespada placed seventh in the Girls 9-10 javelin with a throw of 27.07 meters (88 feet, 9 inches), a mark that earned her All-American recognition.
Both athletes train in the Mountain Brook area under their father and coach, Ed Largaespada, and also travel to out-of-town clinics. They began competing in the javelin this season.
"These young athletes have demonstrated that world-class results are possible right here in Birmingham," he said. "Their dedication and coachability made this possible. This is just the beginning."
Both athletes plan to continue competing on the USATF and AAU circuits next season.
