Barajas heading to Junior Olympic Nationals

Sebastian Barajas, a 2016 Hood River Valley High School graduate, is heading to the USA Track and Field Junior Olympic National Championships in Sacramento, Calif., July 25-31, where he will compete in the discus and shot put events. Barajas, a four-time 5A discus state champion who helped lead the HRV boys track team to the school’s first-ever track and field state championship spring, qualified for the national competition after having a pair of great performances at the USATF Region 13 Junior Olympic Track and Field Championships this past weekend in Seattle, Wash. Barajas placed first in shot put out of a field of 10 competitors with a throw of 60 feet, 10.75 inches. He did the same in the discus competition, placing first out of 13 throwers with a winning attempt of 186 feet. The top five finishers in each event qualified for the national competition. Also competing from HRV was Jonah Tactay, an incoming junior. He placed sixth in high jump with a leap of 6-6 and placed seventh in triple jump with an attempt of 37-9.5.