Watervliet's Melique Garcia's track and field career took an unexpected turn in high school. Garcia tore his ACL in football, and the state champion hopeful was sidelined due to injury.
Garcia was determined to get healthy and back into competitive shape in time for college. He was successful, and went on to have an illustrious career at SUNY Cortland, having been named a five-time All-American sprinter.
What You Need To Know
- Meliqué was a 5-time All-American at SUNY Cortland.
- He attended Watervliet High School, where he designed the basketball court floor that adorns his name and served as coach of its track and field team
- He will run for Honduras in the 100-meter dash on Saturday
- Competing in Paris, he said the hardest part about being away right now is that he misses his daughter
Garcia, 32, didn't think much about continuing his career in track until a year after he graduated and was watching the Olympics in Rio. He said through a laugh that he thought to himself, these times aren't that fast.
So his journey back to the sport began. Garcia's father is from Honduras, which allows him to compete. The hope was to be in the 2020 Olympics, but some of his paperwork was held up and he had to wait until 2024 in Paris for his chance of a lifetime.
Garcia says when he comes back to New York, he will likely continue training part-time in the U.S. and part time in Honduras.
He will run in the 100-meter sprint on Saturday in Paris.