SerpApi.Org
Esteban Avena recently graduated from Alexander as one of the best track athletes Laredo has ever produced, and he's set to showcase his skills on the world stage.
Avena will compete at the 21st edition of the World Athletics U20 Championships from Aug. 5-9. He'll represent Mexico in the competition, which will bring roughly 1,700 junior athletes from nearly 200 countries to the legendary Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon.
"Representing Mexico at the World Championships is an honor I can’t put into words," Avena said. "Having the opportunity to represent my home country at the international level at NACAC was already an unforgettable experience, but now being able to represent Mexico on the world stage is truly something special. We have an incredibly talented group of athletes, and I believe we have what it takes to leave a lasting mark in Oregon."
Avena qualified for the U20 Championships after helping Mexico earn a third-place finish in the 4x400-meter mixed relay at the 2026 NACAC U18 and U23 Track and Field Championships at the Una Nueva Historia Sports Complex in Apizaco, Tlaxcala, Mexico. The event featured top youth and under-23 athletes from across North America, Central America and the Caribbean competing in combined events, race walking, and track and field.
The U20 Championships appearance will serve as a fitting lead-in to Avena's college career. He is set to compete for Division I Texas State this fall.
Avena, the 2026 All-City Middle-Distance Runner of the Year, put together a prep career to remember. This past spring, the 6A regional qualifier in the 400-meter dash posted the city-record time of 47.45 seconds. He won city, Border Olympics and District 30-6A titles in the event while helping Alexander claim its second straight district championship.
Last summer, Avena competed in the 400-meter dash in the under-18 division of Olimpiada Nacional CONADE 2025 in Tlaxcala as a member of the Institute of Mexicans Abroad delegation. There, he ran a winning time of 47.12 seconds to capture the Mexican national title and set a new record for his age division.
