Medina Heads to Hobbs for Nationals Debut
Freshman Omar Medina qualified last month in shot put and will compete Friday as the first-ever Eagle to reach nationals in track and field
NWACC Track and Field will send its first athlete to the NJCAA Division I National Championship Friday when freshman Omar Medina competes in shot put.
The championship meet runs Thursday through Saturday at the campus of New Mexico Junior College in Hobbs, N.M.
Ranked eighth in the country with a 52-foot, 11.5-inch distance (16.14 meters) set April 24 at the John McDonnell Invitational, Medina is also the first NWACC Track and Field athlete to be ranked in the top ten in an individual event.
After throwing a 50-1 PR in high school with the Har-Ber Wildcats, Medina steadily improved over the course of his first season with the 16-pound collegiate weight. A 42-foot throw launched his NWACC career Feb. 28, then a marked improvement came in a third overall finish March 12, where he threw 47-5.75.
A 45-3 mark followed April 4 before another PR the following weekend at the Arkansas Spring Invitational April 11; his 51-10.5 was the best mark of his career regardless of weight and qualified him for the NJCAA Division I National Championship.
Medina continued to improve even further at his final regular-season meet of 2026, throwing a 52-11.5 in his second straight meet at the University of Arkansas April 24.
He sits three feet outside the top five, needing a 55-10 to match fifth-ranked Angus Alberts of Iowa Central CC's best this season. Iowa Western freshman Rajay Hemmings leads the nation, having thrown a 60-4.75.
Medina's shot put event kicks off from Hobbs at 1 p.m. Central (noon local time). Live updates will be available on Instagram @NWACCxctf.
