Students compete in John Carlos Invitational Meet

Nearly 200 students raced to the finish line at Palm Springs High School Saturday.

The John Carlos Invitational Track Meet took place for the sixth year. Kids competed in running, jumping, and softball throwing, among other things.

Olympian John Carlos was the bronze-medal winner in the 200 meter at the 1968 Summer Olympics. After his olympic career, Carlos worked at Palm Springs High School, where he became involved with the Boys and Girls Club of Palm Springs.

It’s there he formed the track meet to introduce the sport to young kids of the Coachella Valley.

“Track and field is one of those things that really an individual sport rather than a team sport, so it’s really going against yourself and trying to beat your own time, especially from last year,” says Boys and Girls Club Palm Springs CPO Andrea Madrigal. “Everybody is having a great time, all the kids love this event, and every year it gets bigger and bigger.”

Carlos would normally attend the meet, but he is ill and sent his well-wishes to the participants.

All first-place winners from this event will go on to the state competition in Downey this summer.