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Photo Courtesy of Carlos Nazario

By Selene Raj

Earlier this month, a Tamarac teen competed in the Amateur Athletic Union Jr. Olympics, scoring a gold medal.

Alexi Arocho, an 8th-grade student at Parkway Middle School Magnet Program for the Performing Arts, competed in the 13-year-old female shot put and discus, receiving a medal for placing fourth in the discus, and second overall in the shot put.

Her first throw in the shot put event was her personal best, at 32.77 m, which brought her to the finals, and she beat her record once more, throwing 35.04 m.

Since the Sunshine Games were canceled this year, the medals went to the Florida competitors—and Arocho received the gold medal for being the top finisher in Florida.

At home, Arocho is a member of the Lauderhill Cheetahs Track Club; however, since they weren’t competing, they allowed her to compete with her former team, the Broward County Roadrunners.

“[Alexi] is very dedicated to whatever she does and is sure to succeed in whatever field she decides to enter,” said Carlos Nazario, her pride-filled uncle.

Her uncle shared with Tamarac Talk how proud he is of her on and off the field.

“Alexi is a high-energy, friendly, and helpful person—She is very well-liked wherever she goes,” said Nazario.

In addition to competing in athletics, she is also the vice president of her school’s Theater Association, treasurer of the Thespian Club, and hopes to make it to Broadway someday.

She also hopes to make it to the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.

These competitions were part of the 54th Annual AAU Junior Olympic Games that took place at Satellite High School this year, from August 5 to August 8.

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Author Profile

Selene Raj

Selene Raj is a writer and a Florida International University graduate. Born in Trinidad and raised in America, she completed her Master's in Mass Communications in 2020, and has been living in Coral Springs since 2004. She is passionate about the communities she lives and works in and loves reporting and sharing stories that are as complex and meaningful as the people who live in them.