Featured Athlete: Andrea Leyva-Montiel

Grade: 10 | Sport: Track & Field

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Andrea Leyva-Montiel

Sophomore Andrea Leyva-Montiel follows in the footsteps of her sister, Gaby, in her fourth year running.

Wingspan: How long have you been running and what got you started?

Leyva-Montiel: “I’ve ran for four years this will be the fourth. Well, since elementary school I’ve always enjoyed playing tag and I was always part of that running group i guess. Once I entered middle school my coaches saw that I was pretty good at both long distance and sprinting so they made me do cross country and from there I went on to track and that’s how it all started.”

Wingspan: How did summer track benefit you?

Leyva-Montiel: “This is the first year that I’ve tried summer track it was a huge improvement for me honestly. If you have the right coach, I think it really does affect the way that you sprint and the way that you run. They focus on your form, and your technique which makes a big difference. Those are things that I’ve really improved on.”

Wingspan: What fuels your passion to run?

Leyva-Montiel: “I think it’s just the sport itself. When I spring I don’t even think, I just do it. When I’m on the track, I have all of the adrenaline and the fuels me.”

Wingspan: How did you know Track was the sport for you?

Leyva-Montiel: “I just like running and general I think that you just know when you find what you like and that’s what I did.”

Wingspan: Who inspires you the most to succeed?

Leyva-Montiel: “Having my sister run cross country and track before me, she is a senior. So I thought maybe I should try it too. I guess I kind of followed her footsteps, but my family in general we love sports and we’ve always been involved in them. Also Olympic runners like Usain Bolt, Allyson Felix, and Carmelita Jeter. You see all of these people who have started from nothing and look at where they are now. it’s inspiring.”

Wingspan: What is something you struggle with?

Leyva-Montiel: “Probably having my mind in the right place and have a positive mindset.”

Wingspan: What disappoints you the most about your sport?

Leyva-Montiel: “This goes down to relays. It’s hard when you’re in a team sport and the runners that you’re with don’t have the same passion or don’t understand the sport the way you do. There might be clashing because of the way they view the sport. So it can be hard to all get on the right track.”

Wingspan: What is something that keeps you motivated?

Leyva-Montiel: “I think just knowing that my family supports me and that I have my friends and my teammates that I run with.”

Wingspan: What makes you energetic before a race?

Leyva-Montiel: “The girls in track are probably the most exciting people you will ever meet, they are always hype. I think having that positive energy really distracts you from all of the negative thinking you have before a race. I think that they just make me feel so much better.”

Wingspan: What is something that you want to improve on?

Leyva-Montiel: “I definitely want to improve on my form. That’s something I’ve been trying to so since last year. Also just being a good teammate in general.”

Wingspan: Can you explain your mentality before a race?

Leyva-Montiel: “Before a race I usually don’t talk to a lot of people. I’m not nervous but I’m very focused. I just go in my own little bubble.”