Track and Field: Aguilar overcomes ailment to compete

CRANE Chris Aguilar has been ravaged by injury during his high school years.

The Crane senior had previous potential state qualifying track and field seasons ruined by a broken tailbone, a broken ankle and a broken foot.

So, when sharp stomach pains sent him to the emergency room and he was checked into a hospital recently, Aguilar thought another season was going to be wasted.

"I felt like it was another year taken away from me," Aguilar said, "but I had my mind set on overcoming it and not letting it set me back like the other ones."

It didn't.

Aguilar will represent Crane in the pole vault at the Class 2A UIL State Track and Field Championships in Austin this weekend.

But it almost wasn't to be - again.

After Aguilar spent the night of April 22 in the hospital, doctors wanted to move him to Fort Stockton to conduct some tests.

"I was pretty bummed," he said. "I didn't know how it would affect me, but I kept my mind on what I had to do."

When Aguilar explained to the doctors that he had the Region I-2A meet later in the week, they prescribed some medication for the pain and released Aguilar from the hospital at 3 p.m. April 23. Aguilar was at the Crane track practicing for his signature event by 5 p.m. that day.

While his dad drove to Abilene for the region meet on April 25, Aguilar slept most of the trip. After he arrived at the Abilene Christian University track, he went out and won the pole vault by clearing 14 feet.

"I can't say I was too happy with the height," Aguilar said, "but I am happy it got me to state. I still have a lot of room for improvement."

Doctors think that Aguilar has either an ulcer or a hernia, and he is taking medicine to control the pain and using ice packs.

After winning the region title, he was back in school the next week.

He also has been practicing with an eye on matching the state title that Chad Aguilar, his older brother, won in 2007 with vault of 15 feet, 6 inches.

"I feel there is a little pressure, just the whole back-to-back thing," Chris Aguilar said, "but he is always there to support me. My main goal is to keep the state title in the family."