Track and Field Metro Championships promise plenty of drama

It’s taken until May, but the metro area will finally have its first Gianna Rahmer sighting of the outdoor track season on Friday.

The Eldorado High superstar runner hasn’t competed in any outdoor events locally since the start of the prep track and field season. She competed in one meet in Clovis, and she competed in another meet last weekend in Santa Fe.

She has been nursing injuries relating to her hip and back, and her return to competition has been deliberately slow and gradual. She was a noticeable absentee at last weekend’s Richard Harper Memorial meet at Albuquerque Academy, but for good reason.

Rahmer, a multiple state champion on the track and in cross country, wasn’t qualified.

The time in the 3,200-meter run (her best event) she posted in Clovis was not enough to get her into the Harper — or even this week’s Albuquerque Metro Championships, which begin on Thursday.

She did not press the pace in Clovis, as it was her first run of the spring.

Hence, she won’t be running the 3,200 at metros this week.

But she will be running the 1,600 on Friday, at around 6 p.m. at Nusenda Community Stadium. She qualified with her time at the St. Michael’s meet last Saturday. She is listed as the top seed in the 1,600 at metros, just ahead of Albuquerque Academy’s Anna Hastings.

Rahmer as yet is not qualified for ANY individual event for state, which is in two weeks. She can qualify for state in the 1,600 on Friday or at Eldorado’s district meet next week. She’ll have to qualify in the 3,200 through the district meet. It is expected that Rahmer will run a leg of the 4x800-meter relay at metros, which is scheduled Thursday evening.

METRO TRACK: Speaking of metros, the last of them on the 2025-26 Albuquerque Public Schools calendar starts Thursday afternoon and continues through Friday night at Community Stadium.

Field events begin at 4:15 p.m. both days: eight on Thursday, six on Friday.

The running program on Thursday begins with the 3,200-meter finals at 5:15 p.m.

The only other running final Thursday is the 3,200-meter relay.

Every other final will take place Friday, with a 5:30 p.m. start for the running events.

The 13 APS varsity programs will be joined by Cleveland, Rio Rancho, Albuquerque Academy, Hope Christian, St. Pius and Bernalillo.

METRO GOLF: The boys Albuquerque Metro Championship is Thursday morning at Los Altos Golf Course. There is a shotgun start at 8 a.m.

Cleveland, Rio Rancho, Bosque School, Hope Christian and St. Pius join the 13 APS programs for the tournament.

James Yodice covers prep sports for the Journal. You can reach him at jyodice@abqjournal.com or via X at @JamesDYodice.