Still has the Drive at 85 Los Lunas native competing in multiple sports

LOS LUNAS — Ross Aragon was a three-sport athlete at Los Lunas High School in the 1950s, but not a “star” three-sport athlete.

Aragon, called Sonny by friends and family, competed in track and field, football and basketball.

“But I rode the bench,” Aragon said. “I was very small. I graduated (in 1956) at 5-feet, 5-inches and 115 pounds.”

So, how did Aragon, 85, develop into a premier age-group athlete?

“The year after high school, I grew seven inches and gained 90 pounds,” he said.

With that, Aragon made up for lost time in the athletic world.

“I just competed from that point on,” Aragon said.

Aragon soon found success in the ring, with New Mexico Golden Gloves, on the handball court and against athletes from the University of New Mexico and other colleges while representing the Albuquerque Track Club.

An elbow injury seemingly put an end to Aragon’s track and field career, but after a 30-year break, it was time to rekindle his love for the sport.

“When I turned 50 and became a senior (citizen), that’s when I started back up again,” he said. “By then, my elbow had healed.”

That allowed Aragon to resume participating in a string of events, including discus and, his favorite, javelin.

“I had the national (javelin) record,” in the 70-75 age category, Aragon said, plus, “I have seven state records — 50-meter dash, javelin and discus” in different age groups.

Aragon, the New Mexico Male Senior Athlete of the Year in 2011, grew up not far from Raymond Gabaldon Elementary School in Los Lunas, with his future wife, Lenore Maestas, not much more than a discus-throw away. The couple still has property and relatives in Los Lunas, with Albuquerque now their home.

“I think he does great,” Lenore said, while standing across the street from what was LLHS but is now Los Lunas Middle School.

Lenore proudly mentions that Sonny had perfect attendance in all 12 years of school, an indication of his persistence.

While not a competitor herself, Lenore helps during practice by making sure Sonny doesn’t scratch.

“I put my foot down where he is, so he doesn’t cross over” the line, she said.

The workout routine has been consistent — lifting weights three days a week while practicing his events twice a week. The results, as Aragon approaches his 86th birthday, have been consistent as well.

There were three gold medals in October at the Huntsman World Games in St. George, Utah (javelin, discus and long jump). In June, Aragon captured four more titles (discus, long jump, javelin and softball throw) at the New Mexico Senior Olympics State Summer Games in Las Cruces.

When asked if he gets sore or worn out from all the activity, Aragon answers, “No, not really because I stay in pretty good shape.”

The LLHS graduate says he’ll continue training and competing, “Until Jesus comes. It keeps me healthy.”

Other area athletes also won championships at the New Mexico Senior Olympics Summer Games.

• (80-84) Phillip Gregory, Los Lunas, first in shot put, discus and high jump

• (75-79) Raymond Thomas, Bosque Farms, first in men’s pickleball singles

• (70-74) Debra Lente-Jojola and Glorida Analla, both from Isleta, first in shuffleboard doubles

• (65-69) Shirley Jojola, Isleta, and Cena Fragua, Jemez, first in shuffleboard doubles

• (65-69) Ramona Montoya, Isleta, first in 500-yard freestyle swimming

• (60-64) Joyce Jojola, Isleta, first in softball throw

• (60-64) Terry Romero, Los Lunas, first in women’s table tennis singles

• (60-64) Terry Romero, Los Lunas, and Summer Losson, Las Cruces, first in women’s table tennis doubles

• (55-59) Richard Zamora, Bosque Farms, and Deborah Ortega, Belen, first in pickleball mixed doubles