Roswell girl, 11, earns top-10 finish at Junior Olympics

When Abel Jauregui put a discus in his daughter Apollonia’s hand, it was really just to see if she liked it. He didn’t realize exactly how much his daughter, who was nine years old at the time, would take to it. Jauregui, affectionately known as Apple, now 11, put in the time and trained with her dad and the work paid off. Because last month, she placed eighth in the nation at the 2026 National Junior Olympic Track & Field Championships in Norwalk, California. Her long throw of 21.76 meters was enough to get her a spot on the podium at the end of the day. Apple’s success isn’t a surprise to her mother, Natalie Carrasco. “Apple is a hard worker who dedicates herself to whatever she is doing,” she said. Carrasco said it isn’t just her hard work that led her daughter to the podium; it is also her character. “Apple is a blessing,” she aid. “When the ‘Character Counts’ (program) began at her school, she was the first in her class to receive the award.” Jauregui, who is entering fifth grade at Gateway Christian School, won the local competition to earn her spot in the national tournament where she competed against 27 other athletes from all over the country — in the Girls 11-12 division. With the help of fundraising efforts led by Juliann Halvorson, a booster, and support from her brother Michael Apodaca and best friend, Kayli Aguilar, Jauregui and her family made the trip to California and came home with a top-10 national finish. Carrasco said Apple definitely intends to compete at the Junior Olympics next year and has been putting in time training at the Wool Bowl in Roswell. Paloma DeFord of California, finished first in discus with a throw of 34 meters.