Photo by Craig FritzTribune

Tribune

University of New Mexico runner Jarrin Solomon warms up at the school's track in preparation for the NCAA Championships starting Wednesday at Sacramento, Calif. Solomon, a La Cueva High graduate, qualified to compete for the Lobos in the 400 meters.

Photo by Craig FritzTribune

Tribune

UNM junior Jarrin Solomon dips himself into a icy bath at the school's training facility after a workout. Solomon's first love was soccer, where he starred at La Cueva. "It is kind of crazy how quickly all of this happened," Solomon said. "Now I love track."

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Four years ago, Jarrin Solomon didn't care about track.

La Cueva High soccer was his life.

"I just ran track to stay in shape for soccer, but I never really worked at it," Solomon said. "I just loved playing soccer. I never really wanted to run track."

But Solomon has sprinting prowess pulsing through his veins.

In what seems like the blink of an eye, Solomon has molded himself into an elite sprinter.

He is one of five University of New Mexico athletes who qualified for the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships that begin Wednesday in Sacramento, Calif. Solomon won the Mountain West Conference outdoor championship.

"It is kind of crazy how quickly all of this happened," Solomon said. "Now I love track."

Solomon's father, former UNM All-American Michael Solomon, encouraged his son to at least try track in high school.

"I didn't want to force it on him and just wanted him to do whatever made him happy," Michael Solomon said. "I loved soccer and was the one who encouraged him to first get involved with that, so I was happy he was playing the sport. Of course, it's great to see him doing so well as a sprinter now."

Jarrin Solomon was recruited as a three-time, All-State defender, drawing recruiting interest from North Carolina, but it never translated to a scholarship.

He enrolled at UNM, and track coach Matt Henry encouraged him to join the team as a walk-on.

"I decided to really give track a shot, and I really started to enjoy it," Solomon said. "I started to enjoy the training and competitive aspects of being a sprinter. Then I really just wanted to win."

The accolades didn't come quite as quickly as Solomon had hoped.

It took awhile for him to mold himself into college shape, but he turned to his father for advice and learned he wouldn't see results quite as quickly as he did playing soccer.

"I think he was a natural at soccer, but it takes a little bit more time and training to be really successful at the college level," Michael Solomon said.

The father often repeated advice he got from an old track coach. "If you keep putting money in the bank, eventually you'll have something to withdraw. That's true with track and any other sport. If you keep practicing and putting in the hard work, you will eventually see results," the elder Solomon said.

The results have been especially sweet this year.

Jarrin Solomon qualified for the NCAA regionals his freshman and sophomore years, only to hit a wall on the big stage.

"This year he really trained and was determined to get to nationals," Henry said. "He told himself no one was going to take his spot, and he really believed he belonged. And it's so important that you believe you can make it. Of course, it didn't hurt that he ran fast."

Solomon said he feels good about his chances of being successful at the national competition, going head-to-head with the best sprinters in the most high-profile event in track competition.

He trusts his coaches, his father's sage advice, his training and, above all, himself.

"I know it's going to be tough, but I haven't run my best times yet," he said. "I feel loose and I feel good. I feel like I still have fresh legs and some energy left because of the way I trained and prepared myself all year long. I think a lot of the other guys are going to hit the wall and run out energy when it counts."

Michael Solomon said making it to nationals already makes this a successful year for his son.

"He has improved so much, and he is on a great path for more success," the father said. "People always are comparing us because we both ran the same event, but he has broken one of my records at UNM. I'm very happy to say he has a lot more talent than I did, and it's been a lot of fun watching him compete."

After the nationals, Jarrin Solomon will look to keep following in his father's footsteps.

The elder Solomon was a two-time Olympian, representing his native Trinidad and Tobago in the 1976 and 1980 Olympics.

Jarrin Solomon has dual citizenship and trained in Trinidad last summer. He was an alternate for the national team last year.

"I really think I have a good shot of going to the 2008 Olympics with Trinidad," he said. "I had a really great experience there last summer and connected with the coaches. I love how they are so laid back but really competitive at the same time.

"It's really tough to compete for the United States in the 400 at the Olympics because there are so many people pushing for those spots. But if I had a choice, I'd still go with Trinidad because I love how the people there are so supportive of the athletes and take such pride in their work."

With rap songs by Dr. Dre and Bone Thugs-N-Harmony blaring from his iPod, Solomon said he is instantly ready for his next sprint.

And soccer is but a distant memory as he goes for gold.