Alamogordo Proud 86 Year Old Coach Bob Sepulveda Medals at Senior Olympics

The statewide competition for the New Mexico Senior Olympics Ernesto Ramos State Summer Games took place this last weekend at New Mexico State University with events running through Saturday, June 10.

One of Alamogordo’s participants to win several medals was Alamogordo’s own Bob Sepulveda. Coach Bob Sepulveda qualified for the National Senior Olympic Championships this weekend after competing and medaling in several events.

To newcomers in Alamogordo, the Sepulveda name is one well recognized statewide. Coach Bob Sepulveda was the winningest, Boys Track and Field Coach, in Alamogordo High School history, bringing home 4 state titles in a row, in the early to mid-1990s. The Alamogordo High School Track and Field is named in his honor.

At the New Mexico State level Senior Olympics, this year, Coach Bob Sepulveda personally competed in 5 events. 

What makes Coach Sepulveda an inspiration to Alamogordo and “Alamogordo Proud,” is he is 86 years old, and qualified for nationals in every event he competed in.

He competed in the over 80 age group, as one of over 600, total participants. He medaled as follows..

• First Place Medal in the 1500 Meter Race 
• First Place Medal in the 800 Meter Race 
• First Place Medal in the 200 Meter Race 
• Second Place Medal in the 100 Meted Race
• Third Place Medal in the 50 Meter Race 

Coach Sepulveda got to see many of his former students compete as well, including Alamogordo graduate, Lisa Valle, who won the 1500 Meter race in the over 50 age group.

Lisa Valle is recognized as an Alamogordo alumni, and record holder, who still holds the Tiger record in 2 girls events that dates back to 1983. Two of those records have yet to be broken. 

Coach Bob Sepulveda and Lisa Valle at the New Mexico Senior Olympics 2023 (AlamogordoTownNews.com)

Coach Sepulveda also ran into another of his award winning Alamogordo Tiger alumni, David Nunez. David was an award winning high school and collegiate level athlete. He has carried on the Sepulveda taught tradition of excellence, by also becoming an award winning High School Track and Field and Cross Country Coach.

Congratulations to Coach David Nunez at Organ Mountain High School. The New Mexico High School Coaches Association selected Coach Nunez as the 2023 Coach of the Year for Girls Cross Country. Coach Nunez will be recognized as the 2023 Coach of the Year by the NMHSCA, along with the NMAA, NMOA, and the NMADA on Saturday, July 22 at the Embassy Suites in Albuquerque. Way to go, Coach, you made Bob Sepulveda, and the Tigers, proud by carrying the Tiger traditions well beyond Tiger Country.

Coach Nunez and Coach Bob Sepulveda 2023 Senior Olympics (AlamogordoTownNews.com)

More than 600 participants competed in Las Cruces from all corners of the state and from the El Paso area.

Athletes competed in dozens of events. Athletes such as Lisa Valle, and Coach Bob Sepulveda, who scored well enough in their events, qualified for the National Senior Games, which will be in Pittsburgh in July.

New Mexico Senior Olympics is dedicated to providing adults 50 and older with opportunities for a healthy active lifestyle.

NMSO’s mission is to promote physical fitness for seniors statewide. 

AlamogordoTownNews.com and KRAZY KALHRadio.org via its “Alamogordo Proud” campaign celebrates the successes of former Alamogordo Alumni Lisa Valle and David Nunez.

We also celebrate and recognize the achievements of Coach Bob Sepulveda as an accomplished athlete, at age 86, showing the true spirit of “Alamogordo Proud.”

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