2025-04-30T00:03:00Z

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Alivia Rivera-Norman is poised to make a significant mark as she prepares to leave her high school track career behind. This year, she stands at the threshold of redemption as she gears up for the prestigious UIL State Track and Field Championships, where she will compete in the Girls 100 meter hurdles. Her goal? To exit her high school journey on a high note with a stellar performance this weekend.

Last year, the talented Permian senior endured a challenging season, finishing in seventh place in the 100 meter hurdles with a time of 14.42 seconds. This setback was exacerbated by an Achilles injury that limited her performance. With that experience now in the rearview mirror, Rivera-Norman is determined to rewrite her narrative as she approaches her final race.

Its starting to hit me that this is going to be my last race of high school, but Im excited, Rivera-Norman shared, reflecting on the emotional weight of the moment. I feel like Im ready for it. Im ready to go out and prove myself this year because, coming off injury last year, I feel a lot more prepared and a lot more excited.

The injury that plagued her last spring forced Rivera-Norman to contend with additional challenges during her training. She spent a significant portion of her preparation for state in a protective boot. Being put in a boot, I thought my season was over, she recalled. But my doctor cleared me to run. Even then, I was just like, when Im sitting down, all these other girls are catching up. It was really just a mental game going into statea battle of will, pushing myself to run harder than I ever had before.

This season, however, has brought a sense of renewal for Rivera-Norman. She enters the championship meet without any significant injuries, feeling fully healthy and ready to compete. In fact, she believes she's clocked in faster times compared to last year.

For me, I feel like this has been a big season of growth, Rivera-Norman explained. Ive really learned how to push myself when its just me running. Thats one of the biggest challenges Ive facedtending to ease up when Im all alone. This season has truly fostered personal growth in terms of my character and my capabilities as an athlete.

Her hard work paid off when she clinched first place at the Region I-6A championships on April 19 in Arlington, completing the race with a time of 14.06 seconds. Its always good to get in front of people, and when you finally see youre ahead, you just hope to keep it up, she remarked, exhilarated by the prospect of returning to state. I really get this opportunity to run injury-free this time.

While Rivera-Norman is focused on her upcoming championship meet, she is equally thrilled about her future as a collegiate athlete. Earlier this year, she committed to run track at Liberty University, competing at the Division I level. Its an opportunity that not a lot of people get, she said, beaming with pride. All the time, effort, and countless weekends Ive invested in this sportit all feels like its finally paying off. Ill get to run at the next level, and I get to do it for free.

In addition to athletics, Rivera-Norman has academic aspirations. She plans to pursue a degree in biomedical science and aims to become an EMT first responder. Her commitment to both her studies and her sport underscores her dedication and ambition.

Her coach, Jasmin Torres, has an optimistic outlook regarding Rivera-Normans progress this season. Weve been working on explosion and getting out real quick while maintaining that speed throughout the race, Torres noted. She is an incredibly coachable athlete. Working with her has been a great blessing, as there are not many like her.

Rivera-Norman is scheduled to race at approximately 5:45 p.m. on Saturday at the Mike A. Myers Stadium and Soccer Field at the University of Texas at Austin. As she steps onto the track, all eyes will be on her as she strives for a memorable conclusion to her high school career.