Darwin Jimenez knew the gamble was great.
After two record-setting years of track at Methuen High, Jimenez decided to follow his new passion more than 1,500 miles from home, to run track in junior college — first in Mississippi, then in Kansas.
“I knew it was a leap of faith,” he said. “I had no idea where track would take me. Sure, I was doing well against Massachusetts opponents, but I didn’t know how I would do against college athletes from around the country. But I decided to take a risk and bet on myself.”
That bet has paid off in a major way, earning him a shot at the country’s premier college track talent.
Jimenez, the former Eagle-Tribune MVP, will next run track at Division 1 University of Iowa of the powerhouse Big Ten Conference.
“If you had told me two years ago that I would be going to run for a Power Four Conference school, after going JUCO, I definitely would not have believed you,” said Jimenez. “But I am so thrilled for this opportunity. It shows that goals are attainable. You have to work as hard as you can to get there.”
The road to big-time college track has certainly been a winding one for the speedster.
Jimenez had never run track until his junior year at Methuen High. One year later, in 2023, he was named Eagle-Tribune spring track Athlete of the Year, after breaking the area record in the 100-meter dash (10.61) and becoming the first athlete from Methuen to win a New England title in at least 50 years.
Track then took Jimenez far from Ranger Road, to Hinds Community College in Raymond, Mississippi.
“That was a culture shock!” he said. “It was really, really hot down there. Being that far from home was a real learning experience. But I also learned, in my first year of JUCO track, that college track wasn’t a fantasy. This was real, so I had to get to work. But I was running fast and doing well.”
During his time at Hinds, Jimenez was a member of the 4×100 relay that took sixth at the NJCAA Division 1 National Championship (40.51), and he ran a new personal record 10.25 in the 100, advancing to Nationals.
But after a year, Jimenez was on the move, transferring to Allen Community College in Iola, Kansas.
“During my freshman year at Allen I was introduced to coach Greg Franklin, who was then the coach at Butler (Kansas) Community College. I could tell that he was an amazing coach. Coach Franklin’s kids were at the top of the leaderboard, and he had sent a bunch of kids to Division 1 colleges. I decided I was going to go wherever coach Franklin was.”
Following the 2024 spring season, Franklin was hired as sprint coach for Allen Community College, so Jimenez followed him there.
“When I got to Kansas, it was in the middle of nowhere,” he said. “It was all farms and wind turbines. The closest city was two hours away. But I was there for school and track, and that helped me lock in and chase what I wanted. And coach Franklin is amazing. I wouldn’t be where I am without him.”
This past spring, Jimenez delivered a true breakout campaign. At the NJCAA Division 1 Outdoor Championship, he placed second in the 100 (10.38), fourth in the 200 (PR 20.82) and ran on the 4×100 relay that placed fifth (39.87).
Around the same time, major Division 1 programs started showing interest.
“Iowa reached out to my coaches,” he said. “Since coach Franklin has produced some great athletes that have gone to amazing schools like Tennessee and North Carolina A&T, they went to him. It felt natural. I felt ready. I visited Iowa, and once I got off the plane the mascot was waiting for me at the airport. It was crazy. That campus is in the middle of a mall, way different than JUCO, and the facilities are amazing. I can’t wait.”
But Jimenez knows he has plenty of word to do as he prepares to take on the best.
“It’s going to be fun,” he said. “Now that I’ve done two years at JUCO against some of the best athletes in the country, I feel ready to run against some of the best in the world. I’m going to work on my weaknesses, and make myself a more well-rounded athlete. I’m going to do whatever it takes to prepare, but I’m ready for it. I feel close to being able to contend.”
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