Methuen’s Darwin Jimenez was hungry for his shot at the best, to prove himself against the top college track talent the country has to offer.
Now, he’s an All-American.
In his first season running for track power University of Iowa, Jimenez surged to a sixth-place finish in the 60-meter dash at the NCAA Division 1 Track and Field Championship in a blazing 6.55.
“Becoming a D1 All-American means everything to me,” said Jimenez. “It’s a reminder of all the sacrifice, time and effort I’ve put into this sport from the time when I was in a Methuen jersey through junior college and now a Power Four D1 institution.
“I never imagined track would take me this far in the first place, so I wasn’t surprised about becoming an All-American, since my entire career I’ve been surprising myself and exceeding my own expectations.”
The 6.55 for Jimenez at Nationals was just behind winner Kanyinsola Ajayi of Auburn and Nigeria, whose 6.45 tied his own NCAA record and African record. Jimenez finished ahead of the next two placers from Penn State and Arizona.
The big day capped off a huge winter for the former Methuen High record-setter. Jimenez placed second in the dash at the Big Ten Championship (6.55) and scored wins at the Larry Wieczorek Invitational (6.56) and the New Mexico Classic in 6.52 — a personal record and the No. 2 fastest time in Iowa history.
“I definitely exceed all expectations this winter,” he said. “I was coming in with a 6.70 in the 60-meter, then had to train by myself until the start of the second semester to fully transfer into Iowa. I don’t think anyone was expecting me to run a Dominican national record and a top-5 time in the world at the time when I ran my PR back in February.
“To place sixth at Nationals was a great experience. I gained more experience and learned what it takes to be the best of the best. Even though I wasn’t satisfied, I couldn’t be upset because all indoor season I was exceeding expectations and molding a different narrative on who people expected to be in that final. ‘I wasn’t going to make it far in the NCAA,’ is what I would hear going around, but I never let that get in between me and my goal which is be an elite sprinter and a presence in the NCAA.”
It’s been quite a journey for Jimenez, who didn’t 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.
After graduation, Jimenez took a leap of faith, enrolling at Hinds Community College in Raymond, Mississippi. There, he was a member of the 4×100 relay that took sixth at the NJCAA Division 1 National Championship (40.51).
After one year, he transferred to JUCO track power Allen Community College in Iola, Kansas, where he delivered a 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).
That earned him his spot at Iowa.
“The transition from JUCO to a NCAA D1 school has been night and day,” said Jimenez. “The resources and the technology that I’m able to access here at Iowa, to the culture and community that are so invested in the sport of track and field, has been amazing. I’ve made some really good friends while also having top notch training here. I realized I could compete at this level last year at nationals, when I was beating people with full rides to Division 1 programs.”
There wasn’t much time for Jimenez to celebrate his stellar winter. The spring track season is already under way.
“My goals for the spring are going to be nothing different from my winter goals — which is make people remember my name,” he said. “I’ve been the underdog up until recently, and now that I’m here, I’m going to make everyone remember my name. I’m going to go into this season with an clear mind and no expectations on a certain time. I’m going out there and competing to the best of my ability with God along the way.”
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