Chery and Tuohy Achieve U.S. Top-5 Finishes at Armory Hispanic Games for North Rockland

North Rockland juniors Claudel Chery and Ryan Tuohy delivered standout performances at the Armory Hispanic Games on Saturday, finishing 1-2 in the Boys 2-Mile Invitational. Chery’s winning time of 9:19.51 ranked him third in the nation, while Tuohy’s runner-up finish at 9:20.99 placed him fifth.

The 30th Armory Hispanic Games featured over 300 schools, showcasing some of the best athletes in the Northeast. Chery and Tuohy entered the race as early favorites, and they did not disappoint. The race was a thrilling back-and-forth as the teammates exchanged leads eight times. In the final lap, Tuohy surged ahead, but Chery fought back, crossing the finish line just ahead of his teammate.

Chery acknowledged that while the result was satisfying, he didn’t quite meet his time goals. Despite not reaching his desired time, Chery remained optimistic, crediting his performance to his mindset in the final lap. “I always love the last lap. I feel like a whole new person,” he said, noting how he often finds a second wind when it counts most. He also credited Tuohy for his role in his success: “Ryan’s been with me the entire time. I wouldn’t be here without him. This is my brother right here.”

Chery added that he has big goals for the season, looking to redeem himself after a less-than-ideal Cross Country season. “I’m looking to win a lot of national events. I’ve got big goals for myself this season.”

Tuohy, while content with the race, shared that his focus was on the competition itself rather than the time. “We’re both looking to go faster, but I’m happy with how we worked together,” he said, reflecting on their strategy of pushing each other throughout the race. The duo’s friendly rivalry has been a constant motivator in their training, especially in the last two laps. “We try to stick together until the final stretch, and then it’s time to race,” Tuohy added.

“We’ve got big goals. We were disappointed with our Cross Country season, but we’re looking to finish strong this year,” Tuohy said. With their national rankings, both athletes are favorites to watch this season on the national level in the event.

Senior Darwin Almonte was another standout performer for Rockland at the meet, competing in the 55m hurdles Gold division. In the preliminary rounds, Almonte clocked a time of 7.57, earning a spot in the finals. Despite a strong field, he finished second in the finals with a time of 7.53, just outside his personal best of 7.51.

Reflecting on his performance, Almonte acknowledged that he struggled fully carrying his speed over the hurdles. However, he wasn’t disappointed with the result, saying, “I’m not mad about it; I just didn’t execute the way I wanted.” While not a personal best, Almonte ranks 17th nationally for the event.

Looking ahead, Almonte has his sights set on breaking the school and state records set by former Rockland athlete Emanuel Joseph, with the ultimate goal of becoming number one. Joseph set the New York indoor state record in the 55m hurdles with a time of 7.21 seconds in February 2020.

As part of Rockland’s 4x200m and 4x100m relay teams, Almonte is part of a group with high expectations. The 4×200 relay team competed at Nike Nationals, where they were crowned national champions. We’re aiming for a 1:26.0, and at our best, we should be able to hit 1:24.0,” he explained. The team’s mindset, as Almonte put it, is simple: “Our goal is just to win, same for the 4x100m relay. The mindset is always just winning.”

Almonte also competed in the Gold-seeded 200m event, running a time of 22.06 in the preliminaries to secure a spot in the final. In the final, he posted a time of 22.54, finishing seventh overall.

In the preliminaries, two of Almonte’s national relay teammates, Javon Lawrence and Jaquan Johnson, also showcased their talents. Both athletes had just come off successful football seasons, with Lawrence earning Defensive Player of the Year honors and Johnson being named Offensive Player of the Year. Lawrence ran a time of 22.47 in the 200m prelims, while Johnson clocked 22.54.

Lawrence and Johnson also competed in the Gold 55m Dash, where Lawrence ran a time of 6.79 and Johnson ran 6.61 to qualify for the final. In the final, Johnson ran 6.59, securing a fifth-place finish, which added to Rockland’s impressive showing at the meet.

Looking ahead, the performances at the Armory Hispanic Games serve as a strong foundation for Rockland’s track team. With their eyes set on even bigger goals, these athletes are poised for an exciting season ahead.