Virgin Islands Olympian Eduardo Garcia made a triumphant return to competition this past weekend at the Greenville 5K. In his first race since representing the Territory at the Paris Olympics, Garcia placed 5th overall with a time of 15:08.
Garcia’s performance represented a major milestone in his comeback following two hip surgeries. For the first time since his procedures, he reported no discomfort—a breakthrough after months of limited training. ‘I had a great race in Greenville! This was a big step towards returning to running,’ Garcia said. His 15:08 finish not only signals renewed fitness but also positions him for a promising 2026 season.
Meanwhile, fellow Virgin Islands athlete Omar Simpson has been steadily building momentum in the 400m, showing consistency across two major January meets.
At the UAB Blazers Invitational in Birmingham on January 9, Simpson powered through the banked 200m track to finish 4th overall in 48.44 seconds. Just a week later on the 17th, he took on the flat 300m oval at the Vanderbilt Invitational in Nashville, placing 9th overall with a near-identical time of 48.42.
Two different tracks, two different challenges — and Simpson delivered on both. His performances show not only his adaptability but also his determination to keep pushing forward in a demanding event.
