“It was either: I race, or my season was over,” Luis Peralta said.
The Oregon distance runner was battling a calf injury and had yet to achieve a qualifying time for regionals. After sustaining the injury at the Oregon Relays, Peralta was unsure if he’d have the opportunity to try and prolong his season.
On Thursday, one day before Oregon Twilights, he was given that green light to compete in the Men’s 800-meter run as a late addition to the event.
And on Friday, Peralta seemed unbothered by the injury.
While Oregon greats Cole Hocker and Matt Wisner flooded the 800-meter field, it was Peralta who stole the headlines. He won in a time of 1 minute, 49 seconds and 12 milliseconds, edging out Hocker and Wisner who finished in second and third place.
Peralta’s winning time secured him a spot in the regionals in Fayetteville, Arkansas.
Hocker held a slight lead around the final turn, but Peralta stuck with him and made his move coming out of the turn. Peralta took a stronghold on the race in the final 200 meters and closed the door on Hocker winning by a .03 second margin.
It’s rare to see Hocker concede a late lead. His pace helped Peralta to reach the qualifying goal
“I knew that if I was with him I was going to do my best,” Peralta said. “So I just stayed with him and got a regionals qualifier.”
Due to the calf injury, Peralta was unsure if he would compete on Friday. On the final stretch, however, it was the last thing on his mind. He honed in on the training that got him to that point and the goal that he wanted to meet.
“I just think about everything — the practices, the training, that I did. I’ve been here, I’ve done that, so you know just go.”
“‘Just go!’”
A simple sentiment, for someone who raced through an injury and outperformed two professional distance runners.
Last season Peralta fell one second under the Olympic standard time. That shortcoming helped motivate him to come back stronger this year and overcome the calf injury to qualify for regionals.
Although he wasn’t 100%, Peralta completed what he set out to do: earning a spot in the 800-meter regionals race. What remains to be seen: is if he’s healthy enough to compete in the race.
