By Denise Ross

VERMILLION, SD —Nineteen-year-old Kiko Mendoza has easily won
four state cross-country titles during his four years of high school. That's not
to say he didn't work hard. Those close to him will tell you Kiko works very hard when the situation calls for it. But when this gifted young man decides
to do something, like win a state cross-country meet, he finds the goal well within his grasp.

“Running, that's the sport I've excelled at the most. My body was made for running,” Kiko says matter-of-factly. “I think if I would have put more time into another sport, I could have been pretty good at it. It's just that I put more time into cross-country and track.”

Kiko recalls running his first distance race in the fifth grade at Little Wound school. “One day they were going to run the mile at an elementary or
junior high meet. We didn't have nobody for the mile race, so I jumped in it,” he said.   

(Read more in the Fall 2009 Issue…)