Track and field gets underway on day two of the 2026 Desert Challenge Games
Track and field took center stage on day two of the 2026 Desert Challenge Games at Arizona State University’s Joe Selleh Track at Sun Angel Stadium.
At the athletes’ village located just next to the track, the contenders and their friends, family and coaches gathered together under square tents to fight the Arizona sun, already blasting the field like it had something to prove by the time the warmups began for the wheelchair races. Despite the heat, the mood everywhere was beatific, with athletes happily heading to or from their challenges.
Back there in all that shade, under all those tents, babies gamboled, dogs panted in the grass, and 80s music blasted in the shadow of fans and water coolers the size of VW bugs. Many of the athletes hugged the fence separating them from the track to watch their fellow athletes giving ’em hell in the bright sunshine. Looking at them, it would be impossible to miss the sheer age range of competitors at this year’s Desert Challenge, ranging from 7 to 81.
U.S. Navy veteran Julius McManus, 51, expressed surprise upon discovering that Paralympic gold medalist Daniel Romanchuk was among his competitors in the 800-meter wheelchair dash.
“The breadth of experience here, from very first time competitors to Paralympians, you couldn’t ask for a better agenda,” McManus noted.
On the infield where the throwing contests were underway, the heat was pierced by big powerful grunts, high yelps and piercing war cries as athletes hurled thudding shot puts and, later, imposing discuses and javelins into the sun.
“Stay smooth, no muscle!,” shouted one massive competitor in encouragement as another athlete whirled his torso and flung the heavy metal ball. “No muscle, all technique!”
McManus agreed that it was the learned technique and not sheer brute strength that won the day for the throwing events: “If we try to muscle it out, you’re gonna end up throwing it like a baseball. You’re gonna miss all the nuance of the technique.”
Francis McCabe III, 14, agreed that technique was important, “but if you have really good power and good technique, that would probably be best of all.”
“This is real,” said McCabe’s coach as he handed him the discus, signifying that practice was over and this one was for the record.
“Let’s go Francis! I wanna hear a war cry!,” said one of a group of Francis’s fans from the stands.
After his final throw, McCabe said of the Desert Challenge, “It’s really organized.”
“And hot,” the Las Vegas, Nevada native added.
Beyond the heat, all present seemed to also agree that the Games had been a pleasure so far.
“This is my first year at Desert Challenge. This is my first time coming out this far west, and it’s an absolutely beautiful venue,” McManus said. “The people have been incredible. The host city volunteers have been absolutely amazing.”
Saturday’s action continues with the conclusion of the track and field competition and the swim competition opens at Williams Field Pool in Gilbert, Ariz.
Visit the Arizona Adaptive Sports website for full results.