Bakersfield College’s Alicia Torres holds the No. 1 ranking in the shot put for the Western State Conference.

Torres has been a major point scorer for the women’s track and field team in the shot put, discus throw and hammer throw.

“It’s great to know that my technique and my strength is just coming into play, and that I can just do my job and get points for my team,” Torres said. “It’s just really rewarding to get a good mark.”

The BC women’s team has been strong all season. Torres said she has great respect for her teammates.

“It’s great because it shows that more girls are getting into track and field and they are starting to do really well in their events,” she said. “It’s just awesome because we have some top girls in our league.”

Torres has been participating in track and field for many years, starting in the fifth grade. “You have to know what you want, and just go for it and put everything into it,” she said.

Her advice for those younger girls that are first starting out is to, “find what you are good at. Really focus and just know what you want to do with it.”

Torres has said that even from a younger age she was very tuned into what she wanted and hoped to accomplish.

“When I was younger, I knew I wanted to continue with track and field all the way up through college,” she said.

Torres is a positive role model for the younger girls that want to participate in track and field, where Torres felt growing up, the sport was more male dominated. It’s quite a change of the tide, with Torres and the women of the Bakersfield College track and field team leading their team toward success.

“To actually be in the Olympics, or even just to compete in the Olympic trial would be great,” Torres said.