The world’s most recognizable five rings represent countries, cultures, and people from all over the globe that come from all places, including the 915.

This Olympic year, El Paso had representation in both the Paris Olympic & Paralympic games.

Niesha Burgher and Ryan Medrano, among other athletes, had the honor of carrying the pride of El Paso through their participation in each respective event.

Both of which are Track & Field athletes, but where these two superstar’s stories diverge, is in who they’re representing.

Niesha Burgher, born in Saint Thomas, Jamaica, went to the Olympics by representing the nation after earning third place at the Jamaican Olympic trials in the women’s 200M race.

“Making the team, I was happy. Because that was the goal, making the team,” said Burgher. “Representing Jamaica, I just feel honored knowing that was something that I(‘ve) always wanted to do.” 

Burgher lived in Jamaica for 17 years, but after Western Texas College offered the track star a scholarship, Burgher moved to the United States to attend the institution in Snyder, Texas. 

After some time at Snyder, Burgher transferred to a program currently ranked top 20 in the entire nation, UTEP, which holds 21 National Division 1 titles.

The Miners are lucky to have Burgher be a part of their dominant team, and in return Track & Field assistant coach Rohsaan Griffin has offered nothing but remarkable support to the runner for both conference domination, and olympic contention.

“I’ll definitely say yes,” said Burgher when asked if she believes that UTEP has helped in her olympic journey. “Coming here to UTEP, I had a goal. I had a conversation with my coach, told him I want to make the Olympics, this is what I want to do.”

Burgher credits a large part of her Olympic success to coach Griffin. “I’m grateful for him. He guided me to be a better athlete in the sport, also off the track,” said Burgher. “I had to be calling him, he was not there. He was up, you know the time difference in Paris is crazy versus here.” 

And in her first ever Olympics, Burgher made it to the Semi-Final and bowed out with an impressive time of 22.6 seconds. 

She joins Paralympian Ryan Medrano going far into their respective global events.

Medrano’s late summer was quite busy. The former “Survivor” reality TV show star turned track runner headed to Europe to compete in his first ever Paralympics.

Ryan Medrano was born with mild cerebral palsy, so in Paris the Paralympian competed under the T-38 classification. Which is a track classification for athletes who have moderate coordination impairments in their lower trunk and legs.

Medrano came out of Paris blinged out. In both the 100M and 400M races the Paralympian claimed a silver medal, taking two pieces of the Eiffel Tower back home to El Paso.

“We have to push further than just a normal person. Everybody with a disability knows it, because we don’t try to walk around with a chip on our shoulder,” Medrano told NBC’s The Podium podcast.

Both runners brought extreme pride to the 915, and with the next games being hosted here in the United States, more local athletes will follow in their steps.

Sebastian Perez-Navarro is a staff reporter for The Prospector and can be reached at [email protected]