Not only was Maxwell Garcon the top male track athlete in Osceola County this past year, but he was one of the best in the state — and now the nation.
The Osceola News-Gazette Boys Track Athlete of the Year had a sensational junior campaign –becoming the only county athlete to qualify for the state meet three individual events – the triple jump, long jump and high jump.
And when he got to the University of North Florida to complete, he did not disappoint.
Maxwell won the 3A Triple Jump title with a leap of 50’-0 ¾”, a jump that would have won any of the four FHSAA track classifications. He finished his meet by earning all-state honors in the long jump, where he placed fifth with a 23’-8 ¼” effort; while he also placing 15th (5-11 ½”) in the high jump.
Garcon did not slow down after states. Competing for Soldier City Track Club, Garcon participated in the Under Armour Track and Field High School Nationals at IMG Academy at the end of May and walked away with two championships, winning the triple jump (50’-10”) and the long jump (25’-0 ½”).
When it was all done, he was a top 10 finalist for Sports Illustrated’s Florida High School Track and Field Athlete of the Year.
“Few field athletes in Florida were as dominant across multiple events as Maxwell Garcon. The Soldier City junior established himself as the state's premier horizontal jumper, leading Florida in both the long jump and triple jump with personal bests. Those performances highlighted Garcon's rare combination of speed, power, and technical consistency,” the magazine noted. “Garcon cemented himself as one of Florida's most accomplished and versatile competitors in 2026.”
He moved on to New Balance Outdoor Nationals in Philadelphia where he reached the podium with an 8th place finish in the long jump and 4th place finish in the triple jump.
Garcon loves competition when the lights are brightest.
“I just get hyped up for the big meets,” the junior says. “To be honest I really wasn’t thinking about winning nationals and just wanted to reach the podium. But I always want to compete against the best and when I get around that level of competition it just seems to bring out the best in me.”
“Division I track programs across the country are all after him,” Gateway coach Tane Crossley said of his junior star. “He was our first state champion at Gateway and the sky is the absolute limit for what he can accomplish in the future.”
Those programs interested in Garcon include top tier teams like Texas, Florida, Miami, Florida State and Kentucky.
But for now, Garcon said just wants to improve heading into his senior year.
“I would like to win both the triple and long jump at states next year and improve my marks,” he says. “I’ll worry about the college stuff later.”
All-County Boys Track
Athlete of the Year: Maxwell Garcon, Gateway, Jr.
100 Meters: Santiago Ochoa (St. Cloud), Amir Davis (Osceola), Gabriel Lee (Celebration)
200 Meters: Lee (C), Davis (O), Jayden Taylor (SC)
400 Meters: Davis (O), Lee (C), Sean Nuzzi (C)
800 Meters: Brody Ansbaugh (SC), Carry Langston (Gateway), Luis Rivera (SC
1600 Meters: Rivera (SC)*, Ansbaugh (SC), Nick Gordils (G)
3200 Meters: Anderson Olea (G), Rivera (SC), Ansbaugh (SC)
4 x100 Relay: Harmony (Jamarious Billups, Jordan Fallon, Jonathan Quinn, Ethan Meyon)
4 x 800 Relay: St. Cloud (Ansbaugh, Rivera, Kaleb Rosano, Stanley Juste)*
4 x 400 Relay: Celebration (Mel Vonghrachanh, Nuzzi, Lee, Isaiah Rhuld)*
100 Meter Hurdles: Denzel Hawkins (SC)*, Tony Doss (O), Kasseem Shelly (C)
400 Meter Hurdles: Hawkins (SC)*, Vonghrachanh (C), Elias Torres (SC)
High Jump: Maxwell Garcon (G)*, Nate Thompson (SC), Ethan Santini (SC)
Pole Vault: Ethan Antle (G)**, Gabe Centano (Tohopekaliga), Ethan Prather (Harmony)
Long Jump: Garcon (G)**, Torres (SC), Antle (G)
Triple Jump: Garcon (G)***, Kasseem Shelley (C), Antle (G)
Shot Put: Jason Lewis (O), Dashawn Reese (SC), Mekhi Ealy (H)
Discus: Reese (SC), Ealy (H), Ryland Perez (H)
Javelin: Antle (G)*, Cam Rizzback (C), Jayden Rodriguez (SC)
*State Qualifier; **All-State Place Winner; ***State Champion
