The Junior Olympic dream has ended but the memories made along the way will last forever.

Hot Springs rising seniors Daniel Slonaker and Ben Aldridge competed in the USATF Junior Olympics National meet at Cerritos College in Norwalk, California last week, representing their community, and the state of Montana quite well, while enjoying a memorable experience which included visiting and exploring Los Angeles, attending a Dodgers baseball game and swimming in the Pacific Ocean for the first time.

Capping an amazing spring and summer of track and field – first competing for Hot Springs High School and then for the Mountain West Track Club – Daniel and Ben competed in one individual event each in Norwalk (Slonaker in the 100 meters Thursday and Aldridge in the 400 meter hurdles Wednesday), and joined Oliver Owen and Hunter Cadena of Missoula in the 4x100 meter relay Friday, going up against some of the best athletes from all over the United States in all events.

Running for Mountain West, Slonaker and Aldridge had qualified for nationals by earning placing spots in the Region 11 USATF Junior Olympic meet in Pocatello, and in the Montana Junior Olympic meet in Butte, earlier this summer.

Aldridge registered a time of 1:01.21 in the qualifying trials of the 400 meter hurdles in Norwalk and Slonaker ran his heat of the 100 meters in 11.39 seconds.

Teamed with Owen and Cadena, Aldridge and Slonaker helped the 4x100 meter relay time out in 42.94 seconds for 22nd place among the 36 teams entered from across the country.

Ben and Daniel helped lead the Savage Heat to a string of track and field success this past spring, to third place in the District 14C meet, to first place in the Western C and to third place again in the State C.

    RUNNING MAN Daniel Slonaker hits high gear competing the 100 meters in the USATF Junior Olympics National meet in Norwalk, California Thursday. (courtesy photo)
  

    READY TO PASS ON the baton, Ben Aldrdidge looks to hand off the stick to Hunter Cadena during a trials heat of the 4x100 meter relay in Norwalk, California Friday. The Mountain West relay squad, which Daniel Slonaker was also a member of, completed the 400 meters in 42.94 seconds. (courtesy photo)
  

    SHOWN TAKING IN a major league baseball game, Hot Springs student athletes Ben Aldridge and Daniel Slonaker enjoy the surroundings at a Los Angeles Dodgers game they were able to attend during their USATF Junior Olympic meet stay in California last week. (courtesy photo)