[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 18 (Monday, February 1, 2016)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E81]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         HONORING CURTIS BEACH

                                 ______
                                 

                      HON. MICHELLE LUJAN GRISHAM

                             of new mexico

                    in the house of representatives

                        Monday, February 1, 2016

  Ms. MICHELLE LUJAN GRISHAM of New Mexico. Mr. Speaker, I rise today 
to honor Curtis Beach, a tremendous athlete from Albuquerque, New 
Mexico who has demonstrated some of the best qualities an athlete can 
have--sportsmanship, a competitive spirit, and the refusal to give up.
  Curtis, the eldest of two children, was born on July 22, 1990 to 
Jeana King-Beach and David Beach. At an early age, Curtis proved that 
he was destined to be a runner when he was chasing a horse named Lobo. 
Curtis went up to Lobo who promptly ran away, but Curtis gave chase, 
caught up to Lobo who ran off again, but Curtis refused to give up and 
kept running after Lobo. This continued for two hours without Curtis 
tiring.
  Curtis also started playing sports when he was young, but even then 
it was clear that his main passion was running. When he was five, 
Curtis tried recreational soccer. Jeana fondly recalls Curtis running 
back and forth across the field but not pursuing the ball. Jeana told 
him that he should try to score, but Curtis continued to run. Three 
years later Curtis joined the track club and has not stopped running 
since.
  From 2004-2009, Curtis attended Albuquerque Academy where he won 17 
individual New Mexico state high school titles in track and field. At 
the 2009 Great Southwest Classic in Arcardia Invitational, Curtis set 
the national high school decathlon record with 7909 points. Then, at 
the National Scholastic Indoor Championships in New York, in March 
2009, Curtis reached 4127 points in the pentathlon, winning the 
championship and ranking second all-time in the event. Later that year, 
he won the decathlon at both the Pan American Junior Games and the 
USATF National Junior Championships. DyeStat, a prominent track and 
field website, noted that ``[Beach] ends all doubt--he is the greatest 
US high school decathlete ever.''
  But Curtis was just getting started. Curtis enrolled at Duke 
University where in his freshman year at the 2011 NCAA Men's Outdoor 
Track and Field Championship, he finished second overall in the 
decathlon. This included a time of 3:59.13 in the 1500 meters which 
shattered the previous collegiate record and was the second-fastest 
1500 meters ever for a decathlon. As a sophomore, Curtis finished first 
in the heptathlon at the 2012 NCAA Men's Indoor Track and Field 
Championship with 6,138 points. Curtis also broke his own world record 
in the heptathlon 1000 meters with a spectacular finish of 2:23.63. 
Upon graduation, Curtis was a two-time All-American in the decathlon 
and a three-time All-American in the heptathlon.
  I would also like to commend the remarkable sportsmanship that Curtis 
displayed at the 2012 Olympic trials. Curtis had injured his elbow, so 
he lacked the necessary points to win the decathlon. But in the final 
event, the 1500 meters, Curtis' friend, Ashton Eaton, had an 
opportunity to set the world record in the decathlon. Recognizing this, 
Curtis paced Eaton and then slowed down to allow Ashton Eaton to win 
the event in which he set the world record. Not only is Curtis a world 
class athlete, but he is also a true role model. Curtis recognized that 
there is more in sports than just winning--team play and sportsmanship 
matter just as much and for this he was awarded the International Fair 
Play Award in 2012. Curtis also received the Athlete of the Year award 
in 2012 and 2014 from the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches 
Association National Field.
  Now that Curtis' illustrious college career has ended, he has turned 
pro. In September, 2014 he moved to Phoenix, Arizona, to train at the 
World Athletic Center with other star athletes from around the world. 
He made his professional debut at 2015 Azusa Pacific University and 
placed second. A month later, Curtis qualified for the Olympic trials 
which will take place later this year in July. If Curtis places in the 
top three he will qualify for the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, 
Brazil.
  Curtis is a fierce competitor, a tremendous athlete, and a rare and 
true model of sportsmanship. We are lucky to call him our own, and it 
has been a pleasure to watch his many victories. I look forward to 
watching his career blossom, and I will be cheering him on as he tries 
out for the 2016 Olympics.

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