Storm Lake sprinter Garbieno Weno commits to Indian Hills

Storm Lake’s next elite track standard is heading to Ottumwa. Garbieno Weno, a senior at Storm Lake High School and one of Buena Vista County’s fastest recent athletes, has committed to Indian Hills Community College for cross country and track after a spring that ended with Class 3A medals in the 200 and 400 meters.

Weno’s state-meet finish gave the commitment added weight. At the 2026 Iowa High School Track and Field Championships in Des Moines, he ran 10.94 in the 100-meter finals, 21.60 in the 200 prelims, 21.89 in the 200 finals and 47.79 in the 400 finals. That 47.79 earned him the Class 3A silver medal in the 400, while his 21.89 placed him third in the 200 and brought home a bronze medal.

The closing stretch of his season showed why Indian Hills had to notice. At the May 8 Lakes Conference meet, Weno swept the sprint titles, winning the 100 in 10.77, the 200 in 21.93 and the 400 in 49.14. He had already advanced through the 2025 state qualifying meet in Sioux Center in the 200 and 400, then added a state berth in the 100 during the 2026 postseason, turning himself into a three-event threat with no clear weak spot.

His personal bests underscore that range. Weno’s top marks stand at 10.74 in the 100, 21.33 in the 200 and 47.79 in the 400, numbers that fit the profile of a runner built for the next level. Indian Hills is bringing him into an NJCAA Division I men’s track and field program based at the Ottumwa campus, where the Warriors finished third in NJCAA Region 11 this year and won six individual regional titles. The college also sponsors men’s and women’s cross country and track and field, giving Weno a place to keep developing as both a sprinter and distance runner.

For Storm Lake, the move says as much about the town as it does about Weno. A school that does not play under a big-market spotlight still produced a runner who can win conference titles, medal at state and land with a junior-college program competing at a high regional level. Weno also leaves high school with proof that he could impact more than one sport, including a career-high 20 points against South Central Calhoun on Feb. 12 and 16 points in a win over Sioux City East on Feb. 18. For younger runners and sprinters in Storm Lake, the path is now visible: local work can still lead to state medals and a serious college opportunity.