El Paso Athletic Hall of Fame set to induct five members in 2026 class

Two living athletes, a coach, an official and a posthumous Olympic team runner will be inducted into the El Paso Athletics Hall of Fame in June. Triathlete Michael T. Baker, college All-American place kicker Steven King Azar, San Elizario cross country coach Cesar Hugo Morales, official Victor Maldanado and posthumous national-champion runner Paul Njoroge Kamau make up the newest class to the institution.

More: El Paso Athletic Hall of Fame announces, Class of 2021, including Times' Felix Chavez Michael Baker Baker won more than 100 age-group titles in triathlons and won 18 triathlons overall in a career that spanned more than 30 years. Steven Azar Azar was a three-time All-American at Northern Illinois and set 18 school records. Cesar Morales Morales coached San Elizario to six cross country state championships, including a four-peat from 2014-2017.

He is now the athletic director for the San Elizario Independent School District. More: Kendra Chambers Coleman thrilled for induction to El Paso Athletics Hall of Fame Victor Maldanado Maldanado was a career official in baseball at all levels for 31 years and also refereed football for 22 years. Paul Kamau Kamau, who passed away in 2024 at the age of 74, was on the Kenyan Olympic team in the 100 and 200 meters in 1976, the Olympics that Kenya and most African nations boycotted.

Kamau was part of two national championship distance medley relay teams at UTEP. The induction banquet is set for June 24 at El Paso Community College. Bret Bloomquist can be reached at bbloomquist@elpasotimes.