USATF U20 Outdoor Championships
Caudillo's Performance Highlights Cal Poly's Showing at USATF U20s
6/13/2024 7:30:00 PM | Track and Field
EUGENE, Ore. — Chris Caudillo, Kalia Estes and Ben Lammers capped off strong freshman seasons for the Cal Poly track and field team this Wednesday and Thursday at the USATF U20 Championships in Eugene.
Competing at the University of Oregon’s world-renowned Hayward Field, Caudillo had a solid showing in the men’s 1,500-meter, placing fifth overall with a time of 3:48.26. Caudillo led for roughly 1,100 meters of the race, but was passed by Michigan’s Trent McFarland (first, 3:47.39), BYU’s Carter Cutting (second, 3:47.43) and Oklahoma State’s Ayden Granados (third, 3:47.91) in the closing moments. The performance finished off a remarkable freshman campaign for the Clovis, Calif. native.
This year, Caudillo became the first athlete in the history of the Big West to be named the Big West Men's Freshman of the Year in both track and field and cross country. He ran a lifetime best of 3:41.68 in the 1,500 at the Oxy Invitational on May 4 to punch his ticket to the NCAA West Prelims and surpass the U20 qualifying standard of 3:45.0. The time was also the sixth-fastest in school history.
Estes took 12th in the women’s 400 hurdles with a time of 1:01.45, .70 seconds off her personal best. This season, the Mukilteo, Wash. native posted a PR of 1:00.75 in the 400 hurdles during prelims at the Big West Championships, .08 seconds off No. 10 on Cal Poly's all-time list in the event. She went on to capture second place at the conference meet in her true freshman season, scoring 8 team points to help the Mustang women secure their second Big West team title in program history.
Lammers earned 18th in the men’s javelin (162 feet, 1 inch). The Portland, Ore. Native recorded a lifetime best in the javelin of 196-6 at the Mark Conover Classic this season and took seventh in the event at the Big West Championships to score 2 team points for the Cal Poly men, who captured their first Big West title.
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