Caden Thurman of Wolfe City wins 3200 for fifth gold medal at state
May 3—AUSTIN — Wolfe City senior Caden Thurman claimed his fifth state gold medal on Friday morning, winning the Class 2A 3200-meter run at the University Interscholastic League State Track and Field Championships.
Thurman led all eight laps around the Mike A. Myers Stadium track as he won the 3200 by more than 25 seconds with his record-setting time of 9 minutes, 6.21 seconds. Taylor Warrick of Stockdale was second at 9:31.85 and Dwight DonJuan of Quanah was third with a 9:33.24. The Class 2A state record had been 9:22.03 set by Julian Acuna of Agua Dulce.
Warrick and DonJuan stayed close to Thurman on the first lap. Thurman led by two seconds after the second lap, by six after the third lap, by 10 after the fourth lap, by 14 after the fifth lap, by 20 after the sixth lap and by 23 seconds after the seventh lap.
Thurman displayed the No. 6 with his hands after finishing. It was his second state title in the 3200 to go with two in the 1600 and one at the state cross country meet. He'll be going after state title No. 6 later in the day.
His time was 24 seconds faster than his winning time of 9:33.92 in 2023.
He'll be trying for a sixth gold at 5:20 p.m. in the 800-meter run. He was the fastest qualifier in that event with a 1:55.70 to win the Region II-2A title. The next fastest of the nine state qualifiers is Jace Coleman of Rio Vista at 1:57.18. Six qualifiers ran under two minutes.
Jhoan Menjivar of Plains is the defending state champion in the 800. He won last year in 1:55.45. Coleman was second in 1:57.27. Menjivar qualified at region with a 1:58.23.
Wolfe City, which won the Region II-2A team championship in Springtown, also sent teams to state in the 4x100 and 4x200 relays. Wolfe City won the 4x200 relay (1:30.67) at region on the way to scoring 81 points at the region meet. Wolfe City qualified for state with the sixth-fastest time. Wellington leads with a 1:28.86 and Mason is second at 1:29.79.
The Wolves' 4x100-meter relay team finished second at region in 43.81. The Wolves rank eighth among the state qualifiers. Ropesville Ropes leads at 42.81 and Thorndale ranks second with a 43.18 time from region.
The Wolves' 4x100 relay race is scheduled for 5 p.m. and the 4x200 is at 6:40 p.m.
Jacelyn Neighbors and Jammel Ward of Royse City are to compete in the Class 6A division on Saturday. Neighbors earned her fourth trip to state by winning the Region II-6A pole vault with a clearance of 12 feet. Her sister Tierany Neighbors cleared 11-6 to finish third. Brooklyn Nalley of District 10-6A rival Rockwall-Heath also earned a trip to state, finishing second after also clearing 12-0.
Ward earned his first state berth after finishing second at region in the long jump, leaping 23 feet, 9 3/4 inches. Ward was second to Dakorien Moore of Duncanville (24-3/4).
The girls pole vault is planned for 3 p.m., with the boys long jump at 10:45 a.m.
Neighbors is the second seed of the state qualifiers with her mark of 12-0. Carla Angueira-Colombani cleared 12-3 at her region meet for the top qualifying mark.
Four other vaulters also qualified at 12-0 including Nalley from Heath, Aubrey Griffin of Round Rock Stony Point, Summer Wheeler of Lake Travis and Kayla Byrd of Katy Cinco Ranch.
Ward ranks sixth among the state long jumpers. Joseph West of Stony Point and Jayden Keys from Katy Tompkins lead at 24-4 3/4. Jackson Norris of Humble Atascocita ranks third at 24-1 3/4. Dakorien Moore of Duncanville and Kade Phillips of Fort Bend Hightower are next at 24-3/4.
Neighbors placed fifth in the Class 6A pole vault last year at state, clearing 12-6. She also cleared 12-6 to finish third in Class 5A at the state meet in 2022 and cleared 12-0 to place fifth in 5A at state in 2021 as a freshman. Her personal best height is 13-3.
