ELAC trackster first to qualify for SoCal

SANTA BARBARA, CA — East Los Angeles College sophomore Cesar Santiesteban (Cathedral High School) remained undefeated in the shot put event with a lifetime record throw against mostly four-year university competition today, but garnered an even bigger win.

Santiesteban competed in his first-ever decathlon event at the Westmont Collegiate Classic / Jim Klein Multi-Events and vaulted into the SoCal Decathlon Championships according to ELAC Head Coach Louis Ramirez.

Santiesteban scored 4,716 points at the Classic, the 16th-most points in the state among CCCAA men.

In his first place finish in the decathlon shot put event, Santiesteban threw 48.66 feet outdistancing second place winner Jacob Rickman of Cal Poly, who threw 47.51 feet, and third place finisher John Proctor (41.01 feet) of Oregon’s George Fox University.

Santiesteban was in danger of not scoring in the discus throw after missing his first two attempts, but recovered on his last throw with a mark of 127.17 feet, a 2016 personal record. His final throw vaulted him from last to second place.

In the javelin throw, Santiesteban speared a throw of 156.86 feet. He placed fourth just ahead of fifth place winner Hayden Davisson’s (Oregon Linfield College) 151.74 feet.

This is the first year Santiesteban has competed in the javelin as well as well as several other decathlon events including the sprints and the pole vault.

The men’s track and field team, trying to produce other All-American candidates, compete in the Easter Relays hosted by Santa Barbara City College on Friday.

The hammer and javelin throws begin at 9 a.m. at Westmont College. All other events begin at 11 a.m. in La Playa Stadium at SBCC.

The SoCal Decathlon Championships will be during ELAC’s spring break on Tuesday and Wednesday, April 4-5, at Cerritos College. The top six place finishers qualify for the state finals in May.

submitted by Tadzio Garcia