De Anza track and field placed 12th in men’s and 14th in women’s during the 3C2A State Championships.
Held at the College of San Mateo, the event took place from May 16 to 17. The possibility of winning was deemed as an improbability.
“We didn’t have enough athletes to podium,” said James Estrella, 19, business and economics major.
Strong winds ranging from 24 to 32 mph during the events on May 17 proved to be another obstacle for the athletes’ performance.
Notable standout Estrella competed in three events, scoring in the men’s 10,000-meter run and the men’s 3,000-meter steeplechase.
Genesis Mailangi, 18, kinesiology major, participated in four events, placed in three and scored 11 of the women’s team’s 17 total points.
“I’m just grateful to be here because I think I was the only female thrower to make it to all four events,” Mailangi said. This marked Mailangi’s first time at a state event, prioritizing beating her personal record and overall improvement.
“These metals don’t really mean anything if I’m not progressing,” Mailangi said.
Wade Tsang, assistant throwing coach, said that Mailangi and the rest of the team have grown over the season.
“It could be the weather, it could be the amount of people that are there. Whatever it is, she’s done really, really well and bounced back really strong multiple times,” Tsang said.
The men’s 3,000-meter steeplechase had the most De Anza athletes performing in one event. Estrella, Diego Ochoa-Mendez, 20, accounting major and Luis Folkers, 20, psychology major, all lined up together, Estrella placing second.
Folkers injured himself warming up for the event.
“I was lucky I had the trainers around me to wrap it right before my race,” Folkers said. “That made it just bearable enough that I could run the race.”
Although injured, Folkers decided to run and finish the race, placing 12th. Folkers said he was proud of the fact he pushed himself to crawl up the barriers to continue.
“It wasn’t the best race, it wasn’t the prettiest, but I was really happy that I just finished,” Folkers said.
The state championships mark the last track and field event of the season, as well as the end of Sean Gwi’s first year as interim head coach, with a high likelihood of the team returning to state next year.
