BY JON R. LaFOLLETTE | STAFF WRITER
DONNA — Vince Castillo wanted to take things slow this year. He got his wish, albeit due to different circumstances.
The Donna High senior track star, and back-to-back UIL champion in the 300-meter hurdles had the season mapped out: coast through the races prior to the district meet, achieve peak form in time for the state meet and a shot at a third-straight gold medal.
And while Castillo is in Austin this weekend to do just that, the path was anything but easy. He tweaked his right hamstring during a race at Judson in March, which meant nearly a month of no track activity – a precautionary move to avoid further injury.
“Sometimes injuries do happen and you have to figure out a strategy of how you’re going to make the season happen,” Castillo said. “Me and my coaches and trainers, we put one together and it’s paid off very well. Since then I’ve taken my races very slowly, good enough to just (advance to the next meet) and bye more time each week. That’s what we did.”
Castillo says he feels “100 percent” heading into Friday’s race. But at the district meet earlier this season in Donna, Castillo felt unusually anxious before the starting gun.
“I was nervous,” he said. “I was more nervous about how I would feel, not about the race. The race is the same. It’s always the same. It was more about how I would feel during the race.”
Indeed, the race is always the same for Castillo, at least in terms of the results. To witness him ascend the 36-cenimeter hurdles it to experience a premier talent. Earlier this season at the Winter Relays at PSJA Stadium, coaches and athletes alike paused their race-day routine to watch Castillo cruise to an easy win in 40.33 seconds. With a margin of victory at nearly three seconds, the meet served as a mere practice session.
Castillo made it look easy once more at regionals on May 2 in San Antonio when he placed first in 37.92. Though the margin between Castillo and third place was less than one second, the numbers didn’t pass the eye test. Near race’s end, Castillo slowed his pace and stutter stepped to make for better jumps while the competition tried in vain to perfectly hit their marks in stride. The race resembled a bunch of junkyard cars toiling to keep pace with a corvette on a Sunday stroll.
Castillo is one of 28 hurdlers in UIL history to win multiple titles in the 300, a feat unmatched by other Texas hurdling standouts Robert Griffin III and Jamaal Charles. Should Castillo win a third-straight crown, he will become just the sixth Texas athlete to do so. Castillo’s three-peat would carry more significance, however. No Class 5A hurdler has won three straight, and those who already have ran at times slower than Vince’s gold-medal run from last year (37.01).
But with class realignment and the addition of Class 6A, Castillo’s competition has changed.
“I think it’s good that it’s changed because new athletes come up every year,” Castillo said. “If you’re at the state level in the state of Texas, you’re one of the best. I want to go up there and prove that I am still the state champ and win again.”
Castillo enters the race with the sixth-fastest seed time, and it less than a second off the fastest time (36.95).
“Right now, my competitors are just names on paper and times on paper,” Castillo said. “Everyone is really close. I think who ever runs the cleanest race and who wants it more. Who every performs the best will win. This is the closest competition race I’ve ever been in. I know the top athletes are going to come out to run. I think I should be good.”
With the hamstring injury, Castillo and his coaches are still making up for lost time, even on the eve of a run at history.
“We’re still about four weeks behind schedule,” coach Hugo Cervantes said. “Normally (Vince) runs seven meets before the district competition. This year he’s only run seven races. We’re still trying to coach his steps and adjust his jumps based on that.”
The injury concerns forced Castillo to withdraw from the 110-meter hurdles, which he qualified for at regionals. Castillo says he’s more comfortable with the 300 anyway.
Although another gold medal would be nice, Castillo is aiming for history in more ways than one. During his final race as a Redskin, he’ll look to set the all-time Valley record in the 300. The current record of 36.46 was set by Randy Bermea of Harlingen High. Castillo owns the second-fastest time of 36.71.
“Even if I get second at state but break the Valley record, that’ll just be another victory for me,” Castillo said. “This is what I’ve worked hard for. This is what I want.”