This week, Cal Poly standout Aidan McCarthy rode the momentum from his 7th-place finish in the 800m race at the NCAA Nationals in May all the way into the USA Track & Field Championships in Eugene, Oregon.
In the third heat, the First Team All-American captured second in the 800 meter with a time of 1:46.6 — just .34 seconds short of his personal best. Overall, the time was the fourth fastest run out of 32 runners who competed in the first round.
Clayton Murphy, a bronze medalist in the 800m at the 2016 Olympics, won McCarthy’s heat posting the fastest time in the first round meanwhile the 2023 NCAA Champion Georgia’s Will Sumner was second fastest.
McCarthy will compete in the semifinals in the first of two heats on Friday where the top three finishers in each heat along with the next two fastest times will advance to the 800 final Sunday, June 9.
Bender looking to finish strong
Former U.C. Santa Barbara All-American Hope Bender is also competing in the week’s USA Track and Field Championships in the heptathlon.
With still three of the seven events to do, Bender is currently in 11th place after day one.
Bender place second in the USA Indoor championships earlier this year.
Before becoming an assistant coach with UCSB, Bender won six Big West titles en route to a pair of All-American honors in pentathlon and heptathlon.
In 2018, she placed 4th at the NCAA National Championships in the heptathlon.
