Mason's Caden Klingelhefer wins state track gold, adds to Punchers medal stand

AUSTIN – Mason’s Caden Klingelhefer is used to his last name being mispronounced.

The name’s origin is German and roughly translates to “bell-ringer.” But at the UIL state track and field meet at Mike A. Meyers Stadium on Friday, Klingelhefer stood for state champion.

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Klingelhefer earned gold in the Class 2A 800-meter run with a time of 1 minute and 57.77 seconds in a dramatic photo finish for the junior.

“It’s like a fever dream,” Klingelhefer said. “I didn’t think I could do it, but I just wanted it more, so I got it.”

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Mason’s Caden Klingelhefer crosses the finish line first in the 400-meter run during the Class 2A UIL State track and field meet on May 15, 2026, at Mike A. Myers Stadium in Austin, Texas.

Klingelhefer said the group boxed him in during the first lap and he couldn’t make his push earlier. As the group cleared down the stretch, coming into the last 200 meters, he made his push and leaned to beat second-place Hamilton’s Colton DeLaGarza by .13 seconds.

“We all kind of ran a bad race,” Klingelhefer said. “We all kind of got boxed in … (the 800) is a weird race, but I came out with gold, so I can’t complain.”

Klingelhefer ran his best race at the Region IV track and field meet two weeks ago, setting a personal record 1:57.57 but came out with the silver medal behind Premont’s Haven Peña, who set the regional record with a time of 1:56.91.