Former Lindsay High runner places 26th in national championship

TULARE COUNTY, Calif. (KFSN) -- A former Lindsay High School runner was honored on Wednesday for a major accomplishment over this past weekend.

McKaylie Caesar placed 26th in the nation at the recent NCAA Division 1 National Cross Country Championships Women's 6k on Saturday.

McKaylie graduated from Lindsay High in 2019 and now competes for the University of Utah.

McKaylie was born with underdeveloped lungs and had 60% brain damage as a newborn.

She hopes to run professionally but is majoring in childhood development with plans to one day work in education.

The City of Lindsay presented McKaylie with a proclamation for her accomplishments, as dozens came out to support her.

"It feels really great that my community is here to support me and they have always been here to support me throughout all of my college and even high school so i just feel super grateful and honored, and just thankful," says Mckaylie.

Also, honored and remembered today was McKaylie's former running teammate, Victor Cisneros, who passed away two years ago.

McKailey says Victor was like a brother so the loss hits close to home.

With every run and accomplishment, she keeps him close to her heart.

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