 He achieved his first success at senior level for Venezuela that year.He won the long jump title at the 2003 South American Championships in Athletics held in Barquisimeto, was fourth at the CAC Championships, and jumped his best of the year at the Pan American Games, taking the bronze medal with a mark of 7.98 m. His senior global debut followed at the 2003 World Championships in Athletics and he finished 11th in his qualifying round.Castillo cleared eight metres twice in May 2004, first with a jump of 8.03 m in Mexico City and then a personal best and Venezuelan national record of 8.34 m in Cochabamba.