CHARLESTON – Madison “Maddie” Althaus was excited but anxious about her opportunity to compete at the IHSA Class 1A Girls State Track and Field Meet on Thursday, May 22 at Eastern Illinois University in Charleston.

The sophomore had been there a year ago with the 400-meter relay team, but never by herself.

Entering the 400-meter dash field this year was a new career mark, but one she enjoyed.

“I was very excited because it was what I was looking forward to all year. I was worried about making it all year, so I worked as hard as I could to make sure I got to state,” Althaus said. “It was a cool feeling to know I could compete with juniors and seniors, which most of them had been to state before.

“It was a really cool experience because I was racing against a lot of older people. There wasn’t that many freshmen or sophomores. It was a cold and windy day, so it wasn’t everyone’s ideal day to run the track.

“State was very exciting. I had a lot of fun.”

Althaus finished 18th in Thursday’s preliminaries with a 1:01.92.

Although she didn’t advance to Saturday’s finals and didn’t walk away with a medal, it’s an experience she won’t forget.

Even the Class 1A Rockridge Sectional where she finished with a time of 1:01.91 to clear the state meet qualifying time will be on her mind until next season.

“I went into sectional very nervous because at the Northwest Upstate Illini Conference Meet I had to cut off .2 seconds of my 400-meter to make the state qualifying time of 1:01.94,” Althaus said. “I was really nervous about whether I could do it or not.

“I tried to be as prepared as possible. I took time over the weekend to really prepare myself and worked with my coach, Michael Robinson, to make sure I had everything down. I was still nervous, but I was able to cut off the .2 seconds to make the qualifying time and took third place.”

Although this year’s track season just ended, she’s already cleated into the next time she takes the track.

She’s not going to have an offseason, she’ll be training.

“I’m curious about next year. Hopefully, I’ll make it to state again,” Althaus said. “I’m trying to get my sister’s record. Maybe I’ll get it my junior or senior year. My oldest sister Ashley had the school record in the 400. Then Lauren took it and has it now with a 1:00.66.

“That’s what I’m working for. I’m going to take the record.”